Pool table > NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR ROOMMATE?

NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR ROOMMATE?

Don't be dismayed if you find yourself in conflict with your roommate(s). Disagreements between people are inevitable, especially in a roommate situation where people live together and interact on a daily basis. Conflicts usually occur when changes are needed and when behaviors, thoughts and feelings need to be re-examined. Don't be afraid to confront your roommates about what is bothering you. If you know how to deal with conflict positively and productively, all involved can benefit from the situation.Ten Steps In Resolving ConflictGet everyone together involved in the conflict.Each roommate should take a turn describing his/her perception of the situation, how he or she feels about it and what he/she wants.Together, come to an agreement on what the conflict is.Everyone should agree to be willing to compromise something to come up with a solution.Together, describe a situation which would be a compromise among yourselves.Come to an agreement on the described situation.

Talk about what changes will be needed to bring about the acceptable situation. Together, make a plan of action which will help achieve the desired new situation and set a time frame for these changes.Make a commitment to make the necessary changes.Set a future date to evaluate the situation and to re-negotiate any differences if necessary.These steps sound very simple but to make them work you need to know how to fight fair. The key to successful dispute resolution is effective communication. To resolve conflict, communicate with each other on a one-to-one equal basis and avoid behavior that will break down communication.Ground Rules Of Successful Dispute ResolutionStart right. Set a time to discuss the conflict that is convenient to everyone involved.

Avoid bringing up the problem when your roommate is walking out the door on the way to a mid-term exam. A better approach would be, "We need to talk about what is going on. When do you have time to work this out?" Schedule enough time so you will be able to prevent time pressure.Remember that everyone involved is an equal and should have equal rights to be heard in the discussion. To create a sense of equality, you may wish to meet at a neutral place. It may help to have everyone sit on the floor or at a table (all at the same level).Set aside your desire to "Win." Winning an argument is not the same as succeeding in conflict resolution where, together with your roommates, you will all win over the conflict situation.Each roommate should be able to talk freely about how he/she feels.

Make sure that each person's ideas and feelings are clear to everyone involved. Be willing to share your feelings honestly and don't expect others to know how you feel without being told.Assume each other's perspective. Ask your roommate to reverse positions, i.e., to stand in your shoes while you stand in theirs. This can sometimes be the most effective way of getting your point across and, contrariwise, understanding where your roommate is coming from.Avoid blaming each other. Assessing blame often has the effect of making the other party defensive and anxious to find fault with you, widening instead of narrowing the conflict.Talk about actions which can be changed rather than personalities.

"You leave your books on the dining room table," can lead to a change of habit; while, "You're a lazy slob," will only lead to defensiveness and hostility. Personal attacks destroy communication of productive ideas.Don't team up with one roommate against another. This creates defensiveness in the third roommate. You are all working together for a solution.Don't psycho-analyze your roommate. Avoid a statement such as "Maybe you don't realize this about yourself, but...." Most people don't like the feeling of being analyzed.

Instead, take responsibility for your own feelings. A better approach might be, "What you're doing makes me feel...." If your roommates begin fighting unfairly, take responsibility for getting things back on the right track. You don't have to let a confrontation go from bad to worse. Help set and maintain the positive tone of the discussion by your example.Don't put your roommates on the spot by insisting on an immediate response to your demands. If possible, give each other time (at least overnight) to think over a specific demand or suggested cause of action..

dan the roommate manwww.roommateexpress.com

Small Town Poker Tour to Help Sponsor Vince Neil's 'Off The Strip' Poker Event

(ContentDesk) November 8, 2005 -- The Small Town Poker Tour (STPT) announced today they will be one of the participating sponsors of Vince Neils Off The Strip Poker Tournament benefiting the T. J. Martell Foundation.We are happy to be associated with such a good cause, stated Mark Fracalossi executive producer of the STPT. The STPT is all about giving back and this is a chance for everyone who has expressed interest in the tour to come out and play in this special event, Fracalossi added.The STPT will be giving all participating players a bonus. Anyone who plays in this event will get to play in a STPT event free of charge. Fracalossi added.

I encourage all to get on board and come to Vegas to support this cause.The event will be held November 11, 2005 at Peter Mortons Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Rocker Vince Neil of M?tley Cr?e hosts the inaugural Off the Strip Texas Hold Em Poker Tournament benefiting the T. J. Martell Foundation. Seats are limited...

Small Town Poker Tour to Help Sponsor Vince Neil's 'Off The Strip' Poker Event

Pool table > Small Town Poker Tour to Help Sponsor Vince Neil's 'Off The Strip' Poker Event

Patent Call for a New Digital Rights Management System

Intellectual Property Rights is a key consideration in today's standardisation world and naturally the field of audio and video coding / decoding, such as MP3 and MPEG is no exception. Digital rights management is an additional key element in today's digital world.The Digital Media Project (DMP) is a non-profit organization devoted to developing worldwide standards for music, video and other creative works that are digitally recorded and transmitted. Such standards allow the rights of creators to be compensated for their works, allow the public to fully enjoy the benefits of digital recordings, and allow other businesses to provide products and services consistent with these principles and the Digital Media Manifesto.
DMP was founded by Mr. Leonardo Chiariglione, who developed worldwide standards for digital audio and video coding, such as MP3 and MPEG, while chairing the working group of the International Standards Organization ISO/IEC.

In April 2005, DMP produced a...

Patent Call for a New Digital Rights Management System

Pool table > Patent Call for a New Digital Rights Management System

Guerilla Mythbusting: 5 Snappy Rules For Spotting and Exposing Popular Nonsense

College students tend to wax enthusiastic about the lessons they pick up in class. Curiously, this very admirable trait, a thirst for knowledge, has a downside to it. When one learns at a rate best described as "alarming," which college students often must do, little time exists to sit and sift through all that new material carefully. And this burdensome task would mandate yet more study time, which luxury few students can afford.This means that, for very practical reasons, they will tend to accept readily the sermons that echo from academic pulpits. Consumers of media information have nearly the same problem -- a large flow of information thrust at them, and little time to sort through the facts with their attending hype and spin.

Election years only magnify this problem, and political candidates can grind axes with the best of them. When a scandal breaks out, the media blitz can sometimes blind even the more critical viewers with their ensuing data-storm. So we have done some...

Guerilla Mythbusting: 5 Snappy Rules For Spotting and Exposing Popular Nonsense

Pool table > Guerilla Mythbusting: 5 Snappy Rules For Spotting and Exposing Popular Nonsense