You Take Your College Football Playoff And GET OFF MY LAWN

Take your playoffs and get off my lawn. (Warning, NSFW language in clip)

I know that I am in the minority about the evolution of a college football playoff, and most people can't see why a playoff is a bad thing.

And I'll even concede to the playoff proponents that the tradition of the Rose Bowl, or the tradition of bowls in general, which is usually one of the pillars that form the anti-playoff argument, has already been pissed on when the Rose Bowl joined the BCS, and the bowls in general became nothing more than corporate advertising that just happened to have a football game attached to it..

No, my problem is that with evolution, things continue to evolve, and what we have today won't be what we have in a few years. Be it 10, 15, or 30, it's going to change, and not for the better.

After the jump.

Now, before you decry that I'm just a stodgy old guy that can't stand change, well, you're partially right. Or I obviously wouldn't be writing about my opposition to a playoff. I do think some change is good, like the B1G moving to 12 teams, adopting divisions, and holding a conference championship game. All of that has been fantastic, both for the game and for the conference.

Luke Zimmerman, one of the best writers not only on SB Nation but in sports today, did a tongue in cheek post about how a playoff has ruined college football, just like things such as the line of scrimmage and the forward pass did...which they obviously didn't. But that got me thinking about how the game evolved, and I think in this instance, the continued evolution will not be for the betterment of the game, unlike the things Luke mentioned in his post.

Right now, the BCS is reviled as a way of picking a 'true' champion. Whether it's the bias in the polls, comparing strength of schedules for multiple one loss teams, or continued slighting of non-AQ schools, almost no one is happy with the BCS process.

My, how times have changed. Just 14 years ago, when the BCS was announced, it seemed to be the perfect solution. All the major conferences with automatic bowl tie-ins would release their conference champion to play a #1 vs. #2 to decide a 'true' national champion. People hailed this as something that would once and for all remove all doubt as to who the true champion would be.

Fast forward to today. No one is happy with the BCS, because most years, we have trouble coming to a consensus on who the best two teams are, and that's because there are usually two or three teams that can lay claim to the #2 spot.

So, the thought goes, expanding to a four team playoff solves all the problems, and people are hailing this as almost the perfect solution. We'll have a national semifinal, then a championship game, and by God, now there won't be any doubt as to who the best team is.

Really? Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, I guess.

All this will do is expand the list of teams that think they should be teams #3 and #4. I just see this as nothing more as rehash of the same arguments we currently have, only on a much bigger and messier scale. With a four team playoff, you'll now have six or seven teams arguing that they should be in the semifinals.

And with the advent of school conference television networks and the revenue they'll provide, ESPN and the mega contracts they are churning out, and the absolute insane money a playoff promises, these arguments will only get more intensive and cut throat going forward.

And the only solution, the talking heads will proclaim, will be further expansion, just like they are now.

Stewart Mandel just did a column talking about how great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day will be again, with all 12 seeded teams playing each other.

Wait, what?

Yeah, there are going to be teams seeded 1-12...to help determine the best bowls outside the semi-finals, but including the top 4 teams. Noooope, doesn't sound like the groundwork for a playoff expansion is already being laid down. Not at all:

As was announced Tuesday, six bowls will rotate hosting the two semifinal games over a 12-year period, with a selection committee choosing the participants based on record, strength of schedule and other criteria. But the committee's work won't end there -- they'll be selecting the pool for the other four bowls as well.

"They will rank the teams much like the basketball committee seeds the teams. We don't know how many they will rank -- 12, 15, 20, somewhere in that range -- but that ranking will be used to identify who will be filling the [four] games that are not hosting the semifinals. That's the concept."

In other words, the best teams will play in the best bowls, and theoretically, as many as five of the six games could pit Top 10 teams against one another, and it's possible, though not automatic, that the six games will pit the Top 12 teams. [ED: Quotes within this quoteblock are from BCS Director Bill Hancock]

So what they're doing to determine the teams...is exactly what they're doing now, basically. Oh, it will be by a selection committee, but they will be using largely the same factors that the BCS uses to determine the current rankings.

And NO ONE LIKES HOW THEY SELECT TEAMS RIGHT NOW. How does this solve anything, again?

And Mandel, trying to gin up excitement for this new system, gives a hypothetical schedule of what we'll see, using last year's teams and bowls. But in so doing, he makes my argument for me:

Dec. 31, 1 p.m. Chick-fil-A: No. 11 Clemson (10-3) vs. No. 13 Baylor (9-3)

Dec. 31, 4:30 p.m. Cotton: No. 9 South Carolina (10-2) vs. No. 10 Boise State (11-1)

Dec. 31, 8 p.m. Fiesta: No. 2 Oklahoma State (11-1) vs. No. 3 Alabama (11-1)

Jan. 1, 1 p.m. Sugar: No. 6 Arkansas (10-2) vs. No. 7 Kansas State (10-2)

Jan. 1, 5 p.m. Rose: No. 5 Stanford (11-1) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (11-2)

Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. Orange: No. 1 LSU (13-0) vs. No. 4 Oregon (10-2)

Obviously, it's impossible to say exactly how the committee's rankings would have differed from the BCS standings, but I elevated Oklahoma State (from No. 3 to No. 2), Oregon (No. 4 to 5), Wisconsin (No. 10 to No. 8) and Clemson (No. 15 to No. 11) for their conference championships and/or head-to-head wins over similarly ranked foes and downgraded Boise State (from No. 7 to No. 10) for poor strength of schedule. We also don't know if there would be an at-large selection order or a teams-per conference limit (the SEC placed four in this lineup).

