Travis In Austin

Coytee, Here are some links to speaker evaluation forms, they can all be modified to your situation. http://conferences.oreillynet.com/macosx2004/mac04_speaker_evaluation.doc http://edr.ucsd.edu/pdf/Evaluation.doc http://www.bu.edu/bioinformatics/seminars/speaker_evaluation.html http://dept.ju.edu/math/Faculty/faculty_pages/Crawford_teaching/In-class%20Speaker%20Evaluation%20Form.doc I did not look at them too close, but I think I like the first and last ones the best. Travis

To Coytee's Wife: I swear that was taken out of context.[:$] The spouse's opinion, at least with mine, is what is most important to me. However, we were trying to come up with a way to tell the partner his son is goofy. Since the partner does not see what it patently obvious to everyone else, he probably is not going to change his mind with Coytee's opinion, or your opinion, etc. Your opinion is critically important in Coytee deciding whether the situation has to change, that the son is too big of drain, etc. It wouuld be to me. However, the normal dynamics between business partners, their children, etc. being what they are, your opinion would not be importnat to the partner in determining whether his son was doing a good job. My point is that given his inability to judge his son's antics, I think the only opinion what would get through to him is that of prospective clients. Travis

Coytee, Several of the responses you got came in while I was typing my last response to your question, along with your response about the 90% thing. You say that you have evaluation forms where they can enter a date they want to come in and on the kid they say "a couple of weeks"? Is there sections on this evaluation already that rates the presenters and ask for comments on the quality of presentation of each presenter? Maybe you already have the info you need to tell your partner, I don't know. If the questionaire is annon. they won't hold back about hurthing anyone's feelings and it is only those type of responses that are going to be of any help to you. The way the questons are phrased is important. Please rate each presenter is terms of the following: Mr. Coytee Overall Presentation 1 Waste of my time 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Excellent, very informative Topics Covered what ever else you want to know What did you like best about Mr. Coytee's presentation?__________________________________ What did you like least about Mr. Coytee's presentation?__________________________________ What suggestions or comments do you have that would make Mr. Coytee's presentation useful? As a last thing, you cannot rely on a family member, expecially a spouse, to be objective about anything. They just cannot remove themselves from being supportive of their spouse. More importantly, their opinion does not matter, the spouse could think that you, or your partner are the worst presenters on the face of the planet, but if you keep geting clients from this process does it really matter what she thinks? I understand that you were trying to make sure it was not just you, but you would have gotten more information unbiased information from a waiter. Likewise if she thinks you are the best presenter she has ever seen, could sell ice to Eskimos, etc., but you don't get one lead, does it really matter. Your talking to your partner without comments from the prospective clients will fall on deaf ears and be seen as overly critical of the son. Your wife's comments won't add anything since that would be what he would expect her to say, and the comments from the lady are coming from you as well. I deal with parents, almost daily, who believe their child can do no wrong. I know how difficult it can be to show them there is a problem (drugs, alcohol, attitude, etc.). The only way you can get around this is with facts. When it comes to trying to gather "facts" when it comes to something subjective like judging a presentation, I think all that matters is what the people you are trying to sign up think. These comments are "facts" that your partner, and his son, will have to address. Anything else, like what you think, your wife thinks, a current client thinks, the waitress thinks, the bartender, the cook, etc. is all opinion. Someone who has a warped sense of reality, like that their son is a great at presentations, is not going to be swayed by opinion. On the other hand, if they both see that 90% of those folks who return responses that rate him as 1, 1, and 1, and have comments like "find a new line of work " and have you and your partner at 9,9,9 with comments like "you and Mr. Father are great, but lose that goof ball kid", Dad and sonny-boy are going to have to deal with it. Best off, its not coming from you, and you told your partner without bringing emotion into it. Travis

