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"How to play online poker on a Mac?" This is a question that I have been asked a few times, and here we're not talking about the few online poker rooms that provide a download able mac version of their software. No, here we're talking about those online poker rooms that don't offer any kind of mac possibilities (no install able application, no browser version, etc.), thus leaving all the mac poker enthusiast out!!!

I myself am a mac user, because it has simply the best and very user friendly operating system. Though, I also own a windows computer, since I can't live without one for several reasons. My mac is a Power Book G4 and is about 2 years old. This means it doesn't have the Intel processor that current mac Pro's have. Not having an Intel processor is a huge disadvantage if you're looking in ways to run a stable version of windows. I basically spent hours trying to get everything to work, just to be able to play online poker on my mac. Sure, these hours may be less if you have experience, but I did not (just like many others out there).

This article will be divided in two sub articles from here. You may be interested in reading both, but most probably you will just read the article that fits your mac.

First Sub: mac WITHOUT INTEL

OK, so this is the situation I am in. I love to play online poker, but I hate to be sitting upstairs all the time. Besides me, my girlfriend hates it as well and she has told me that several times! I have a wireless network installed, so I can use my laptop anywhere in the house. At first I was playing online poker at rooms with the ability to play on a mac. Unfortunately these rooms are not my favourite. Don't get me wrong, there are seriously some great online poker rooms available for the mac. It's more like a personal thing.

Well, because I really wanted to play at this particular online poker room, I have Googled for a solution and found several options.

I found out later that the easiest way to run windows on a mac is by installing Virtual PC 7. It creates a windows machine on your Mac. It's also not so expensive, since you can choose form several versions: XP Pro, XP Home, Win 2K Pro, and a standalone version for people who own a copy of windows. The retail prizes range between $129 for the standalone, up to $249 for the Pro versions.

Let's me start by telling you this: "If you can afford it, this is what you want!" Virtual PC 7 makes it possible to run PC programs and peripherals right from your mac, but even better is that Virtual PC 7 runs in a window when using your mac operating system! It brings a lot of advantages to your mac, which might not all be related to this article since we're specifically talking about "how to play online poker on a mac". There's a pretty good demo that covers a lot of options (shared clipboard, shared folders, full screen mode, and lot's more) on the Virtual PC website.

• All information about Virtual PC 7: www.microsoft.com/mac/products/virtualpc/virtualpc.aspx?pid=virtualpc

before I found out about Virtual PC 7, I found with the following solution to my problem, since I was looking for a way to be able to participate in a poker freeroll for frequent players. It's definitely just as good as the solution previously mentioned, and best of all it's free! Though, you should be aware of the fact that it requires a PC on a network having a windows Pro version installed on it.

Microsoft offers a free "Remote Desktop" client application for the mac. Installing this on your mac enables you to work on your mac and your windows-based computer from a single location. You have to make sure that your PC has "Remote Desktop" installed, which can be done by following these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click Add/Remove windows Components.
4. Click Internet Information Services, and then click Details.
5. Click World Wide Web Service, and then click Details.
6. Select the Remote Desktop Web Connection check box, and then click OK.
7. Click OK on the Internet Information Services screen.
8. Click Next on the windows Components Wizard screen.

Next you have to make sure that "Remote Desktop" is enabled, which can be done by following these steps:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on the desktop, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Remote tab.
3. Make sure that the Allow users to connect remotely to this computer check box is selected, and then click OK.

You also need to know the IP address of the windows-based PC, which can be done by following these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, and then type cmd.
2. At the command prompt, type ipconfig.
3. Write down the IP address on a piece of paper.

You can now try to connect to your windows-based computer using the Remote Desktop Client on your mac by connecting to its' IP address.

1. On your mac, open Remote Desktop Connection.
2. In Computer, type the IP address.
3. Click Connect.

You are now able to remotely login to your windows-based machine. I hope this solution helps you just like it did me, have fin playing online poker on your Mac!

• All information about Remote Desktop Connection for Mac: www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=remotedesktopclient
• All information about setting up RDC on a mac: www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=Article_RDC

Second Sub: MAC WITH INTEL

I have to admit that I personally have no experience with what I am writing here. I have Googled for this information, and I believe that it covers all there is to know in a nut shell.

Owners of a mac Pro containing an Intel processor are the ones who can choose from several products to run windows.

First of all there is Apple's Boot Camp. It is free, and easy to install. Boot Camp enables mac users to run a copy of Windows natively, just like a PC. The only thing you need to do is pressing the Alt-key at start up.

Advantage: Use your mac as a Windows machine. Disadvantage: You can't switch between the two operating systems simultaneously.