And Mandel makes his arguments as to why he changed teams around. Why is a 10-2 Oregon chosen over a 10-2 Kansas State or Wisconsin? Yes, I know Oregon beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, but before they played, which would've been the point in time when this schedule was made out, you could make an argument that Wisconsin was just as deserving--BCS conference champion, 11 wins, potent offense, just like Oregon. For that matter, Stanford was a 1 loss team that won the conference Oregon was in, why not them? Oh, and Boise State, at 11-1, suffered their annual screw job.

See what I mean?

So the next logical step...evolution, if you will...will be to say 'hey, let's just take these 12 teams (or 16, or 8, whatever) and make an X team playoff. And you're still going to have controversy as to who is in and who isn't.

And one of the unintended consequences, I fear, will be a gravitation towards four or five 'super conferences', which will ostensibly be to help minimize the wailing about who the final four teams are. But I think many people, at least here on OTE, took a step back when expansion ended for us. At the time, we were kind of caught up in the moment about a 16 team super conference--it was fun to think about and speculate on. But upon further reflection, 16 teams would be too big. With 12, certain rivalries are already on a semi-hiatus (Wisconsin-Iowa), but that seems to be okay, especially since Nebraska will develop some great rivalries in the B1G over time.

But 16 teams? You're going to have the long time rivalry dilution without any serious back-fill, regardless of who the B1G might add. Sure, Notre Dame (assuming they would join, and that's no guarantee) would be everyone's rival, but what about the other three teams? Would their addition...whoever they are...make up for the loss of a Minnesota-Wisconsin type rivalry? It seems foolish to think that these sacrosanct rivalries wouldn't be played on an annual basis, but with 16 teams, it's almost certain that one long standing rivalry will be sacrificed 'for the greater good'. But it's not for the greater good.

And to those of you that say 'well, they'll never expand past the four teams', I'm going to ask you to do a little research, because I have and haven't found it: Find any major North American sport that hasn't expanded their playoff format, and tell me if it was for the greater good of the game. The NFL still has the best sports product in the world, but a 10-6 wildcard team can sneak in on the last week of the regular season, get hot, and win it all. No one, except the most ardent fans of the NHL and the NBA gives two hoots in hell about those sports until the playoffs, and after the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, the only people left caring are fans with teams left standing.

One of the things I love about college football is the uniqueness of the bowls, but I understand that the original purpose has been overtaken by money and corporate sponsorship, and that with the huge amount of money at stake, it's never going to go back to the way it was.

And that's a shame, in many different ways.

Now, all of you playoff proponents, get the HELL OFF MY LAWN.

Source: http://www.offtackleempire.com/2012/6/29/3123898/why-a-college-football-playoff-is-bad-for-the-sport

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KOGORadio: Local teens are facing grand theft auto for stealing THIS: Golf Cart, Electric bicycle, Go-car. Tune in at 4:36 http://t.co/QHKK8O7d

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The New Essential Apps June 2012 [Apps]

iPhones. iPads. Android. We've updated all of our essential apps lists to include a few forgotten favorites, some long awaited arrivals and, as always, even more amazing apps. Check them out! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xrksOv1La2Q/the-new-essential-apps-june-2012

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Adobe drops all Android Flash support, removing Flash Player from Google Play

The future is looking bleak for Flash Player on Android devices. From August 15th, Flash Player will no longer be available to download from the Google Play Store.

That's not all, though: it's been confirmed that Adobe's Flash plug-in won't be supported in the upcoming Android OS update, Jelly Bean, meaning pages, banners, and games written in Flash may not load properly when viewed on a device running Jelly Bean.

Abode said that the required certification of each Flash Player implementation by each separate partner program for Android means that Flash doesn't always work on every device, and, thus, fragmentation ensues.

As a result, Adobe is looking to drop Flash support for Android devices altogether. However, if you own a device that currently has Flash installed on it, you will continue to receive security patches for it.

The maker of Photoshop and Dreamweaver warns that if you upgrade your device to Jelly Bean but don't uninstall Flash, it may "exhibit unpredictable behavior", as 4.1 Flash simply isn't supported.

Is this such a big deal, then? Well, Apple's mobile devices have never supported Flash content, and they've got by just fine, with The Big A preferring to focus on supporting web standards such as HTML5 on its iPhone and iPad platforms, instead.

Joined:

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Post?count:

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Excelcius | 13:53 - 29 June 2012

Good just desktops and laptops to go now and we'll finally be free of it, and I say that as an action script programmer. The web's being applified who wants to consume content inside a browser window when they can view it natively in full screen, why run an app inside app inside another app (swf inside the flash player inside the browser) when again you can run it natively at full speed.

With the applification of the web Ive come to regard web pages as an interactive books magazines or TV programs, not a replacement for applications. As a consumer and web developer all I really need is the ability to play video, play sound, interact and move things around with some tradition effects and do a few neat tricks HTML 5 gives me all of that without constant updates and security patches and from a developers perspective having to worry if the user has the latest version installed.

The sooner we abolish browser plug ins in general the better !

Joined:

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hhpaintingsp | 13:19 - 29 June 2012

Ok but I just got a new Android phone and I can't use anything! I tried to listen to radio online and it says I need flash. What can replace it? Also I can't watch Netflix because I need Gooogle Chrome and it will not download.

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IoniaSentStand: Lions extend contract with head coach Jim Schwartz http://t.co/NQIu93Jh

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Egypt president-elect to head to Tahrir Square

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's president-elect plans Friday to address thousands who have camped out in Cairo's Tahrir Square to demonstrate against the military's hold on power despite the election of a new civilian leader, a nod to the protesters who supported his bid for leadership.

