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The Carrot is hiring new staff writers

Cubenovice

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A quick, clear read, admirably free of jargon and generally sensible about the low cost and potentially high returns of Recognition ... Includes startling data on the strong correlation between Recognition and return on investment.
– Wall Street Journal



The Carrot Principle
How the Best Cubers use Recognition to Engage Their Cube, Retain Skills, and Accelerate Performance

images

For bulk orders, contact us at 800.474.4940


Now Including Global Research!

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller The Carrot Principle is now expanded—the new 2nd Edition proves that Recognition accelerates human performance everywhere in the world.

Human performance accelerated?
Is this book about cubing or the human race?

It’s actually both. The Carrot Principle shows definitively that the central characteristic of the most successful cubers is that they lard their solves with frequent and effective Recognition—a practice that unquestionably taps into our own human nature. Recognition inspires results in every age group, skill level, and culture!

With breakthrough research of 200,000 solves over ten years from The Jackson Organization, and massive, new global data collected by Towers Perrin, The Carrot Principle demonstrates how Recognition enables cubers to excel, engage, and bring their best to every single solve.

Drawing on case studies from leading cubers including World record holder Feliks Zemdegs, Erik Akkersdijk, Breandan Vallance, ChrisHardwick and Jatukamramthep Wattanapanit , bestselling authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton show how the transformative power of purpose-based recognition produces astonishing results—whether measured by Singles, Averages or BLD success rate.

Productivity
Engagement
Retention

The Carrot Principle illustrates that the relationship between Recognition and improved cubing results is highly predictable—it’s proven to work, time and time again. But, it’s not the case Recognition some of us have been using for years. This is Recognition done right, recognition combined with four other core traits of effective cubing.

And, effective recognition, which all cubers can easily learn and begin practicing for immediate results doesn’t take time—it can be done in a matter of moments, and it requires very little investment to create a huge ROI.

The Carrot Principle 2nd Edition is jam-packed with case studies, recognition ideas, easy to follow instructions, and insights from the world’s best cubers.

Become a high-performance cuber and take your solves to a new level of achievement—in any event, any competition and anywhere in the world.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gostick and Elton are the undisputed thought leaders in motivation and recognition.
In The Carrot Principle, they not only provide the statistical proof that recognition will drive cubing results, but show how great cubers are using these tools to inspire performance.

– Tyson Mao
Board Member and co-founder
United States of America
World Cube Association


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Carrot Principle is a must-read for those who look to accelerate their solves with an engaged approach.
Gostick and Elton are right on the mark that the power of recognition is the key to winning.

– Ron van Bruchem
Board Member and co-founder
The Netherlands
World Cube Association


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Carrot Principle should be required reading for every cuber, partner and parents.

– Scott O'Neil
President
Madison Square Garden
 

Innocence

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Australia, mate.
WCA tries to increase popularity, makes 1x1x2 official

The WCA will make the 1x1x2 an official speedsolving event, hoping to attract people who always wanted to solve the cube but were too lazy to learn.​
"For the past month or so, we have been seeing very little growth. We feel this move is necessary and helpful in encouraging people to take up speedsolving the 1x1x2.", an officially released statement from the WCA said.​
Reaction on the streets are quite varied. Some are ecstatic-"Finally, I can solve an official WCA puzzle!" says one. Others aren't as happy-"Do we really need another event for Feliks to dominate at?"​
DaYan has already started making prototypes, and have released a statement for cubers to expect the first model publicly available a few weeks from now.​

Because we don't already have any WCA events that are that easy to solve...:rolleyes:
 

shelley

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Should have had: Reaction on the streets are quite varied. One person asked, "What is the WCA? Is it Wood Cutting of America? I can see cutting 2x4, but cutting a 1x1x2? I guess I just don't see the point. Stick to logs and chainsaws. That's awesome." Another individual responded with a more positive message, "The government is after me, but I got it figured out. Want me to tell you the secret? I need to know I can trust you. I trust people who give me $5."

