AI Techniques for Game Programming (Premier Press Game Development) Review

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(More customer reviews)Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so let me tell you what I was looking for: a non-academic AI book with practical examples for implementing genetic algorithms and neural nets. I don't have a math degree (though I understand basic algebra and remember a bit of trig), and I learn best by doing hand's on project, not by theorizing.
This book fits the bill perfectly. It is well written, humorous, clear and patient. The examples are interesting enough that you can see how they would be useful for solving other problems, not necessarily game related.
One caveat: if you don't have a decent intro to basic Win32 API programming, get Charles Petzold's Programming Win32 book and get busy. Yes, the first two chapters of AI Techniques are a Win32 refresher (which was good for me because I last wrote Win32 3 years ago...I now do Java only), but I'm pretty sure if you haven't seen it before you'll be lost.
BTW, just to give you an idea how clear the concepts were presented, I've recoded Chapters 3 and 5 as properly OOPed (MVC, etc) Java applications. Just MHO, but Java is a much better platform for this stuff. ...

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"AI Techniques for Game Programming" takes the difficult topics of genetic algorithms and neural networks and explains them in plain English. Gone are the tortuous mathematic equations and abstract examples to be found in other books. Each chapter takes readers through the theory a step at a time, explaining clearly how they can incorporate each technique into their own games. After a whirlwind tour of Windows programming, readers will learn how to use genetic algorithms for optimization, path-finding, and evolving control sequences for their game agents. Coverage of neural network basics quickly advances to evolving neural motion controllers for their game agents and applying neural networks to obstacle avoidance and map exploration. Backpropagation and pattern recognition is also explained. By the end of the book, readers will know how to train a network to recognize mouse gestures and how to use state-of-the-art techniques for creating neural networks with dynamic topologies.

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Architectural Sketching and Rendering: Techniques for Designers and Artists Review

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(More customer reviews)there is really nothing design related in this book, it's basically all architectural rendering techniques.

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Do you want to become more confident sketching buildings with a pencil or pen? How about refining your skill in rendering the projects you are designing? Whether you are a designer, an architect, an artist or a student interested in architecture, this volume, filled with a broad range of sketching and rendering techniques and styles, offers the complete intermediate level of instruction that you need. How to achieve effects with pencils and pens is covered in Part 1. The various types of media, including charcoal and ink brushes, are discussed in detail, as well as the different papers, boards, and accessories you'll need. A series of exercises shows you how to draw lines, shapes, textures, and tones and then combine them in renderings. A special sequence is included on how to do freehand perspective drawing. Techniques and examples of capturing buildings, interiors, and land- and cityscapes are thoroughly explored in Part 2. For instance, drawings of such highly respected architects as Henry Hobson Richardson, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, Raymond Hood, Julia Morgan, Eliel Saarinen, Mies van der Rohe, Robert Venturi, and Michael Graves are included in the section on buildings. Different types of furniture for the home are shown in the section on interiors, with a special emphasis on the traditional to meet today's renewed interest in historic styles. The array of interior spaces ranges from the S. Maria Maggiore in Rome to Paul Rudolph's Chapel for Tuskegee Institute. Drawing trees (from palms to pines), water, skies, clouds, snow are covered in the section on landscapes, and a special demonstration sequence shows you how to draw cityscapes from photographs. Three personal approaches are given an in-depth review in Part 3. Hugh Ferriss is known for the soaring skyscrapers he so dramatically rendered during the 20s when they were first being built. The process that the designer goes through in creating a finished project is shown in Norman Diekman's work, while the wit and whimsy of Paul Hogarth's caricatures show you how to make even tired wooden buildings sag with interest. Profusely illustrated with 325 illustrations, Architectural Sketching and Rendering is required reading if you want to learn how to create your own successful drawings.