Mohammed Morsi of the Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, is the first president to be elected after the uprising that forced longtime leader Hosni Mubarak to step down. But he is already facing a serious challenge after the ruling generals who oversee the transition took a series of decisions that undermine the powers of his office before his swearing-in.

Morsi's spokesman, Yasser Ali, said the president-elect wants to stand with the thousands who have been in the square for over a week to express concern about the power grabs.

"He wants to confirm that people are the source of his power," Ali said. "He wants to show unity with his people over issues of the transition, which is now ending."

The ruling generals said they will transfer power to an elected president by July 1. But days before Morsi was declared winner, they gave themselves sweeping powers that undercut the authority of the president. The generals' constitutional declaration also designated them the country's legislature, following a court decision that dissolved the country's first freely elected parliament, which was dominated by Islamists.

Protesters took to the streets, demanding that the generals rescind the declaration and reinstate the parliament.

Morsi's first test in his power struggle with the generals will be the venue of his oath-taking ceremony.

He will be sworn in before a high court Saturday. Traditionally, presidents are to be sworn in before parliament. For many of the protesters, Morsi's swearing-in before the court, as dictated by the generals' constitutional declaration, was a concession to the military.

"We demand from the president of the republic that he calls off the constitutional declaration, reinstate the parliament as it was, and to stand here among us to be sworn in and swear he has all his powers," said a preacher in the square who addressed the crowd before Morsi arrived.

"From now on, we make our demands to the president of the republic, not the military council. The military council no longer rules Egypt."

Ali said Morsi's agreement to take oath before the court does not mean the battle to regain his powers is over.

"This is an affirmation that (Morsi) respects the law and constitution," he said. "It doesn't mean approval of the declaration."

Speaking to newspapers editors Thursday, Morsi said there are still discussions on how to on how to implement the law dissolving the parliament. The court decision declared a third of the elected seats unconstitutional and Brotherhood lawyers argue it is still possible to only dissolve that third. Morsi urged patience.

Morsi, the first elected Islamist leader of an Arab country, is also trying to reach out to many of the liberal and secular forces that were behind the uprising. They, along with Egypt's Coptic Christian minority, fear Morsi would work to establish a religious state. Most of those groups have stayed out of the protest in Tahrir.

However, the prominent April 6 youth movement took part in the square protest.

"We should be patient with one another, two, three or four years, and try to live together in this atmosphere of freedom and democracy after the revolution," he told the editors, according to comments published in the state-run Al-Ahram daily. "This is definitely a better atmosphere than before. But there are big challenges."

Before heading to Tahrir, Morsi prayed in Al-Azhar mosque. Al-Azhar is the Sunni world's most prestigious learning institution, and represents moderate Islam. Morsi's visit there is an acknowledgement of respect to the institution.

Protesters in the square chanted, "The military council should leave tonight," and, "The president takes the oath in the square."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-president-elect-head-tahrir-square-101728737.html

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sallykohn: Conservatives railing about health care as "tax" are OK w GOP budget raising actual taxes on middle class to cut taxes for rich?

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House of Night or Vampire Academy

So I am a big big fan of the House of Night series and Vampire Academy. I would like to do a an rp of one of them...thought I want to see how many people would be interested in it...and if anyone would like to help me? If you would like to help me please PM me.

No Day But Today-Rent

When you don't want to feel, death can seem like a dream. But seeing death, really seeing it, makes dreaming about it f'in ridiculous. Maybe, there's a moment growing up when something peels back... Maybe, maybe, we look for secrets because we can't believe our minds...-Girl Interrupted

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The Bigfoot-Slaughtering Carson commented on BATTLESUIT's post about re: Sony's Kaz Gets Custom PlayStation 3 .

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Crowd-funded group building asteroid-mapping telescope, saving Earth (video)

Just when you're numbing to robot, zombie and nuclear apocalypse scenarios, some old-fashioned asteroid paranoia pops up to surprise you. The B612 Foundation, which gets funding from, well, anyone, has just announced plans to launch Sentinel, a space telescope which will wander the vacuum cataloging asteroids in our inner solar system. Their goal is to track asteroid orbits and predict large impacts up to 100 years in advance, giving us plenty of time to find a solution (or enjoy our final days). Construction doesn't start til late fall, with the launch expected in around five years, so it won't be any use in disproving the 2012 doomsday believers out there. You can find out more about the project and donate to the foundation at the source link, or jump past the break for a video explanation, Aerosmith not included.

Continue reading Crowd-funded group building asteroid-mapping telescope, saving Earth (video)

Crowd-funded group building asteroid-mapping telescope, saving Earth (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Adafruit  |  B612 Foundation  | Email this | Comments

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Teacher dies trying to save student in Lake Erie

By msnbc.com staff

CLEVELAND -- An Ohio teacher who died after trying to save a 9-year-old student from Lake Erie rip currents is being remembered for her selflessness as investigators try to determine why children on a school beach outing were in the water before lifeguards were on duty.

Laura Recco, 46, of Seven Hills dove into the water about 10:30 a.m. Monday when she saw two students, including Diamond Harris, 9, being pulled under at Bay Village?s Huntington Beach, about 10 miles west of Cleveland, according to reports.

Recco pulled one student out but when she went back for Harris, currents and waves up to 6 feet pulled her under, too, the Morning Journal newspaper of Lorain reported.

"The way she died is the perfect display of how selfless she was," Angelica Gagliardi, the older of Recco?s two daughters, tearfully told WEWS of Cleveland.

