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Monday, June 4, 2012
Richard Dawson, Host of 'Family Feud,' Dead At 79
Game show legend, known for kissing all female contestants, loses his battle with cancer.
By Jason Kaufman
Richard Dawson
Photo: Getty Images
Richard Dawson, the host of "Family Feud" who made kissing all female contestants on the show his signature, is dead at 79 after losing a battle with cancer.
News of Dawson's death came from his son Gary through a post on Facebook. "Dear Friends. It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my father passed away this evening from complications due to esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by his family. He was an amazing talent, a loving husband, a great dad, and a doting grandfather. He will be missed but always remembered..."
Dawson hosted "Family Feud" for nine years from 1976 through 1985, also returning to the show for the 1994-95 season. He became known for kissing all the female contestants on the "Feud," a signature move that earned him the nickname "The Kissing Bandit." He would explain years later that it was something he had learned during his childhood from his mother.
Dawson grew up in England and pursued a comedy career early on, eventually landing bit parts in TV shows and films, including a spot on "The Dick Van Dyke Show." He married British sex symbol Diane Dors in 1959 and moved to California, which put him in close proximity to the entertainment industry. He eventually landed a role on "Hogan's Heroes" as Corporal Peter Newkirk.
Through the years, Dawson would spend his time between films, TV appearances (including "Laugh-In") and even music, recording psychedelic tunes in the late '60s.
But it was his appearance as a panelist on the game show "Match Game" in 1975 that led to the "Feud" job that would make him a TV legend.
Dawson made fun of his own image in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action film "The Running Man," playing diabolical game show host Damon Killian.
Dawson's kissing skills were quite potent. He met his second wife, Gretchen Johnson, when she was a contestant on "Feud" in 1981. They married a decade later. When Dawson returned to host the show in the '90s, his wife had one rule: No more kissing any contestants.
Share your condolences for Dawson's friends and family in the comments.
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Saturday, June 2, 2012
Bill Clinton predicts strong Obama victory
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Bill Clinton criticizes Obama?s Bain attacks, praises Romney?s career
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Samsung Galaxy S III makes a splashy overseas debut
Samsung may have more gadgets in its Galaxy line than you can shake a stick at, but its newest smartphone isn't just filler. The company casts a wide net, having released an iPad rival in just about every size imaginable, for example, but Samsung is throwing its weight toward one new smartphone to take on the iPhone and Android competition alike. Meet the Galaxy S III, Samsung's latest and greatest, which just hit European shelves to much fanfare (and much envy, across the pond). The phone made a splash on a global scale, hitting 28 countries across Europe and the Middle East, with a reported 9 million pre-orders on the books.
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Samsung intends to launch the Galaxy S III in 145 countries ? the U.S. included ? by July, across a whopping spread of 296 mobile carriers. While stateside consumers won't be able to get their paws on the device until its U.S. launch, which is widely expected to be in late June or July, we can live vicariously in the mean time.
Tech Specs
The Samsung Galaxy S III picks up where its well-regarded forebear the Galaxy S II left off, with a vivid (and massive) 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen, an 8-megapixel camera, Samsung's consumer-friendly TouchWiz user interface, support for NFC for mobile payments, and S Voice, the company's very own Siri copycat. The phone offers a choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of internal storage, with an option to expand even further with a MicroSD card (theoretically, up to 128GB of total storage). Most importantly, the top-notch new smartphone will run the lauded latest version of Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich") out of the box, so you won't be waiting for over-the-air software updates to get up to speed. To top it off, the capable new smartphone supports LTE networks, which is the speedy flavor of 4G that U.S. carriers are now shifting their weight toward.
Keep in mind that the Samsung Galaxy S III we've seen to date is the European variant. When the smartphone hits U.S. shores this summer, we expect it to pop up across carriers, much the way that three of the four major U.S. mobile carriers offered a variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II. When they do hit in the U.S., we just hope that carriers resist lavishing them with absurd superlatives, like the first generation of Samsung Galaxy S smartphones that were eager to "fascinate" and "captivate."
What do reviewers think, so far?
We had a chance to spend some time test-driving the new Galaxy S III at CTIA Wireless 2012 in New Orleans this year, and we came away with a largely favorable impression. With 4G LTE capability, a large impressive screen, and plenty of oomph under the hood, the Galaxy S III is the cutting edge of Android devices, and Samsung's TouchWiz might make Android 4.0 a little more user-friendly for new Android owners.
Engadget: "The power- and storage-hungry Android user simply cannot go wrong with this purchase, and neither can those looking for a great camera."
Phone Arena: "Although its specs can easily be rivaled by strong competitors like the HTC One X, which also has a quad-core processor and the other beloved tech goodies, the Galaxy S III manages to shine brighter, thanks to its superior user experience."
The Verge: "The extra-large size of this phone, even with its great ergonomics, may prove to be a stumbling block for those who can't comfortably fit a 4.8-inch handset into their daily routine."
Pocket-lint: "There is a lot to love about the Samsung Galaxy S III. As a premium flagship smartphone it has plenty going for it. The huge display, the power, the smooth and fast operation are all to its credit. Add to this the ability to change battery and expand storage and you've a very good package indeed."