Oscar, I asked the same question you did, what does Coytee atribute the 90% response to when it was just him and the kid. I don't know about you, but from what I remember from sales and marketing that is an unheard of response rate. If it were me I would try and keep the Dad at home and bring the kid with me where ever I went. If he just had the effect of making my pitch better, or that I brought my best game becase of him, that is good enough for me. Are you saying you wouuld have had 100% without the kid? Coytee, to answer your question, with comment cards you don't have to tell the Dad. They are going to do that talking. You need a set from one, possibly two dinners. Offer the door prize out of your own pocket if you have to (make it somethng that has no affiliation with you, $25.00 gift card to Bestbuy, whatever), make it clear that it is confiential, they don't have to put any info on it, they will not be contacted,but they are very important to you so that they can make sure these presentations are as beneficial to them as possible. You provide these commennts to your partner AND his son. You do not have to tell him anything, he will either get it, if he does not, you say I am concerned about what THESE people are saying about Sonny Boy. THESE people say that he is a goof ball, THESE PEOPLE say he is a turn off, THESE PEOPLE say that they were not did not want to trust their investments with anyone stupid enough to hire such an idiot. Coytee, your are correct to be concerned with having to tell your partner that the son is just not working out. They did not create the addage "Dont shoot the messenger" for nothing. It is human nature to take your frustrations out of the person who points out the truth to you. The comment cards remove you from it in the sense that you are just pointing out that to the people who count, the client, it does not work. Without comment cards, it is just your personal opinion. You have nothing, other then your wife, and some unidentifiable potential client. In other words, it is your personal subjective comments. There is another old addage: Blood is thicker then water. The only way you get past it looking like you are the only one who has these thoughts, and it is just a problem with perception on your part, is to get a bunch of comment cards. I make my living in public speaking, to groups of 6 or 12 at a time, and you hear a lot of surprising things when you ask for feedback. Be prepared for that as well. Travis

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, hang on a second, lets not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Before you start splitting up assets or enforcing buy/sell agreements, there is obviously some reason the two of you managed to stay in business so long, and some kind of synergy created by the two of you being partners. You would have split long ago if if was not a mutually beneficial arrangement. Tigerwood does have an excellent suggestion about the comment cards, make sure they ask the same questions for each of you, and have a space for comments. To get 100% feedback offer a door price to those who turn them in. Make it optional for them to identify themselves, you give them a drawing ticket when they turn in their feed back card. That way they don't think they are going to be solicited with stuff if they turn in the comment card. The videotape idea is good, not for documentation, but to try and help the kid, just as the comment cards are. If he sees what a goofball he is he just might become self-aware of the situation and try and make corrections on his own. You could try and send him to a Carnage course. There is no doubt that it is a difficult situation, but the truth of the matter is that your partner is not going to want to keep losing money, or opportunities, as I assume both of you need to continue to earn an income. There are some situations where a parent just cannot see the shortcommings of a child and will stay with the child all the way to doom. That is for sure to be avoided and you want to get off of any ship that starts sinking. However, I have seen a lot of young attorneys who were rough around the edges, with the right mentor, training, encourgement become very fine trial lawyers. I have also seen a couple that were so goofy there was just no hope and they eventually went off and did other things. I would think the sales figures are going to be the most important. I assume that you figure that you will get X percent that are going to want an appointment after a dinner, and out of those X percent will want to do business. You only got 5 or 6 appointments with the 3 of you speaking, yet you got 90% to sign for appointments when it was just you and the kid. Is that because you shortened his part of the talk when it was just the two of you? What do you atribute that to? I would for sure come up with comment cards, and that is an easy sale to get on with your partner. Travis

Well now that I got this thread back on track, I think I will go listen to some music. (JK) Have you sold your VRD's? Are you going to hang onto them until you have the side by side in Houston? If so, please let me know when that is going to be I would love to come down for a listen and check out the exhibit of art on loan from the Met while I am down there. Only down side is No. 1 will want to shop at Gallaria while I am listening to music. Travis

He did not attend this year. I forgot, he is putting in a new kitchen. So on top of having no money, he also does not have any time.

I bought mine "used" but it is hard for me to say anything about the price because I got the deal of the century. Mine were not even broken in yet when I got them. However, they did not come with the NosValves screwdriver so you have to deduct for that. (Thats a semi-private joke between the seller and I) What impressed me the most about them is that Craig, true to his form, treated me like I was the original owner when it came to questions, upgrades, etc. Travis

Glenn: You have an email from me. Great photos, great stuff guys. I got to about page 8 of this thread and had to fastforward, did anyone run into Luther (Wardsweb) at AKFest? He is my buddy from San Antonio and the webmaster of the AK Forum. Well that is two things I just have to to, AK Fest, Rocky Moutain Fest, after I go to KlipschFest. Travis

Welcome to both of you!!!!! Where are you located? Try and update your profile with that info. (but certainly not a requirment) Nice to see where folks are from so that you can be invited to gatherings, informed if there is a good deal in your area, etc. Nice to see you both jump in and introduce yourselves. The only thing that got me to post right away was a pair of LaScallas had come up for sale and I needed to know what to look for when I went to pick them up. I got a wealth of information right away and I have been here ever since. Again, welcome. Travis