---

Although Cleveland Metroparks lifeguards weren?t due on duty until 11 a.m., Christian Pesarchick, 19, of Avon Lake was setting up and jumped in to try to save Recco and Harris, but he got into trouble in the water, too, NBC station WKYC of Cleveland reported.

About a half-dozen other lifeguards and passerby Clint Kranes, an Elyria resident and Navy veteran, and another teacher eventually pulled all three out of the water, WKYC reported.

The three were sent to St. John Medical Center. Pesarchick was released Monday. Harris was transferred to Rainbow Babies and Children?s Hospital and was released Tuesday, the Morning Journal newspaper of Lorain reported.

Recco died Wednesday morning, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner?s Office said.

She was one of four teachers who came with Harris and four other students on the annual?beach outing for the private nonprofit Positive Education Program, which serves 2,500 Cleveland-area children with special learning needs, WKYC reported.

Why some children and adults ventured into the water before the beach was officially open?and with dangerous conditions on the lake is being investigated by both Metroparks Rangers and by the Positive Education Program, WKYC reported.

Gagliardi described her mother to the Morning Journal:??Best teacher. Best mother. Best grandmother. Best friend. None of those things even touch the surface of the woman my mom was and the woman my mom raised me to become. She was strong and respected and put everyone else before herself.?

PEP would not comment to msnbc.com or other news organizations.

On Wednesday it issued a statement: ?Laura was one of our very finest teachers. Uniquely skilled at helping children build competencies, she was committed to helping every child know some joy in each day. She was deeply respected by her peers and was honored as PEP Hopewell?s Teacher-Counselor of the Year in 2006.?

The?veteran teacher also leaves behind her husband, Frank.

Msnbc.com's Jim Gold contributed to this article. Follow him on Facebook here.

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Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/28/12462561-teacher-dies-after-trying-to-save-student-from-lake-erie-rip-currents?lite

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conradkaczmarek: Cleveland Cavaliers Draft: The Aftermath #Cavs #NBA http://t.co/jXrzpeoQ

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Enjoy The Unique Charms and Attractions of Warsaw in Poland

Explore Europe under your own steam through luxury holidays by train. If you want to enjoy sightseeing and discovering key destinations without the stress of airport transfers, holidays by train offer first class travel across different destinations. Now you can enjoy the very best sightseeing experience in a more leisurely manner.

European holidays by train guarantee a unique experience, travelling to vibrant cities such as Budapest, Istanbul and Warsaw, among others. Every stop is carefully handpicked to showcase key attractions to regale tourists.

Visiting Warsaw

Holidays by train are especially ideal for people who are paying their first visit to Europe. When planning a trip, one of the highlights is Warsaw, which offers many exceptional must-see attractions and must-try activities.

As the capital city of Poland, Warsaw is known as a major business hub for serious shoppers and tourists. What sets it apart is the fact that while it features the usual hustle and bustle of a modern city, it is also teeming with scenic old town charm that has been fully re-built following the World War II. This means apart from enjoying the sight of skyscrapers, it is also a wonderful destination for wandering around its old relics.

To give you an idea what?s in store in Warsaw, check out the top recommended activities below.

Discover the Warsaw Old Town and Castle

Warsaw?s old town (stare miasto) and the castle (zamek) were both completely rebuilt right after the war. The main square features restaurants, cafes as well as tourist shops that are sure to delight and titillate your senses. Make sure to check out the mermaid statue (syrenka), which is located right at the centre of the old town square, and serves as the city?s emblem. For some romance and quiet time, walk among the medieval ramparts to best enjoy the majestic views of the city. To enjoy some really authentic Polish cuisine, check out their dumpling restaurants (pierogarnia), featuring fillings that will make your mouth water in anticipation and delight.

Enjoy Chopin in Royal Park

If you are planning to visit Warsaw during the summer season, enjoy some relaxing time at Royal Park. If you are lucky, you may be able to catch an open air concert featuring the music of Chopin during the early evenings. Both locals and tourists gather here to enjoy great music or simply relax after a hard day?s work.

Shop at Golden Terraces Centre

This shopping centre was built several years ago, following the completion of the Palace of Culture and the Warsaw Central Station. The Golden Terraces Centre features the highly modern and ultra sleek shops of some of the most popular brand names. It also houses a string of restaurants and cafes as well as a cinema. For those travelling by train, this location is perfect to squeeze in some serious shopping.

Sample delicious cakes

One of the must-try food items in Warsaw is the local donut, along with the city?s unique versions of cakes and other baked goodies. Among the most famous and sought after providers is the Blikle caf?, which is situated in the elegant district of Nowy Swiat Street.

Anna Copeland is the Marketing Manager for The Danube Express, which specialises in European holidays by train. The Danube Express has a range of exclusive train holidays to Europe, travelling across countries like Poland, Hungary and Turkey.

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/travelandleisure/2012/06/30/enjoy-the-unique-charms-and-attractions-of-warsaw-in-poland/

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New Mexico mom jailed for overdue 'Twilight' book, DVDs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A New Mexico woman was arrested and spent a night in jail for not returning the book "Twilight" and two-DVD set "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" back to the library on time.

The Albuquerque Journal reports (http://bit.ly/MY6rJW ) Lori Teel was arrested and handcuffed at her Portales home in front of her five small children earlier this month for the $36 worth of library materials not returned since 2010.

Her attorney says arrest warrants were mailed last year to an address at which Teel hadn't lived since childhood, but Teal was arrested by officers investigating a disturbance.

Her charges were dismissed.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

Source: http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_20965402/new-mexico-mom-jailed-overdue-twilight-book-dvds?source=rss_viewed

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Thursday Mojaba Showcase: Business Innovation Zone | Torsion ...