• All information about Boot Camp: www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

Second there are several other products similar to Apple's Boot Camp. Applications like Parallels are even better since they can run OSX and Windows at the same time. All these products have their pro's and con's, but the main principles are comparable. The biggest difference between Boot Camp and the others? Surely the prices, Boot Camp is free...

• All information about Parallels: www.parallels.com/

No matter what product you'll choose, all will provide you with the same features and possibilities as a regular Windows machine does, thus it enables you to play poker at the online poker rooms you choose, with or without a Mac version!

Read all about Online Poker at our website, which also covers Poker Strategies and Pot Odds

The problem of obesity is a widespread problem in America. Check out the following startling statistics:

66% of U.S. adults were overweight or obese in 2003-2004.
80% of black women aged 40 years or over are overweight; 50% are obese.
16% of children and adolescents are overweight and 34% are at risk of becoming overweight in 2003-2004.

Its the sad truth: obesity affects every American whether rich or poor, male or female, young or old. Fortunately, weight loss clinics are being offered everywhere to help out these people. If you're from north Carolina, whether in Raleigh, Wilmington or Huntersville, theres sure to be a weight loss clinic that can help you fight this problem.

The body Mass Index
The body Mass Index (BMI) is used as a gauge on whether a person is considered as overweight, underweight, or just right for their height and weight. The formula for measuring one's BMI is shown below:

BMI = ( weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches ) ) x 703

BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters ) x ( Height in Meters ) )

This chart shows you what your BMI results mean:
Below 18.5Underweight
18.5 24.9Normal
25.0 29.9Overweight
30.0 and aboveObese

Weight loss surgery is seriously recommended for people who are considered obese. Thankfully, many weight loss clinics in the Huntersville area of north Carolina offer programs to help you win the fight against weight gain.

Weight-loss programs offered in Huntersville Weight Loss clinics

Medical assessment and counseling During your diet program, your health will be constantly monitored by a health and fitness professional to check the general state of your health. This is especially helpful in seeing if the program that was recommended to you actually works or not.

Lifestyle education For many, this is the most difficult step in any weight loss program. To In this method, a doctor, nurse or nutritionist will look at the way you live and suggest some lifestyle changes that will help you lose weight.

Personalized consultations - most weight loss programs focus on one-on-one consultations between the client and the health professional.

Maintenance support - To keep their clients on track, most weight loss programs still give support even after their participants have already reached their target weight goals.

Weight Loss surgery Explained

For some, the strategies enumerated above are still not effective especially for those who have already reached the obese mark. The best solution for these individuals is weight loss surgery. Consult the nearest Huntersville weight clinic to you and inquire whether they offer the following procedures:

Gastric Bypass surgery

In this procedure, the surgeon will create a smaller pouch in your stomach that will accommodate only a small amount of food. The food that leaves this new pouch will pass through a newly created opening and bypass the rest of the stomach and much of the small intestine. As a result, fewer calories will be absorbed by the body. This will also cause the patient to feel full quickly even with small amounts of food.

lap band Surgery

Many patients prefer this procedure because its less invasive, and thus safer and quicker. For this procedure, the surgeon will place an adjustable band around the top section of the stomach to create a smaller pouch that can only hold a limited amount of food. The band is made of an inflatable silicone ring with a reservoir that is connected through it by a fine tube. The ring controls the flow of food from this smaller pouch to the rest of the digestive tract. Like the first procedure, this will make the patient feel full much quicker, which will limit his or her food intake. The procedure is fully reversible and will leave no permanent scars on your stomach.

To avail of the services of a Huntersville weight loss clinic, you can scan the city's yellow pages or browse the internet to see their programs, rates and other offerings.

Don't ever lose hope in achieving your weight loss goals. Get in touch with a health professional at the Huntersville weight loss clinic nearest you immediately. It might just save your life.

Phillip England is a weight loss expert and Author of the popular report "The ultimate Weight Loss Secret". To receive your free information on the secret that doctors, and health companies either don't know, or don't want you to know, please see http://www.theultimateweightlosssecret.com/secret

I hate it when a market matures. Sure, the profits are more predictable, but the excitement evaporates. Kinda like getting married.

As a marketable technology concept, SaaS has matured. This is evidenced by several factors, from adoption rates by enterprises, and by seeing companies with the most to loose from SaaS competition joining the fray. The giddy days of SaaS are soon behind us, but reduced profits ahead.

The good news is that enterprise customers have shaken their SaaS jitters and are adopting services at a fair clip. A recent survey of CIOs showed some interesting numbers:

10-15% of IT budgets are spent on SaaS
86% are using SaaS non-experimentally either for department point solutions or corporate wide
An average of six SaaS solutions are in use in an enterprise
73% of the CIOs plan on expanding use of SaaS
This bodes well for software companies who bet the farm on SaaS. Adoption and satisfaction rates are high and growing, which drops the barrier to adoption. SaaS will soon be given equal consideration in all project planning within IT.