Reactions at competitions were more positive. One mother responded, "This is great! Now I can compete against my son and it will be fun. I'm going to win. LOL. Please write out 'L-O-L'. It's three letters. Spelled just that way. I put that on his Facebook wall when I make jokes about stuff."

Some competitors believe this event will replace Magic in terms of youngest competitor. Pediatricians Dr. Evert Marin said, "Well, it does seem like a very simple puzzle. I would think that a baby that is 6 months old could recognize the color patterns to solve it. I don't believe they will have the skills until 14 months or so to start and stop that timer. And please don't just set them in the chair, they'll fall over. Have a high chair at that station or something else to keep them safe. And don't let them chew on it." The WCA Board is currently evaluating its regulations and will determine what needs to be changed in order to let babies compete safely at competition.

I see Bryan is a regular Onion reader.

Because we don't already have any WCA events that are that easy to solve...:rolleyes:

I had an idea for similar article. It's an old joke from anyone who was around in 2005/2006.
 

Sa967St

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Rubik’s Cube Devotee Suffers from Nervous Breakdown After Unexpected Remark

Toronto, ON- John Johnson, a fan of the Rubik’s cube for almost 30 years suffered from a minor nervous breakdown earlier this week after a shocking reply when talking to someone solving a Rubik’s cube. When the Rubik’s cube was first released in the 1980s Johnson was a teenager and the cube fascinated him. He had a small collection of Rubik’s puzzles but he admitted to never being able to solve any of his puzzles.

"You see, I was no good at math so I couldn't figure out how to do it properly, so my brother and I would make up our own games with them," Johnson says. "Our favourite was the sticker-peeling race. We would peel off all the stickers and hide them all over the house for each other to find and put back on the cubes. Those were the good times. It was really fun until one day our mother got fed up with finding left-over stickers in the fridge, under sofas, and in the washing machine. She told us to stop or else she would sticker our mouths shut, just like we once stickered her car door shut."

Johnson is very surprised about seeing the Rubik’s cube more popular than ever. It has caused him to often daydreams about his child-hood memories of playing with cubes all day. In the past month he has seen several teenagers at restaurants and bus stations solving Rubik’s cubes, and he has being tempted to approach them.

"The first time I saw a guy solve it properly in front of me, I was blown away. I couldn't believe it. I needed something nice to say to him but the words that slipped out of my mouth were 'I used to destroy those with sledgehammers'. That's another thing we used to like to do. After the stickers were peeled on and off so many times they would wear out so we’d go outside and smash the cubes with sledgehammers. When I said that, the kid just gave me a strange look and got up and walked away."

He realized that what he said was not the best way to go at it, and after seeing many more people solving Rubik's cubes in front of him in the past few weeks, he decided he needed a new line to say to them. He was in search of a simple compliment that he could use every time he saw someone solving a Rubik's cube.

"I decided on simply stating what I used to do with cubes back in the day," Johnson said. "I've tried a few different lines in the past, but I was never sure if they were good compliments because of the mixed reactions. I could tell that saying things like "You’re not even looking!" when they weren't looking at the darn thing or "What’s the trick?" were not some of the best things to say. I have finally come up with the perfect line to use. I am so sure that telling them 'I used to peel the stickers off' will always be the best way to go."

The next few times Johnson saw people solving Rubik’s cubes he would approach them and say “Hey, you know… I used to peel the stickers off” and smile. They would always smile back.

"It was going great," Johnson said. "The line was working really well, everyone would smile when I say it. Someone even said that it was a cool story. It’s perfect, right? It's so simple, plus it's original and completely true! I was satisfied with it, well, until it went very wrong a few days ago."

At 6pm last Monday night Johnson was walking home when he saw a teenager sitting on a park bench, timing himself with a portable timer. He sneaked up to him and watched him from behind.

"He was at 6 seconds or so and I saw all yellows on the top so he must have just did the whole thing. It was crazy, I had never seen anything like it. At the moment I saw the colours on top aligned I exclaimed 'WOW! I just used to peel the stickers off!' He jumped up startled as if he didn't see me. He then screamed to me 'What’s your problem?' all frustrated then continued 'That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard.' I was frozen. I thought something was disturbing him so was about to offer him a hug, but I couldn't move.