Client: Business Innovation Zone, Des Moines, IA

Mobile Site: m.bizci.org

Agency: McLellan Marketing Group, Des Moines, IA www.mclellanmarketing.com

Elements Used:

• Button
• Click to Call
• Click to Email
• Grid
• Image
• Link
• Location
• RSS Feed
• Social Media
• Text

?

Source: http://torsionmobile.com/2012/06/28/thursday-mojaba-showcase-business-innovation-zone/

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Yamaha Vocaloid on Miselu Neiro synth: exclusive hands-on at Google I/O 2012 (video)

Did you enjoy our first look at the latest apps being showcased on Miselu's Neiro Android-powered synth here at Google I/O 2012? Want more? You've come to the right place. As promised here's an exclusive hands-on with Yamaha's Vocaloid app demoed by the man behind the technology himself -- video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi. We got a chance to play with an early build of the software running on the same 3-octave prototype version of the synth we last saw at SXSW. The verdict? It works pretty well considering the pre-alpha status of the code. The app feature two modes of operation -- edit and play -- the former letting you type or speak text and map it to an existing melody and the latter allowing you to chose preset sentences and "sing" them with the keyboard. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so take a look at our gallery below and watch our hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Miselu Neiro Yamaha Vocaloid demo

Continue reading Yamaha Vocaloid on Miselu Neiro synth: exclusive hands-on at Google I/O 2012 (video)

Yamaha Vocaloid on Miselu Neiro synth: exclusive hands-on at Google I/O 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/g-6_apEstgs/

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U2 bassist's aide found guilty of stealing from him

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u2-bassists-aide-found-guilty-stealing-him-192706695.html

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Louie, Season 3

In fact, rewatching a bunch of episodes from last season, I found myself processing scene after scene in contrast to the inauthentic feelings, relationships, and New York locations of Girls. There?s Louie?s potential threesome in Jersey, thwarted in fantastically awkward fashion and leaving our horny hero dejected, grossed out, and confused vs. the almost-threesome in Girls, which ends with Jessa and Marnie?s girl-on-girl tongue action and leads to the big season-ending wedding. Later, stranded in the Garden State, Louie calls his buddy Chris Rock to pick him up. ?What are you doing, Louie? With your life? You?re a father, man,? Rock says, laying some direct no-bullshit on his his drifting friend. Compare that to the heavy-with-implied-meaning pep talk that working-mom Katherine delivers to a drifting Jessa in the second-to-last episode of Girls: "You?re [creating chaos] to distract yourself from becoming the person you?re meant to be."

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=929964cebc84c6581e0a0ad4357714e4

clive davis

A Few Reasons Affiliate Programs Are The Very Best Way To Start ...

June 28, 2012 ? 7:18 am

One thing worth talking about is that there?s a lot of people have grown to be incredibly successful on the net but you are going to find that most Internet Marketers will never make enough money to make it worth their while. One of the reasons for this is mainly because people work from home business opportunity do not give enough time or effort into one type of technique, and they simply bounce around from one idea to the next. Many folks do not understand that there?s one proven technique to making money online that?s been most productive for Web Marketers, of course you?ll have to put in some time before you see good results. In the following paragraphs we?re going to be looking at affiliate programs and precisely why they may be the best choice for any newcomer who is looking to start an online business.

One of the main reasons it is so important to use affiliate marketing programs for beginners is mainly because they do not need to work on producing a product of their own, they just promote somebody else?s. Building a web site is another thing you are not going to need to have to deal with simply because most affiliate marketing programs will have a proven product sales page that you are going to simply need to funnel traffic to. And one final thing you?re not going to need to worry about is any kind of customer support such as dealing with complaints or delivering the products because this is also something the owner needs to take care of. home based business work So basically all you are going to need to do is advertise an affiliate link that they provide to you to be able to start generating commissions.

Plenty of men and women think that driving traffic to an affiliate page is easy, and in a way it is, but the key is to drive targeted visitors to that page who are interested in purchasing this type of product. As with any sort of Internet business if the site is not receiving traffic there is going to be no sales made, and if you are promoting affiliate products but not sending traffic to these pages you?ll not be earning commissions. So this is where your own work will come in because you are going to need to figure out the very best way to drive targeted visitors to these affiliate marketing programs.

There are lots of online marketers who will in fact only use one kind of advertising and become incredibly successful with it. For people who make the determination to focus on one sort of marketing and master it until you find success, something you need to keep in mind is that a adding in yet another form of advertising would be a good idea. If you don?t know where to start with your marketing, I recommend that you first figure out how to use article marketing and advertising, because this is a advertising and marketing strategy that?s been very profitable for many individuals.

While it is OK to advertise multiple affiliate products you need to begin by marketing one product, and after you are making money with that one you are able to begin marketing another product.

If you?re looking for a simple, proven and predictable online income generating system, click here.

Source: http://www.submitatonce.com/blog/web-promotion/a-few-reasons-affiliate-programs-are-the-very-best-way-to-start-generating-an-income-on-the-internet/

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Companies feel the heat as China slowdown takes toll - Business ...

HONG KONG (Reuters) - An economic slowdown in China is taking a toll on a growing number of companies, with a series of profit warnings highlighting how weakness in the world's second-largest economy is hitting earnings and rattling investors across the board.

Shareholders of GOME Electrical , China's No.2 home appliance retailer, said at the company's annual general meeting on Thursday that they were concerned about the impact of a China slowdown on the company's sales.