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Techniques of Tape Reading Review

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(More customer reviews)There is nothing in this book about tape reading. Nothing.
I am a trader. I trade every day, and actually read tape. This poorly written, and unedited assemblage of words is virtually worthless for anyone desirous of becoming a student of tape reading. There is simply no real tape reading content, and the content that resides on these pages is not worth reading, especially if your goal is to become a better trader.
I was intrigued by the title, as you likely are. It seems that when an author has nothing of value to contribute to the trading community, they try to sell their junk by creating a catchy title. It must work to some extent, because the tactic seems to be used a great deal. Read my other reviews for more information.
For some insight into the art of reading tape try, Tape Reading & Market Tactics by Humphrey Neill, and Studies in Tape Reading by Rollo Tape. Both were written long ago, and are valuable contributions to a trader's education. There has been nothing of value written about tape reading in the past 50 years, that I can find.
A final word of advice. Be skeptical of favorable reviews of this book. If you are interested in tape reading, there is nothing here. Also, read reviews written by real traders. For insight into the reviewers' sincerity and discernment, scan all of their reviews. Similar to tape reading and market analysis, one can determine which book reviews to believe and which to ignore from the reviewers' history.

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How to use trading's most time-honored technique to reap profits in today's fastmoving, point-and-click markets

Tape reading is among the oldest and most successful methods of technical analysis.

Techniques of Tape Reading shows traders how to incorporate the best aspects of tape reading into a modern trading plan, by understanding the correlation between volume and price and simply trading off what a stock's price movement is telling them to do.

A practical, how-to guide for using tape reading to improve trading decisions in today's screen trading environment, Techniques of Tape Reading discusses:

Profitable use of tape reading in both swing and day trading
How the best traders condition their minds and mind-sets
Tape reading techniques for up, down, and nontrending markets

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The Handbook of Chinese Massage: Tui Na Techniques to Awaken Body and Mind Review

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(More customer reviews)Ms Mercati gives the reader a good overview of this style of massage. One problem many books on Eastern medicine concepts is that the scientific paradigm of qi, yin-yang, etc is difficult to grasp for someone who has been educated on Western scientific principles. This book starts with an introduction to the Eastern principles in a more understandable, concise fashion. This makes it good for a massage therapist who wants to expand his repertoire. At times, the anatomical descriptions are inaccurate eg: referring to the malleolus as an "ankle bone"; however, the informal style of the book keeps it interesting and readable, as well as informative.

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For the first time in the West, Chinese tui na massage techniques are brought together in an easy-to-use method for whole-body health
The Handbook of Chinese Massage integrates classic Tui Na (meaning push and grasp) techniques used in the Orient for centuries into a revolutionary method for health and well-being. Traditional Chinese massage practitioners use specific individual techniques to treat a wide variety of ailments--techniques demonstrated in this book. But after years of study in China, Indonesia, and Thailand, Maria Mercati has taken these separate techniques and combined them into a whole-body treatment never before seen in East or West. Tui Na massage stimulates the flow of qi, vital energy, in healthy individuals as well as sick ones. It requires no special equipment and is simple enough to do at home or in a chair at work.

The Handbook of Chinese Massage includes step-by-step instructions for each of the fifteen unique tui na techniques, many of which are unfamiliar to Western massage practitioners.

More than 100 color photographs and diagrams clearly show where to place your hands on the body and where to find the key meridians.

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Techniques of the Great Masters of Art (A QED book) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here is a book for the serious art student as well as the accomplished artist. Had this book been available when I was in art school, I know my development would have been much easier and faster. I gain much from it every time I study this book , which is quite often.

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An in-depth analysis of the works of 110 of the world's most important artists, from the early Renaissance to the present, features more than four hundred illustrations and a text that explains how each developed his or her own style and techniques.

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Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis Review

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(More customer reviews)Found this book very informative for almost all aspects of medical and dental hypnosis. Loaded with scripts and techniques to enhance your practice. I have read this book three times and each time pick up something new. Would reccommend this for the beginner and novice and a must for honing one's skills.

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This is a Revised Second Edition of Dr. Kroger's classic work on hypnosis, which describes successful hypnotherapy techniques for a wide range of medical, psychiatric, and dental conditions. Dr. Kroger's work in developing the concept of clinical hypnosis, and making it a part of the science of behavior modification, is generally regarded as the foundation of modern hypnotherapy. This Revised Second Edition features an introduction by Michael Yapko, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in short-term psychotherapy, which places Dr. Kroger's work in contemporary context.
A bound-in DVD features two of Dr. Kroger's filmed demonstrations of surgical procedures using hypnosis as anesthesia, one for childbirth and another for thyroid surgery, plus extensive commentary by Michael Yapko, PhD.