HarryO, I can't use any of them but as has been said, what a very kind offer and evidence of what this forum is all about. Travis

Man, West Covina, that brings back some memories. I knew when it was Cucomunga before they added Rancho in front of it, and Azusa, both towns Jan and Dean sang about. But what I remember and miss the most is Irwindale, the track. Probably condos by not, just like with Ontario Motor Speedway. You will get those sold easily on here with some photos, good luck. Travis

MRJ, You do whatever you are comfortable with, but you are getting some great honest advice. There are several people on here how have had to sell their Klipschhorns because of downsizing, moving , etc. If there is no other option then you can sell them on here fast and with very little hassle. However, if there is a possibility of keeping them those folks are correct, you do want to keep them, because you can build a killer system around them. What is the size of the room that you want to try to use them in and do you have two good corners to put them in on the same wall? There are ways to even get around not having a corner. We just don't want you to make a mistake you might regret, and come back and say you had a 15 x 20 room with 10' ceilings and two perfect corners on the long wall, because you will have made a hugh mistake. On the other hand they are not apartment type speakers either. Which ever way you decide you can get plenty of help here, and like I say, if you give us the size of the room you think you would use them you will get a lot of feedback as to what the options are. Travis

Try these two threads out: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/thread/166766.aspx http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/thread/220849.aspx A ton of recommendations and information from Klipsch Forum Jazz experts. If you see something specific that interests you I am sure they can give you some specific information. I know that if you can tell someone like Allan what you like he can give you a 25 more titles you will love. But you have to find that first one you really enjoy. Travis

My understanding from BerryBoy is they can be up to about 10" from each wall with zero negative effect. I have a thick plug (from my solid state amp) going into the wall socket and it just happens to FORCE me to scoot my right speaker from the wall. I simply moved the left one to approximate the right one so they'd look more balanced. As for how much you might lose, that might be a Roy question. They are made with a flat back so they CAN be pressed flat against a back wall. I think Bob was suffering from "one note" during his break in only. I think he's since made comment that his earlier comments (one note) were out of line once his woofers broke in. If you go back and read exactly what he said, you will see that he too is essentially saying that the Jubilees step all over the Khorns in all departments. The quoteI was interested in was "I have moved them away from the rear and side walls a bit which has reduced the coupling. . . ." This sounded like they may have done better out from the corner a bit. Does he have them back in now that they are broken in a bit? Travis

Sunburn, That photo really made me miss surfing. From nearly every day for 15 years to nada, almost got to the point of not thinking about it, until now. Travis Sorry about that Travis but you know it's never too late to pick it back up . You still remember those dawn patrol sessions right ? "Morning paddle out , Folly Beach SC ." Now you are really starting to pi$$ me off. What a beautiful shot. Travis

That is amazing.

I have a Theoben, the thing is down right scarey, not like any airgun when I was a kid.

I am not familar with the laser ones, they were much higher priced when we got the HP Photosmart 7550. We needed to be able to print on glossy or matte photo paper for court. The other issue was the color fastness, the epson and HP inkjets were the highest rated for color fastness. Travis

Gilbert, I can't speak to what pros like Michael use, but for home use it is basically two choices, HP and Epson. Inkjet for sure. They both offer individual ink refill systems. HP is Black, Photo and Color. Epson is 5 or 6 tank system. THe big advantage with these is that you are only replacing what needs to be replaced. I.e., if you use a lot of black because of regular printing you will not have to replace the color or photo tanks. Epson is slightly higher in price, and prints faster. I bought an HP photo printer for the office two years ago, we print a lot of photos, excellent quality, no reliability issues. If I need another one we will probably go Epson because it is a tad faster. Travis

Wrench, Where did you get the turtle photos? Travis

Tommyboy, That is interesting on firearms in the UK. I knew handguns were a big no no, but I have been invited to go bird hunting in the UK several times, so I know they have shotguns, and there are several shot shell manufacturers in the U.K. Can you buy a shot gun there? What all was involved in getting your CWL there? Travis

If you own the LP it shouldn't be illegal at all. You can make as many copies you want, in any form you want, for your own personal use. Travis

Sunburn, That photo really made me miss surfing. From nearly every day for 15 years to nada, almost got to the point of not thinking about it, until now. Travis

Rigma, I am no expert, and not a woodworker, but I have been around some folks who do a little bit. That is the most amazing thing I have every seen. To start from scratch and build from plans is quite something. Travis