"The management admitted that sales have been affected by a slowdown in economic growth, but they didn't clearly say if a recovery will come or things will be steady for the rest of the year," said Calvin Tan, a director of investment at Ma & Wong Asset Management.

GOME's shares, which have plunged 44 percent so far this year, closed down nearly 4 percent at HK$0.98 on Thursday, their lowest level since October 2008, lagging a 0.8 percent drop in the benchmark Hang Seng Index <.hsi>.

"It is too late for us to sell the shares and we don't know how long we have to keep the stock," said a GOME shareholder who left in the middle of the meeting and declined to be named.

The concerns over GOME come after shares of China Resources Cement Holdings closed down 5.5 percent on Thursday after it warned of a sharp fall in first-half earnings as selling prices for cement products have fallen.

China's central bank cut its policy rates in June for the first time since the global financial crisis as data for April and May suggested growth was weakening more than previously thought.

Many economists have cut their forecasts since May and say second-quarter growth could be just over 7 percent, which would be the weakest pace of expansion since the global economic crisis.

A Reuters poll in May showed a consensus forecast for full-year growth in 2012 of 8.2 percent, which would be the slowest pace of growth since 1999.

"The worst is yet to come," said Paul Tang, chief economist at the Bank of East Asia . "The impact could be reflected in the third quarter before some sign of improvement. That is why there is an urgent need for the Chinese government to launch some supportive measures."

RETAIL SALES SLIDE

A clampdown on China's property sector by policymakers has weighed on GOME and its bigger rival, Suning , seen by some as China's answer to Best Buy , as spending on appliances has eased.

"Sales simply fell miserably this year, at least 30 percent down from last year, in terms of refrigerators and laundry machines," said a sales assistant at a GOME store in China who would only give her surname Zhang as she was not authorized to speak to the media.

Indeed, home appliance sales rose just 0.5 percent in May from a year earlier, underperforming a 13.8 percent increase in overall retail sales, government data shows.

"It's also related to the slowdown in new apartment purchases, because as soon as you buy an apartment, you need to buy a new refrigerator, washing machine and such," said Bruno Lannes, Shanghai-based head of Bain & Company's retail and consumer products practice for Greater China.

China's property investment grew 18.5 percent in the first five months from a year earlier, down from an annual rise of 27.9 percent for the full year of 2011 and 33.2 percent in 2010.

Some Suning staff shrugged off concerns of a slowdown.

"The tightening policy only has minimal impact on our sales. Even though a household is restricted to one or two homes, the total transactions are still huge and people's demand for home appliances is strong," said Xiao Yuanfu, a sales manager at Suning who joined the company in 2004.

High-end products have also come under pressure.

Zhang Yuping, executive chairman of Hengdeli Holdings Ltd , China's top luxury watch retailer, told Reuters earlier this month that an uncertain economic environment had slowed sales growth of luxury watches on the mainland this year.

"On the industry front, a trend of slower demand for high-end products is expected this year, with sales of Cartier and Rolex already seen slowing," Zhang said.

Caterpillar Inc , the world's largest heavy machinery maker, warned of weakness this month and said it was scaling back production in China to reflect a slowdown in the industry.

Caterpillar rival Sany Heavy Industry said on Thursday it might delay its planned Hong Kong initial public offering of shares if market conditions remained weak. It filed for a $2 billion listing, Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported in May.

Sany's group president was, however, optimistic for the company's sales in the second half.

"The second half of this year will be better than the second half of last year," said Sany's president, Tang Xiuguo, adding this was because he did not expect further tightening policies.

(Additional reporting by Liangi Chiang and Terril Jones in BEIJING, SHANGHAI Newsroom; Editing by Matt Driskill)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Source: http://megasafemoney.com/2012/06/28/companies-feel-the-heat-as-china-slowdown-takes-toll-msnbc-com/

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U-series dating suggests Welsh reindeer is Britain's oldest rock art

Public release date: 29-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Hannah Johnson
hannah.johnson@bristol.ac.uk
44-117-928-8896
University of Bristol

A reindeer engraved on the wall of a cave in South Wales has been found to date from at least 14,505 years ago making it the oldest known rock art in the British Isles.

The engraving was discovered in September 2010 by Dr George Nash from the University of Bristol's Department of Archaeology and Anthropology while he was exploring the rear section of Cathole Cave, a limestone cave on the eastern side of an inland valley on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales.

Found to the rear of the cave on a small vertical limestone niche, the engraved cervid probably a stylised reindeer is shown side-on and measures approximately 15 x 11cm. It was carved using a sharp-pointed tool, probably made of flint, by an artist using his or her right hand. The animal's elongated torso has been infilled with irregular-spaced vertical and diagonal lines, whilst the legs and stylised antlers comprise simple lines.

The reindeer was engraved over a mineral deposit known as a 'speleothem' (cave formation), which itself developed over a large piece of limestone. Extending over the left side of the figure is a flowstone deposit (speleothem cover) which extends across part of the animal's muzzle and antler set.

In April 2011, Dr Peter van Calsteren and Dr Louise Thomas of the NERC-Open University Uranium-series Facility extracted three samples from the surface of the speleothem covering the engraving. One of these samples produced a minimum date of 12,572 years BP (before present), with a margin of plus or minus 600 years. A further sample, taken in June 2011 from the same flowstone deposit, revealed a minimum date of 14,505 years BP, plus or minus 560 years.

Dr Nash said: "The earlier date is comparable with Uranium-series dating of flowstone that covers engraved figures within Church Hole Cave at Creswell along the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border. However, the new minimum date of 14,505 + 560 years BP makes the engraved reindeer in South Wales the oldest rock art in the British Isles, if not North-western Europe."