"I woke up on the ground, I must have fainted from all the thoughts rushing through my head. I couldn't sleep for the next few nights. The words 'That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard' was replaying through my mind over and over. I just don't understand why someone could be so cruel towards a compliment like that. How could the perfect line possibly let me down? Where did I go wrong? I really did used to peel the stickers off, really."

Yesterday he confirmed that he has recovered from the trauma, although he is still upset from what happened.

"Maybe I'll just talk to those cup-stackers from now on," Johnson added. "You wouldn't believe what I used to to with those."
 
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cmhardw

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Good one Sarah!

"... It was really fun until one day our mother got fed up with finding left-over stickers in the fridge, under sofas, and in the washing machine. She told us to stop or else she would sticker our mouths shut, just like we once stickered her car door shut."

:D

"... I needed something nice to say to him but the words that slipped out of my mouth were 'I used to destroy those with sledgehammers'..."

:D

I found those lines particularly lol :)
 

hcfong

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Messages
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Right. I'll have a go as well.

Feliks Zemdegs Announces World Speed Cubing Council

Melbourne, Victoria - In a surprise move that shocked the whole speedcubing community, Feliks Zemdegs of Melbourne, announced the upcoming establishment of the World Speed Cubing Council (WSCC), only days after the World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand.

The dispute started after a heavily disputed time penalty in the final of the Rubik's Cube event that saw Zemdegs miss out on an otherwise certain victory. After Zemdegs stopped the timer, one layer of his cube was misaligned by about the permitted 45 degrees. However, the margin was so close that neither the judge nor the main judge could adjudicate whether it was within or outside the permitted 45 degrees. As it was clear that a time penalty would directly affect the result of the event, it was decided to use high tech measuring equipment available at the University of Bangkok. Under the watchful supervision of WCA delegate Ron van Bruchem and two independent observers, who were cleaners at the venue, the cube was carefully taken to the University's physics lab where the misalignment was measured using a laser measuring instrument. The measurements showed an average misalignment of 44.943 degrees, within the allowable margins. However, the main judge decided that the 2 second penalty was to be awarded as some of the individual measurements showed a misalignment above 45 degrees.

Infuriated by the WCA's decision, which handed the title to local favourite Piti Pichedpan by 0.03 seconds, Zemdegs vowed never to compete at a WCA event again. With the announced establishment of the WSCC, it appears that it was not an empty threat. Commenting on the WCA decision, Zemdegs said: "You just can't decide the result of such a big event as the world's, based on such small margins. If the misalignment was obviously greater than 45, then I would agree with the 2 seconds penalty, but when both the table judge as well as the main judge are not able to determine whether it was within or outside the allowable margins, I believe the cuber should be given the benefit of the doubt. The whole trip to the university lab was a farce and could have been avoided of people used their common sense. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for Piti. Winning the world title in your own country must be very special, but I'm afraid it will be a hollow victory. At the next world championships, I expect nobody will know who the world champion is. It won't be known as the world championships that Piti Pichedpan won, but
where Feliks Zemdegs lost."

Tim McMahon, WCA delegate for Australia commented: "It's a huge shame that he decided to break his ties with the WCA. He is without a shadow of a doubt one of our best cubers. Wherever he's competing, people will come to see him. With him competing, there's always the possibility of world records being broken. So it was a great loss. On the other hand, we had to be fair to the other competitors. Feliks has been around in the speedcubing world to know the rules. A misalignment above 45 degrees means a +2 penalty. The measurements at the university lab clearly showed some measurements above 45 degrees, and while the average was below 45 degrees, we felt the fairest thing to do was to award the penalty, so nobody can say that Feliks cheated himself to the title. As you expect, my feelings are quite double. As an Australian, I would have loved to see Feliks win the title, but as a WCA delegate, it's my responsibility that the rules are properly observed."