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Mixing, Recording, and Producing Techniques of the Pros: Insights on Recording Audio for Music, Video, Film, and Games Review

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(More customer reviews)This large book is a thing of joy. If you have any interest at all in recorded music, and you wonder how a few people playing in a room can make a record that will move millions of people, you will relish Rick Clark's book. And if you're a serious hobbyist or seasoned professional, you will appreciate all the detail about microphones, consoles, outboard gear and how to get the most out of them.
Clark's bio is enlightening - he grew up in Memphis listening to Sun 45s, Southern soul music, The Beatles and The Kinks. He played in bands and hung around the legendary Ardent studio in his hometown. As he puts it, he "kind of fell into writing in the '80s", however he quickly chalked up articles in numerous top publications like Rolling Stone, Billboard and, crucially, Mix Magazine. This led to him interviewing many people involved in recording - not just producers and engineers but also the musicians themselves. He had the foresight to transcribe the entire interviews and thus has amassed a goldmine of insights into the minds of these experts.
The book is divided into chapters such as "Bass", "Guitar", "Vocals", "Mixing" etc but also has more reflective chapters such as "Creative Production and Recording" and "Production Philosophy". Each chapter features extensive interviews with experts in the field, and every interview is densely packed with insight.
There's a short bio for each of the hundred or so interviewees listening their experience and who they've worked with. They include legendary producers such as Tony Visconti, Roy Thomas Baker and Jim Dickinson, and notable musicians such as Jerry Douglas, Leland Sklar and Wayne Jackson. Also contributing are many engineers and other technical experts who may not be household names but have been present at the birth of many great recordings.
There are countless pithy epigrams scattered throughout this volume, but I'll choose a representative one from producer Norbert Putnam, who played bass on many Elvis Presley sessions: "When you have a purveyor of emotion, like Al Green or Elvis Presley, then you have magic. That is the beginning and the end of it. It is never the equipment. It is not the SSL, Neve, Mackie or Trident console. It is not the snare drum or the reverb... It really is the artist."

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Veteran music journalist Rick Clark conducted hundreds of revealing interviews with some of the biggest names in the industry to create this newly expanded and refined edition of this extraordinary book. Tony Visconti, Phil Ramone, Richard Dodd, Jim Scott, and David Kershenbaum are just a few of the 115 contributors who share their special studio practices, tips, and anecdotes. A truly thorough look at the recording world, this in-depth collection of interviews with recording, mixing, and producing legends covers everything from recording strings and horn sections to using creative production techniques on the latest musical styles. Candid interviews with expert industry pros will enlighten you with the knowledge that has led the featured producers, engineers, and composers to huge industry successes and millions of record sales. This useful and entertaining information is organized by subject matter rather than by expert, so you can gain advice from several professionals on the specific topic that interests you. MIXING, RECORDING, AND PRODUCING TECHNIQUES OF THE PROS, SECOND EDITION is perfect for any producer or engineer who wants the advice, opinions, tricks, and techniques used by the leading experts in the field. This completely updated edition features many new interviews, fresh content from some of the previous edition's interviews, and a new section on live sound reinforcement.

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Al Di Meola's Picking Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)This book told me more about "Profit Techniques" than picking techniques. Practically all of the material is excerpted from the (mostly excellent) transcription book "Words, Music, Pictures", and not even presented in a very logical context. The few sentences that specifically deals with picking, are just general remarks that aren't very helpful in the practical sense. From a picking wizard such as Al, I'd expected some killer exercises and top-notch advice, but this book was probably hastily assembled to capitalize on his name (I doubt he had much input on it at all). Nothing wrong with the transcription excerpts, except that they aren't really right-hand etudes, and you can get the full versions in the other book (WMP).

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An insightful and helpful book written by Di Meola on his own personal technique of guitar playing.Includes exercises and excerpts from his music, which act as a step-by-step guide to help the guitar student play better.

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Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls Review

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(More customer reviews)Allan Strange's book is perhaps the definitive text on modular synthesis methods, written from a standpoint that's musically understandable, as opposed to requiring a part-background in electronic engineering to understand. Not that Strange doesn't go into the engineering concepts; he most certainly does, but everything here is treated in such a balanced, even manner that allows those interested in the musical concepts to have their desire for information satiated, and those looking for engineering concepts will find the book equally well-ordered. Useful both as a textbook and a reference document, the book also contains numerous illustrations and diagrams of modules by Moog, ARP, Buchla et al. I consider this to be an invaluable work for those exploring modular or most any other analog synthesis methods, and I also consider it nigh-criminal that such an important work should be allowed to go out of print. Someone should pick this back up and reissue it!