###

Notes to editors

Paper

'A discovery of possible Upper Paleolithic parietal art in Cathole Cave, Gower Pensinsula, South Wales' by George H. Nash, Peter van Calsteren, Louise Thomas and Michael J. Simms in Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol Soc.

More information about Dr Nash's discovery of the rock art can be found here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2011/7812.html

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 29-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Hannah Johnson
hannah.johnson@bristol.ac.uk
44-117-928-8896
University of Bristol

A reindeer engraved on the wall of a cave in South Wales has been found to date from at least 14,505 years ago making it the oldest known rock art in the British Isles.

The engraving was discovered in September 2010 by Dr George Nash from the University of Bristol's Department of Archaeology and Anthropology while he was exploring the rear section of Cathole Cave, a limestone cave on the eastern side of an inland valley on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales.

Found to the rear of the cave on a small vertical limestone niche, the engraved cervid probably a stylised reindeer is shown side-on and measures approximately 15 x 11cm. It was carved using a sharp-pointed tool, probably made of flint, by an artist using his or her right hand. The animal's elongated torso has been infilled with irregular-spaced vertical and diagonal lines, whilst the legs and stylised antlers comprise simple lines.

The reindeer was engraved over a mineral deposit known as a 'speleothem' (cave formation), which itself developed over a large piece of limestone. Extending over the left side of the figure is a flowstone deposit (speleothem cover) which extends across part of the animal's muzzle and antler set.

In April 2011, Dr Peter van Calsteren and Dr Louise Thomas of the NERC-Open University Uranium-series Facility extracted three samples from the surface of the speleothem covering the engraving. One of these samples produced a minimum date of 12,572 years BP (before present), with a margin of plus or minus 600 years. A further sample, taken in June 2011 from the same flowstone deposit, revealed a minimum date of 14,505 years BP, plus or minus 560 years.

Dr Nash said: "The earlier date is comparable with Uranium-series dating of flowstone that covers engraved figures within Church Hole Cave at Creswell along the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border. However, the new minimum date of 14,505 + 560 years BP makes the engraved reindeer in South Wales the oldest rock art in the British Isles, if not North-western Europe."

###

Notes to editors

Paper

'A discovery of possible Upper Paleolithic parietal art in Cathole Cave, Gower Pensinsula, South Wales' by George H. Nash, Peter van Calsteren, Louise Thomas and Michael J. Simms in Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol Soc.

More information about Dr Nash's discovery of the rock art can be found here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2011/7812.html

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/uob-uds062912.php

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Microsoft Workshop: Getting Started with Creating Windows 8 Apps Using Geospatial Data

Please join us to a half-day workshop, where we will introduce the Windows 8 platform for Metro Style applications and demonstrate how applications can consume and display geospatial data. We will also discuss how you can scale your Windows apps using Microsoft Windows Azure cloud computing and extend the Windows 8 metro experience to our mobile platform. To simulate the application development process, we will use Microsoft Bing Map data for our demo apps.

During the workshop you will learn how to create Windows 8 Metro Style applications using geospatial data. We will provide several Windows 8 slates/tablets/laptops for you to explore and try Windows 8 application development. You can bring your own laptops and use our "Windows To Go" USB drives to try Windows 8 on your computers. (This option only uses your laptop's hardware resources and therefore the operating system and files on your computer will not be changed.)

We will also provide a Q/A session at the end of the workshop where we will explain how you can participate in the Mobile America contest (more detail at http://aka.ms/mobileamerica)

Admissions to the workshop only are free. Sign up today

Source: http://www.communitymegaphone.com/ShowEvent.aspx?EventID=5672

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Interested in Buying a Foreclosed Home? Here&#39;s What You Should ...

As prospective homebuyers look for deals, they?re becoming increasingly interested in foreclosed homes.? In fact, 20 percent of all sales in April were foreclosure re-sales.

Interested in buying a foreclosed home? Here?s what you bargain hunters need to know:

Where to buy

Even though the national foreclosure rate appears to have peaked (In April, the number of foreclosures was down almost 3 percent from a year ago), a tide of new foreclosures continues to plague the beleaguered housing market. Naturally, the regions with the most foreclosures ? to date ? are the ones worst affected by the housing crisis: places like Atlanta, Sacramento, Miami, Las Vegas (The ?poster child? of the housing crisis ? prices dropped over 60% from the peak in 2006), and Riverside, California areas, where 14.75 out of 10,000 homes were foreclosed in April.

How to buy

While you can buy directly from the owner before they?re officially foreclosed on, or dare to try your hand among the seasoned, fast-moving, competitive investors at an auction, it?s safer ? and easier ? to find homes that are owned by the bank (or ?REO,? which is industry lingo for real-estate owned). You can inspect the home before you purchase it (This is important, as foreclosed homes are generally sold ?as is? and may need significant repairs ? something you?re going to need to budget for), and you can mortgage your purchase (be sure to secure your financing in advance as it?s a competitive, and fast-moving market).? Furthermore, former homeowners are out of the picture at this point so you won?t have to evict them. And you can be reasonably sure that the property?s title is free of liens, because the bank will typically perform an extensive title search before listing the home for sale.

What to expect

Working with a real estate agent who specializes in foreclosures can be a huge time-saver, but you should pack your patience anyway as there may be unexpected challenges and road bumps along the way.? Also ? while you can expect significant savings (in some markets, upwards of 40%, compared to non-distressed/non-foreclosed properties), remember that a bargain price ? with virtually no room for negotiation, by the way, so don?t bother with a lowball offer ? doesn?t make up for a $30,000 roof repair, active termites or other high cost issues.?? Pay for a complete home inspection and back out of the deal if the problems are too significant.

