def total(initial=5, *numbers, **keywords):
	count = initial
	for number in numbers:
		count += number
	for key in keywords:
		count += keywords[key]
	return count
print(total(10, 1, 2, 3, vegetables=50, fruits=100))

def foo1(*args):
    print args
def foo2(**kwargs):
    print kwargs
foo1(1, 2, 3)
foo2(a=1, b=2, c=3)

In [1]: def foo(*a):
   ...:     print type(a)
   ...:
In [2]: foo(1, 2, 3)
<type 'tuple'>