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LabView: Advanced Programming Techniques, SECOND EDITION Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been programming for about two years. Most of my training in Labview is by trial-and-error and reading the examples that came with Labview. I've written over 3 dozen programs for my present employer.
As for books, I have many of them. This book in particular, is aimed to the advanced user. Don't expect to learn how to write programs with this book. For a graphical programming language, this book has very little graphics or pictures.
What you can expect is to hone your applications so that they are easier for the end user, easier to maintain and separates `working' VIs from `expert' VI. Many little tricks in this book (such as setting preferences, using state machines, and yes, Active X) will make your applications run faster with less overhead.
If you're looking for a book to show you more programming techniques, with actual examples, I'd opt for Essick's "Advanced LabVIEW Labs" (an intermediate book) or Johnson's "LabVIEW Graphical Programming" (more advanced). If you're looking for ways to separate yourself from programmers that make `working' VIs, then this book by Bitter et al. is for you.

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Whether seeking deeper knowledge of LabVIEW's capabilities or striving to build enhanced VIs, professionals know they will find everything they need in LabVIEW: Advanced Programming Techniques. Updated to reflect the functionalities and changes made to LabVIEW Version 8.0, this second edition delves deeply into the enhancements that continue to make LabVIEW one of the most popular and widely used graphical programming environments across the engineering community.
LabVIEW's new features are by no means trivial and neither are the updates made to the new edition of this popular bestseller. The authors introduce the changes to the front panel controls, the Standard State Machine template, new drivers, the instrument I/O assistant, new error handling functions, hyperthreading, and Express VIs. A new chapter mirrors the introduction of the Shared Variables function in LabVIEW 8.0 and a new section explores the LabVIEW project view. The chapter on ActiveX was revised to include discussion of the Microsoft' .NET framework and new examples of programming in LabVIEW using .NET. Numerous illustrations and step-by-step explanations provide hands-on guidance.
Reflecting not only changes to LabVIEW but also to the programming environment in general, LabVIEW: Advanced Programming Techniques, Second Edition remains an indispensable resource to help programmers take their LabVIEW knowledge to the next level.

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Keyboard Musicianship: Piano For Adults Book Two Review

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(More customer reviews)I have learned a few instruments over the years and looked at many books to try to learn piano. This is the only book I saw that gave me what I wnted, the ability to learn piano. It didn't give lots of nice little songs and other frily stuff. It got my chops up... got me running! You can play when you work with this book.

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Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional Studio Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are interested in doing visual effects for any level of filmmaking, then you absolutely should have this book. After Effects has been used on everything from the smallest home movie to the biggest blockbuster motion picture, and Mark shows you how to get the absolute most out of the program.
I'm a visual effects artist who has worked on major films ("Sin City", "Evan Almighty", "Night at the Museum", "Golden Compass", etc...), and I work at one of the biggest VFX studios in the world. Alot of people in this industry believe After Effects is used only for motion graphics. That is completely incorrect, and this book will prove to you that After Effects is just as capable as any node-based compositing program, and in some instances even better. I personally have used After Effects on movies like "Austin Powers Goldmember", "Meet the Fockers", "Superbad", and tons more. I can't even begin to imagine how much time I would have saved if I had found this book prior to the last edition.
If you're an intermediate or seasoned AE user, no doubt you will still find amazing tricks and tips in here. I stood in a bookstore perusing the previous edition, telling myself I wasn't going to buy it, but after the 3rd or 4th time saying to myself "Wow, I didn't know you could do that in AE!", I took it to the cashier, bought it, and couldn't wait to get home to my computer to try some of the things out. I wasn't disappointed, and you won't be either.