And all a pure play SaaS software company has to do is make less money.

The McKinsey Quarterly reported that SaaS software vendors do not make as much as traditional software firms. This may be a side effect of being a relatively new offering, and that SaaS start-ups face significant SG&A costs (49% of revenues compare to 35% for a traditional and established software concern). but the net effect is that today a SaaS software company keeps about 13% of their revenues as profits (EBITDA), and folks that sell bits on CD keep 31%, almost three times as much.

So why would Microsoft be at all interested in SaaS? Microsoft rakes in a lot of money from software, upgrades and technical support services. Given that the average cost of goods sold and SG&A expenses are so much higher for SaaS than Microsoft's existing business model, it would seem suicidal to adopt SaaS.

"The industry will change," is what Allison Watson, the corporate vice president of Microsoft's worldwide partner group, said in a recent interview. Microsoft is old and cagey enough to spot trends, and know when to not fight them. SaaS will dominate in some markets, and CRM is the top achiever ( 36% enterprises that have deployed SaaS deployed SaaS-based CRM applications ). SalesForce.com added 253,000 new seats in 2006, and Microsoft had far fewer with their Dynamic CRM product ( some estimates claim that Microsoft owns a mere 1.4% of the total CRM license sales ). Thus, Microsoft is entering the SaaS market and targeting the low end, with a long-term plan of up-selling SaaS accounts to software licenses.

Microsoft's changing strategies avoid treating software as a zero-sum game. They see when they are being cut out of a market, and drive to adapt -- to claim or recapture market share. Knowing the lifetime value of a customer, they are willing to suffer lower margins in a highly competitive market to gain customers, and begin the insidious processes of creating interdependencies between Microsoft products, and raising customer switching costs.

SaaS is now officially here to stay, so you had best think through SaaS as an offering. It may be on your customer's requirements list.

Guy Smith is the chief consultant for Silicon strategies Marketing. Guy brings a combination of technical, managerial and marketing experience to Silicon strategies projects. Directly and as a consultant, Guy has worked with a variety of technology-producing organizations. A partial list of these technology firms include ORBiT Group (high-availability backup software), Telamon (wireless middleware), Wink communications (interactive television), LogMeIn (remote desktop), FundNET (SaaS), Open-Xchange (groupware), VA Software (enterprise software), Virtual Iron (server virtualization), SUSE (Linux distributions and applications), BrainWave (application prototyping) and Novell.

Do you know what dish TV is exactly? Nowadays, dish TV is gaining more and more popularity. During the last ten years or more, dish TV has become so common among us that almost every house has a satellite dish on its roof. I was very curious to understand how popular dish TV may become. Speaking personally, I have never wanted to have dish TV at home. However, recently I have begun rethinking that attitude and am giving it serious consideration.

Someone told me about all the channels that digital television provides. I was just dying of curiosity to learn just exactly what is digital television. I was satisfied with the regular cable TV but then I was impatient to dive into the world of digital television. So, I was faced with a dilemma whether to choose a dish TV provider or a wideband digital TV provider.

I knew that a friend of mine has had a dish TV for several years so I asked him to help me with my research. Therefore, I began searching information about dish TV and broadband digital television. Before even thinking of having dish TV, I had always been annoyed with the never-ending commercials debating over the advantages and disadvantages of dish TV and broadband cable. Of course, the wideband digital television commercials were presenting the dish TV as awful and useless. On the other hand, the dish TV commercials were claiming that dish TV will be the future of digital television. I was so confused of all this mere talk. I wasnt sure what to think. In the end, I trusted neither of them.

I decided to trust my neighbor so I asked him about his impressions of the dish TV. He admitted that he has had some troubles with his dish TV that he had never encountered with his cable TV. After all, I found him happy and satisfied with his dish TV. He shared with me that at first his wife had been complaining that the satellite dish is too ugly. Obviously, she had got used to its look.

I knew that some of the outdated dish TV satellites had been an unpleasant sight because of their size. But over the years, they have changed a lot. The contemporary dish TV satellites were actually much smaller and nicer. Moreover, digital TV providers are now offering much more technical support than before.

My neighbor told me that the main advantage of dish TV was it lower monthly fee. Different providers were offering different monthly fees. Furthermore, I noticed that all advertised dish TV monthly fees were much cheaper than any broadband cable fee in my area. broadband digital television providers offered as a compromise more channels than dish TV.

In some regions no broadband cable option is available so there dish TV is your only chance if you want to have digital television. That is why dish TV is much more approachable.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning electronics. Get the information you are seeking by visiting http://www.newelectronicsinformation.com/electronics/electronics/taking-a-closer-look-at-dish-tv.html