Techradar: "Would we recommend you buy one? Yes, without hesitation. If you're torn between this and an HTC One X, it's a very difficult one to call --? the camera on the One X is much better and the overall feel might appeal. But in terms of pure usability and power, we really like what Samsung has put on the table."
Other fish in the sea
It might be new, but the Galaxy S III isn't the only heir in the royal family of Galaxy smartphones. In December, the Galaxy Nexus hit the ground running with Google's newest operating system, Android 4.0. There's also the Galaxy Note, a hybrid tablet/phone device that pushes the envelope when it comes to just how massive a phone can can get while still calling itself a phone. Beyond its own bloodline, the Galaxy S III will go head to head against the HTC One X and the Sprint variant, the HTC Evo 4G LTE. All three phones are actually nearly identical in terms of size, speed, and 4G capability, so choosing among them is mainly a matter of preference and aesthetic.
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Friday, June 1, 2012
Features of a Quality SEO Strategy for Automotive Dealerships ...
SEO is a long-term marketing strategy that ensures higher traffic, conversions, sales and good branding. It is a comprehensive strategy that makes use of various technical aspects. Though usability and accessibility of a website will ultimately determine success, there are some critical features that make up a quality SEO strategy.
Dynamic strategy ? as SEO is an ongoing process: SEO is not a time bound process ? it is a continuous one. You cannot stop an SEO strategy once the results start to show up. A good SEO strategy should be dynamic and customizable as per the changing search engine algorithms, customer preferences, new trends in keywords, etc. In order to stay on top of the Search Engine Result Pages, (SERPs), you need to continuously monitor the performance of your SEO strategy and update it regularly.
ROI generating keywords: Keywords form the crux of an SEO strategy, as your website appears in search engines because of the specific keywords that are searched. Appearing in SERPs triggered by the right keywords is crucial in getting recognized by the targeted audience.
Quality link building: Link building is an important aspect of driving more traffic through SEO Strategy. Building inbound links with relevant keywords, unique, keyword-focused title tags and getting them on relevant websites is essential in quality link building. Apart from these, enhancing the internal page links of your website will make sure that all the important pages of your website are highly ranked.
An inbound link for your website is an indication of the popularity of your website. The more inbound links and relevancy of the referred website, the more trusted your website is by search engines. Some of the ways for developing quality inbound links are giving links to press releases, trading links with highly regarded websites and through social networking.
Platforms that bring more results: An SEO strategy should concentrate on search engine platforms that bring in more search traffic. Of the available search engines, Google, Yahoo and Bing are considered the most important. Since SEO efforts that suit one search engine may not be that great for the other, it is important to analyze what off-page or on-page tactics work for each search engine. This helps make every search engine contribute to maximum search traffic for your website.
Customized SEO strategy for automotive businesses: An SEO strategy can be customized as per the nature and aim of a particular business. In the case of an automotive business, an SEO strategy should be defined after doing a little research on the keywords that people use that relate to your products and services. Building links on websites that are related to auto businesses, such as auto forums, blogs, spare auto parts sellers, etc. Customizing the SEO strategy while keeping in mind the unique aspects of the auto industry, will result in greater success.
Beat your competitors? strategies: The main aim of an SEO strategy is to beat your competitor?s positions in the search engine rankings. Hence, a good SEO strategy also considers the strategies and performances of your competitors. An SEO plan should be flexible enough to adapt the regular adjustments made according to a competitor?s strategies. This way you can be in a competitive position while staying ahead of your competitors.
The high rankings that result from SEO strategies do not happen overnight, but this strategy is sure to be a revenue generator when it is carried out correctly. That means that a good SEO strategy is more about the quality of work, not the quantity of work. This strategy brings you effective returns on whatever investment you put in to it.
Apart from the above features, a good SEO strategy also consists of building search engine friendly site architecture, XML site maps, good site navigation, creating unique meta tags, adding fresh pages with unique content and so on.
Search Optics, Inc. is a leader in digital marketing solutions for the automotive industry. Search Optics interactive marketing services include custom websites, search engine optimization, paid search and mobile solutions that generate leads which result in sales opportunities. Search Optics specializes in automotive internet marketing and automotive marketing services.
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NHL star Nicklas Lidstrom retires after 20 seasons
Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden announces his retirement during a news conference in Detroit, Thursday, May 31, 2012. Lidstrom retires after a 20-season career. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden announces his retirement during a news conference in Detroit, Thursday, May 31, 2012. Lidstrom retires after a 20-season career. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden hugs team owner Marian Ilitch, as his wife, Annika, and eight-year-old son, Lucas, look on, after announcing his retirement during a news conference in Detroit, Thursday, May 31, 2012. Lidstrom retires after a 20-season career. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden and his wife Annika arrive for the news conference where he announced his retirement in Detroit, Thursday, May 31, 2012. Lidstrom retires after a 20-season career. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch, foreground, are followed by team captain Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden and his wife Annika, as they arrive for the news conference where Lidstrom announced his retirement, in Detroit, Thursday, May 31, 2012. Lidstrom retires after a 20-season career. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden is interviewed after announcing his retirement in Detroit, Thursday, May 31, 2012. Lidstrom retires after a 20-season career. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
DETROIT (AP) ? Nicklas Lidstrom is so used to being great that the star defenseman refused to settle for just being good.