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This is the only book in the After Effects market to focus exclusively on the creation of visual effects, and is a one-stop resource for anyone who wants in-depth explanations that demystify the realm of visual effects and how they were created, thanks to veteran author Mark Christiansen's friendly and accessible style. A thoroughly packed, informative read, this masterful guide focuses on explaining the essential concepts, features, and techniques that are key to creating seamless movie-quality visual effects. Readers will learn how to put After Effects to work to create the shots they need. Users who are comfortable with After Effects will find a helpful review of After Effects fundamentals--managing footage, viewing and editing layers, animating type, and more--so they can learn how to work smarter and more efficiently. Readers of all levels will learn core techniques for effects compositing: color matching, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, and emulating the camera. The final section of the book delves into creative explorations, demonstrating actual effects that readers might want to re-create. Readers will also find comprehensive coverage of all that's new in this upgrade. Throughout the book, beautiful full-color examples demonstrate what's possible, while the companion DVD offers plenty of sample footage and dozens of demos of the most useful After Effects plug-ins. .

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Picture Perfect: Mowing Techniques for Lawns, Landscapes, and Sports Review

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(More customer reviews)Summary: Picture Perfect is the ultimate resource for those who want to add even more beauty and interest to their grass by growing and maintaining healthier turf and cutting it in original and beautiful patterns.
Review: Mr. Mellor is the Director of Grounds for the Boston Red Sox and is thoroughly knowledgeable about grass. His advice is sound, thorough, and easy-to-follow. He has you begin by testing your soil to see what it is missing, establishing your turf properly, fertilizing appropriately, fighting off weeds and disease, mowing properly with the right equipment, and solving problems.
Once that grass is in place, he moves on to explain the art of adding patterns to the grass by using rollers with the mower to push the grass down. The color plates show many examples of this art form, which will intrigue you. If you are like me, you expected to see only geometric shapes using straight lines. Instead, you find gentle waves and delicate crossing patterns of all kinds.
Having worked in my father's gardening business when I was a youngster, I wish I had known about establishing these patterns. It certainly would have helped to relieve the boredom of cutting the same yards in one of three patterns time after time.
The directions are very helpful for how to deal with special problems, like temporary damage, making a mistake in the pattern, and repeating a pattern (you are encouraged to photograph your work to learn from what you have done).
Picture Perfect also has a long list of resources you can access, especially from the Internet.
Although the quality of the design and the printing are not as high as the contents deserve, the material is strong enough to carry the result to five star level. One does hope, however, that a future printing will create a version more like an art book to better feature the examples.
After you finish becoming an expert on turf design, I suggest that you think about where else you can exercise your creativity in your yard. Have you considered sculpting shrubs like they do in the Disney theme parks? How about designing a sculpture garden? Do you have a Zen garden area yet?
Create a better balance between the views in your yard and the thoughts in your mind. Let the reverbrations of inspiration take you to new heights of thought and harmony!


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"Some artists use canvas to create a work of art. David Mellor uses a baseball field. His patterns are so precise and imaginative, I call him the Rembrandt of groundskeeping."--Bob Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers Broadcaster
Now you can transform your sports field or clubhouse lawn into an envy-grabbing work of optic art. In this book, David Mellor shares the turf mowing and maintenance secrets that have made him one of the leading creators of elaborate patterns used on athletic turf nationwide. Articles about Mellor's work have been published in the New York Times and USA Today, and he is currently the director of grounds for the Boston Red Sox Baseball Club. In Picture Perfect, Mellor gives you the benefit of his years of experience along with simple-to-use techniques for creating playing fields that are without doubt a cut above the rest.

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Trumpet Technique Review

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(More customer reviews)Campos' book is an elegantly written, thoroughly researched, and well-organized volume on the pedagogy of the trumpet. He attacks every conceivable issue that trumpet players face including technical, motivational, mental and even physical problems and suggests solutions for all.
This is a wonderful resource for interested players and teachers. Being a university teacher myself, I've made notes throughout the book of interesting techniques to try with my students and in my own playing.
Highly recommended. Thank you, Mr. Campos, for putting together this badly-needed guide to teaching and playing our instrument!

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In the last forty years, many elite performers in the arts have gleaned valuable lessons and techniques from research and advances in sport science, psychomotor research, learning theory, and psychology. Numerous "peak performance" books have made these tools and insights available to athletes. Now, professor and performer Frank Gabriel Campos has translated this concept for trumpet players and other brass and wind instrumentalists, creating an accessible and comprehensive guide to performance skill. Trumpet Technique combines the newest research on skill acquisition and peak performance with the time-honored and proven techniques of master teachers and performers. All aspects of brass technique are discussed in detail, including the breath, embouchure, oral cavity, tongue, jaw, and proper body use, as well as information on performance psychology, practice techniques, musicians' occupational injuries, and much more. Comprehensive and detailed, Trumpet Technique is an invaluable resource for performers, teachers, and students at all levels seeking to move to the highest level of skill with their instrument.

