As we have seen in past articles, many of the northern states in the U.S. play host to various forms of poker all the way from the Great Lakes west to the Pacific, and among these states which has offered poker for several years is South Dakota.

Here it is again, summertime promises. Namely, summertime promises because during the warm summer months there is too much to choose from to do. Additionally, with the weather here in Southern California-so nice during summer-it is the envy of many locations that lack the creative resources to compete. Just jump on any freeway going west and run right into a beach pool of water. Start your trek going north there's Hollywood, Ca. the place where dreams are both realized and forgotten.

How dramatically we can change our results is largely a function of imagination. In 1960, it was a technological impossibility for man to travel into outer space. Within ten years, however, the first man stepped out onto the surface of the moon.

Frank Meoni was born in 1951 in Yonkers, New York. At the tender age of 16 Frank's father retired and moved the family to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, After Frank graduated high school he enrolled in a junior college and after his first year he tested for several fire departments. He was hired by Hialeah Fire Department and retired after 20 years of service.

There may be a $25,000 heads up challenge in Vegas for the elite, or the lure of another rematch between Andy Beal and "The Firm". But the World Heads Up Championship, a €2,000 no limit hold'em affair sponsored this year by PartyPoker. com, takes place in Barcelona (and formerly Vienna) as all European circuit players know, and over the years has played host to many of the biggest American names as well as all of the European ones.

Reading Nick Christenson's review of the new DVD, Texas Hold'em: The Winning Strategy with Mike Caro (Poker Player, June 13, 2005), caused me to contemplate that question. Since I have been teaching poker classes at a senior citizens center for three semesters, I now have a basis for addressing that question.

This 4th of July be proud you're an American Poker Player. After all, we invented the game. Poker is more American than baseball or apple pie. Poker developed with the new nation and is a part of our heritage and culture. As such, it reflects much of the American character and personality.

I wrote a column the other day about how to win when you are playing poker, and I gave you folks a couple of winning poker tips.

Tip No. 1: Observe and study the poker game that you are planning to play that day.

Tip No. 2: Rate the poker players that you will be playing with that day.

Folks, I want to tell you that I am writing a new book that I think I will call, "Sixty-five ways to improve your life and your poker game." I have decided that I will not re-invent the wheel on winning tips for poker players.

When John Wayne died June 11th, 1979, the Tokyo newspaper headline proclaimed, "Mr. America passes on". Ronald Reagan said of his friend, "He gave the whole world the image of what an American should be."

From a B-movie actor, he grew to become an American legend and cultural icon. In his movies and in his heart, John Wayne represented, reflected and rejoiced in the spirit and values of America.

You remember the old gangster movies- where the lead mug would threaten to throw the hero into the river with cement shoes? As a kid, in love with these old flicks, I used to imagine what that would be like - sinking fast in a body of water with "concrete galoshes". It's the feeling I still get sometimes at the poker table when the game is weighed down with rocks - the living and breathing kind. I had such an experience in Las Vegas on Memorial Day weekend.