Lidstrom retired after 20 quietly spectacular seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, leaving a legacy of greatness on and off the ice along with perhaps another $6 million he could have made with a third straight one-year contract.
The four-time Stanley Cup champion and seven-time Norris Trophy winner fought back tears as he made the announcement Thursday. He said he knew it was time to end one of the best careers in NHL history when he started to work out recently.
"My drive and motivation are not where they to need to be to play at this level," Lidstrom said.
The 42-year-old Swede set an NHL record by playing 1,564 games with a single team. He had put retirement on hold in each of the previous two years by signing one-year contracts.
"I've been dreading this day since I became manager in 1997," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said.
When Lidstrom told him last week that he was retiring, Holland said he could have the weekend, weeks or even months to think about it more in the hopes that he would change his mind. Holland now has $20-plus million in salary cap space to attempt to sign a standout defenseman, perhaps Nashville's Ryan Suter if the Predators can't re-sign him before July.
San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, though, said what everyone in the Motor City is thinking.
"You don't replace players like that," Wilson said.
No, you don't.
Even when Lidstrom didn't have one of his best years, such as last season, he was still the storied franchise's best player on the blue line and one of the better defensemen in the league.
Lidstrom had 34 points and a plus-21 rating that ranked among the league leaders, and for his career wound up with 264 goals and 1,142 points. After being incredibly durable for 19 seasons, he missed a career-high 11 games last season with a bruised right ankle and was out for another game with the flu.
"That didn't sway me one way or another," Lidstrom said. "A couple weeks after the season is over, you start working out. Once I started doing that, I didn't have the push I need, and I can't cheat myself."
He plans to move his family to Sweden and hopes to have an off-ice role with the Red Wings.
"Retiring today allows me to walk away with pride, rather than have the game walk away from me," said Lidstrom, whose oldest of four sons went to Sweden two years ago to attend school and play hockey.
Lidstrom's wife, Annika, left the door open for her husband to keep playing even though that in effect would often make her a single parent for another season.
"She even said, 'If you want to play another year, we can make this work," he recalled in one of many emotional moments at Joe Louis Arena.
Lidstrom was named the NHL's best defenseman last year for a seventh time since 2001, matching Doug Harvey's total and trailing Bobby Orr's league record by one. When Lidstrom won his final Norris Trophy last summer, he was a finalist for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
Defenseman Brad Stuart, who was his teammate the past four-plus seasons, said he was amazed at Lidstrom's ability to make the right play on almost every shift game after game.
"I've played with great players who made mistakes, but I can't think of one game when I thought, 'Nick just didn't have it tonight,'" Stuart said during this year's one-series postseason. "He's that same, steady, amazing defenseman every night. I think I've seen him out of breath maybe three or four times in a few years because he's so smart, he gets himself in the right position to make a play."
The four-time Olympian scored the gold-medal winning goal for Sweden over Finland in 2006. He became the first European-born captain to win a Stanley Cup in 2008, six years after being the first from Europe to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Henrik Tallinder, a fellow Swede, said Lidstrom is an icon at home.
"In my eyes, he's the best Swedish player we've had over here," Tallinder said. "No offense to (Peter) Forsberg and (Mats) Sundin. Just with four Stanley Cups, seven Norris Trophies, that says it all, I think.
Lidstrom's 6-foot-2, 190-pound body is chiseled thanks to a year-round workout that includes exercise before practice and after games along with a sensible diet that includes only occasional slices of pizza and fast food. His teammates called him "The Perfect Human," in part because he's as humble as he is successful on the ice.
As he said goodbye, Lidstrom thanked the owners, front office staff, coaches and teammates ? as all retiring players do ? and then added his own touch by praising behind-the-scenes contributors such as Leslie Baker, who serves meals to players and their families.
"It's one of the most emotional days in Red Wings history with Nick retiring and all you people showing your respect for such a high-quality individual," Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch said at the packed news conference that included team employees wearing Lidstrom's No. 5 red jersey with a winged wheel.
When Ilitch's wife, Marian, spoke about Lidstrom after the news conference, tears rolled down both of her cheeks.
"I'm happy for him and his family ? as sad as I am to lose him," she said. "It's a bittersweet day."
Steve Yzerman's No. 19 jersey became the sixth retired by the storied franchise and was hoisted to the rafters in 2007 alongside Gordie Howe's No. 9, Ted Lindsay's No. 7, Terry Sawchuck's No. 1, Alex Delvecchio's No. 10 and Sid Abel's No. 12.
Lidstrom's No. 5 will likely be next.
"I think he's been the most valuable player of his era and will go down as one of the greatest Red Wings of all time," Holland said.
___
AP Sports Writers Ira Podell in New York and Tom Canavan in Newark, N.J., contributed to this report.
___
Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage
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