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Million Dollar Closing Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is very good for beginner, as it mentions all the basic and foundamental concepts and mindsets in selling. However, as a product of MDRT centre, I am expecting more. I am expecting some more in-depth insights or inspirating ideas for the sales who is in average but wants to increase their business to MDRT level. Frankly specking, I am quite disappointed when I found out that this book contains mainly foundamental concepts which are not distinctive and which I have heard about from other sources (remember, this book is from MDRT centre, not other "average" writers).

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You've heard from the rest, now learn from the best-Million Dollar Closing Techniques The close is the last critical phase of the selling process and, often, the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship. Unfortunately, it is also the phase in which many a sure thing has foundered. In this groundbreaking guide, some of the world's most successful sales professionals demystify the art of the close and instruct you in proven closing strategies and techniques. Based on interviews with members of the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table-the top six percent of the international life insurance sales industry-Million Dollar Closing Techniques features fascinating, instructive "war stories" and step-by-step guidance on:* Closing psychology* Breaking through the preoccupation barrier* Setting goals and preparing to close* Motivating customers to go all the way* Power phrases that help you to closeNo matter what product or service you sell, you won't want to be without this authoritative guide to the art and science of effective closing techniques. Read Million Dollar Closing Techniques and take the leap to a bold new level of professional excellence. Also available in the Million Dollar Round Table series: Million Dollar Prospecting Techniques Paper * 0-471-32550-3 * $16.95 USA/$26.50 CAN Million Dollar Selling Techniques Paper * 0-471-32549-X * $16.95 USA/$26.50 CAN

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Business-to-Business Prospecting: Innovative Techniques to Get Your Foot in the Door with Any Prospect Review

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(More customer reviews)Clearly written and concise, the book lays out a solid framework with substance for performing business to business prosecting. Contains solid examples of how to apply techniques, greatly helping solidify the concepts. A solid read and highly recommended for any professional in business development.

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Business-to-Business Prospecting is the first sales book with innovative, actionable ideas targeted directly to sales professionals in the business to business sales industry. It contains proven methodologies that consistently get results. Over her 15-plus year career, Andrea Sittig-Rolf has recruited, led and trained business to business sales teams to sell millions of dollars worth of products and services. Now, in her long-awaited first book, Sittig-Rolf details: •Creating your Ideal Client Profile: Cleaning up the pipeline and focusing on real opportunities. •Networking: Giving first to get quality leads and referrals. • Winning ambassadors. • Writing powerful proposals.

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History, Philosophy and Technique (Kung-Fu) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was originally published in 1977 as a way to introduce Westerners to the complex history and traditions of Kung Fu. This book covers the history of the Chinese martial arts quite well, given the space they had to work with. The history goes all the way back to the bronze age, and is followed throught the centuries. Bodhidharma, the legendary figure who brought the movements of Kung Fu and the philosophy of Chan (Zen) to the Shaolin temple is given an entire chapter. The Taoist influence over the Chinese arts is mentioned, specifically when talking about the internal styles of T'ai Chi, Pa Kua, and H'sing Yi. The emphasis is on T'ai Chi. Several external styles of Kung Fu are featured as well: Northern Shaolin, Dragon, Wing Chun, White Crane, Praying Mantis, Monkey, Hung Gar, and Choy Lee Fut. Each style is given a one or two page description that includes history, techniques, fight strategy, and overall philosophy. There is also a chapter on Chin Na, but those familiar with other Chin Na works will find that the techniques covered here, while effective for self-defense, don't even come close to showing the complexities of the "seizing and controlling" art. There is also a chapter on how to perform amazing feats, with much of the text taken from an ancient Chinese book. I believe that this chapter has some value, though I can't verify the various Kungs that emphasise Chi power. The last bits of the book are on Kung Fu films, the Westernization of Kung Fu, and some neat little proverbs. Overall, this book is very good for introducing people to the Chinese martial arts, whith a very broad range of subjects covered. There are some weaknesses, though, notably that the text seems a little dated, and the photos are in awful condition. Still, the self-defense moves are fairly practical, and the insight into the history of Kung Fu and the different styles makes this book worth buying.

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