Source: http://www.robertpaulsells.com/blog/interested-in-buying-a-foreclosed-home-here%E2%80%99s-what-you-should-know-cross-river-ny-real-estate/

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Will I Have To Pay A Consultation Fee? | REALTOR.com? Blogs

Q: Is there a fee to put a my house on the market through a Realtor?
?Sissy, Odessa, TX

A: It depends each office is different. A lot of bigger companies will offer a start up fee. Just interview a bunch of different companies and see which ones do it for free for you.
Matt Laricy is a Realtor? with Americorp Real Estate in Chicago, IL.

A: Usually not, the Realtors are paid at closing from the seller?s proceeds per the terms of the listing agreement. In California, real estate agents cannot charge up front fees except in very limited circumstances.
Teri Andrews Murch is a Realtor? with Lyon Real Estate in Auburn, CA.

A: No. You should be able to hear all the services an agent can offer you, including a valuation of your home, without paying. If an agent tries to charge you for that, call someone else. Once you sign a listing agreement with the realtor, the agent?s broker and agent will not receive compensation until your home is sold. Unless the agent has retained a fee of some sort (i.e., for marketing purposes). if your house does not sell, the agent and her broker will not be paid. It is possible for a Realtor to lose money trying to sell a house that does not sell.
Vilma Colon-Oliver is a Realtor? with Meybohm Realtors ? Augusta in Evans, GA.

A: Be prepared to pay a Realtor 6% of the selling price to market and sell your home. Your Realtor will usually split this 50/50 with the Buyers agent (The agent that brings the buyer for your home). Your Agent will also have to split a part of his share with his Broker for office overhead and other expenses.

So for instance if you sold your home for $100K the real estate commission would be $6000. Seller?s closing costs can run as high as 3% of the sale price so deduct another $3000. and your total cost would be approximately $900.
Lee Dworshak is a Realtor? with Keller Williams LA Harbor Realty in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.

A: While not unheard of, it is not typical for Realtors to charge fees up front for marketing a house. Most Realtors are paid a commission based on a percentage of the selling price and are paid at closing. Keep in mind, though, that fees paid for selling your home are always negotiable, both in the amount you pay and when you pay it.
Phil Lunnon is a Realtor? with Lunnon Realty in Lakewood, CO.

Are you interested in having a qualified REALTOR answer your questions? Click through to Ask a REALTOR? now.

Are you a REALTOR who would like to answer consumer questions? Click through to become an Ask a REALTOR? participant.

Related posts:

1. Is It Unethical For A Realtor To Charge Commission On Closing Costs When The Seller Agrees To Pay Closing Costs For The Buyer?
2. How Do I Know If My Realtor?s Fees Are Legit?
3. How Do I Know If The Fees I Was Charged Are Correct?
4. What Are The Upfront Costs To Hiring A Realtor To Sell My Home?
5. What Will Happen If I Sell My Home For More Than The Value Of My Loan?

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The Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger ... - Business Negotiation

6:00 AM By Article Directory

'; div.innerHTML = summary; } //]]> The Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger Dawson The Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger Dawson

Roger Dawson is known both as a motivational speaker, and as a real estate master. He has been a professional public speaker for almost 30 years. Before then, he was a real estate master and an employer of up to 540 people in 28 different offices at one point. Anyone that has bought a home, or a piece of property knows all to well that there is a tenuous negotiation process involved. Beyond real estate, it's mind boggling to think of the negotiations that we practice everyday, and we might not even realize it. Some people are very successful negotiators. These are the people who seem like they get everything that they want from life. Then again, there are those that seem like they can't catch a break in any area of their life. They might have poor relationships. They might not be advancing in their careers. Maybe they've bought the house of the vehicle for far more money that they could have. These are the people who need to learn negotiation skills. There is a book for people like these, or for people who want to take their negotiation skills up a few notches. That book is called The Secrets of Power Negotiating, by Roger Dawson.

In The Secrets Of Power Negotiating, the reader will be taught negotiating skills from every angle. Actually, there will be two main angles to focus on: your angle, and theirs. Roger Dawson want to leave the impression overall, that a successful negotiation happens when both parties walk away feeling like they've both gained something. It's always good when both parties leave the negotiation feeling satisfied. However, Roger Dawson goes in step further in the book The Secrets Of Power Negotiating, by teaching the reader to make the other person feel satisfied, even if the bargain isn't slanted in their favor, but in yours. When you can create negotiations that are slanted in your favor, or are largely in your favor without making enemies, then you know that you've mastered the process.

When it comes to corporate situations, The Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger Dawson will help business owners to improve their profits, and to create leverage for themselves. It will teach managers on how to become the best leaders in the organization. But this book goes far beyond the boardroom. Again, it bears repeating the all humans negotiate in every area of their life, even if they don't realize that they are doing it. Even children negotiate with their parents, and with authority figures. To this end, the book will teach parents about how to guide their children, and how to raise their children in a way that is fair, but that establishes them as the authority figures in their child's life. Readers can learn how to gain things, such as lower retail prices on their purchases. But they will also learn how to make people feel good, and thus improve their social situations, and their social standing.

Roger Dawson has had many years in dealing with people, relating to people, and learning what makes people tick. He has mastered the tool and the tricks that allows people to get their way in life, and yet leave others feeling good about the experience. He doesn't want people to make others feel negatively manipulated or toxic. But he does teach in the book The Secrets Of Power Negotiating, about how to be shrewd, and how to get the benefits for yourself that life has to offer.

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