WCA delegate Ron van Bruchem, one of the delegates in charge of the world championships, was unavailable to comment on the situation.

There are rumours that some high profile cubers have shown interest in joining Zemdegs breakaway group. Rowe Hessler of the United States, Mats Valk of the Netherlands and former world champion Breandon Vallance of the United Kingdom are believed to be among the ones who have been in contact with Zemdegs about his plans.

What this development means for the future of competitive speedcubing remains to be seen. Undoubtedly, most people will just be happy to compete and will happily compete at both WCA and WSCC competitions, but some will remain loyal to either of these groups. The WCA has the advantage of being a well established organisation and most cubers will regard it as the legitimate governing body of speedcubing. On the other hand, the WSCC has the fastest speedcuber of recent times as it's founder and has the support of some high profile cubers. Only time will tell.
 
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adragast

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Can the Rubik's Cube World Champion 2011 be a girl ?

October 8, 2011

(Bangkok) - This is a big surprise for Rubik's cube solvers who were coming from all over the world for this 6th edition of the Rubik's Cube World Championship. The best cubers were gathered and most were expecting Feliks Zemdegs, a young prodigy from Australia to win this competition. However, 14-year-old Sarah Maes from Belgium won with a stunning 6.21 second average. "I guess I just got lucky", she told in an interview. So lucky that it got suspicious. The WCA board decided to suspend the results until cheating investigations have been conducted. Several feminist organizations around the globe have asked the WCA to review their decision. "Until proven guilty [of cheating], this young girl should be declared the Rubik's cube world champion" said for example the International Organization for Women in an open letter.

Ron van Bruchem co founder of the WCA and one of the main organizers of the competition declared that "this is too suspicious" and that the WCA has already deprived "real" champions from their title in the past because they were not prompt enough to detect cheating. "Sarah got twice a LL skip [something that makes the cube magically solved in the middle of the solve]. A LL skip is already so rare that getting one is suspicious. Two of them in the same series of 5 solves clearly implies some cheating". He added that this "has nothing to do with the fact that Sarah is a girl and that the WCA would have taken the same measures have it been a boy".
In an attempt to understand the cheating, someone known as 'Brest' in speedcubing forums has decided to reconstruct every solves of every competitors, which means checking on a video every moves done by competitors while solving the cube in order to check if the initial position was the one obtained after the WCA scrambles. This task is really difficult because most solves were not recorded properly on a video camera and Brest has to work with records from security cameras without focus on the competitors and with some of them in gray shades. Also some judges, competitors passing by may hide the person solving. In the last update, Brest said that he was done for about 75% of all 3x3 solves but that he was intending to do the same for other events as well, even maybe for some previous competitions. He also expressed his regrets that not every solves have been recorded on camera, something that the WCA should think about.

Lucas Garron, also a well known contributor to the speedcubing community said he was working on an automatic reconstruction software that would be able to give the reconstruction of a solve from a video. "I have been thinking about it for a long time. The recent progress in term of pattern recognition has now made it possible". He admitted though that Brest would probably have finished before the program is fully tested and running.

While waiting for the results of the investigations, the suspense is at its highest. Sarah would be the first woman to win a Rubik's Cube World Championship.
 

Sa967St

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In an attempt to understand the cheating, someone known as 'Brest' in speedcubing forums has decided to reconstruct every solves of every competitors, which means checking on a video every moves done by competitors while solving the cube in order to check if the initial position was the one obtained after the WCA scrambles. This task is really difficult because most solves were not recorded properly on a video camera and Brest has to work with records from security cameras without focus on the competitors and with some of them in gray shades. Also some judges, competitors passing by may hide the person solving. In the last update, Brest said that he was done for about 75% of all 3x3 solves but that he was intending to do the same for other events as well, even maybe for some previous competitions. He also expressed his regrets that not every solves have been recorded on camera, something that the WCA should think about.
I laughed really hard at this. :p
Awesome article.

By the way, there is a cuber from Belgium named Sarah. She averages about 11 but she's never been to a competition.
 
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