conciliate slantwise: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

New Technologies Help Us Better Understand Ancient Rome

June 28, 2012 ? Historians and archaeologists have studied the ruins of the Roman Forum for centuries, employing the tools on hand to add to the knowledge of this center of Roman public life that hosted elections, triumphal processions, speeches, trials, shops and gladiatorial spectacles.

The latest research suggests these structures, which we know as white marble, may have been brightly painted.

Bernard Frischer, a classics and art history professor in the University of Virginia's College of Arts & Sciences, led a team of experts who used cutting-edge technology to find traces of yellow pigment on a bas-relief of a menorah on the forum's Arch of Titus. In its heyday, the yellow pigment would have appeared gold from a distance.

Frischer said the menorah has historical significance. "The menorah on the relief is extremely important to Jews, since it shows the menorah from the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which Titus captured and sacked in A.D. 70."

Exposed to the elements for centuries, today no traces of pigment are visible to the naked eye. The arch was cleaned and restored in the 1820s. "For all we knew, any surviving pigment had been scraped off the marble, as has happened all too often in the past with other monuments and statues," Frischer said. A 1999 study "found plenty of discoloration owing to pollution, but no traces of ancient pigment."

Frischer, co-director for technology of the "Arch of Titus Restoration Project," headed by Steven Fine at Yeshiva University in New York, brought together experts for a pilot project ??to use 21st-century technology to seek any remaining traces of pigment.

"This entailed the use of two different technologies with which I am very familiar from earlier projects," Frischer said.

The consultants used non-invasive, 3-D optical data capture and ultra-violet visual spectrometry to determine the chemistry of the pigment deposits. Frischer called on the expertise of Unocad of Vincenza, Italy for the 3-D capture using the Breuckmann smartSCAN for its precise optical measurements, and Heinrich Piening, a conservator with the State of Bavaria Department for the Conservation of Castles, Gardens and Lakes in Germany and a pioneer in ultra-violet visual spectrometry, for analysis.

"UV-VIS spectrometry is still a relatively new technique in Roman archaeology," Frischer said.

Frischer has applied cutting-edge technologies in creating 3-D digital models for polychromy restoration of Roman figures, such as the Virginia Museum of Art's statue of Caligula, on behalf of the Virtual World Heritage Laboratory, [link: http://vwhl.clas.virginia.edu/] which he founded in July 2009. The laboratory is administered by the classics department and hosted by the art department.

The Arch of Titus project findings will also add another dimension to his lab's virtual "Rome Reborn" [link: http://www.romereborn.virginia.edu/] project, a digital recreation of Rome as it appeared in A.D. 320. Frischer directs that ongoing effort, which was created by an international team of experts and launched in 2007.

Following final studies of the arch, Frischer will use the data to oversee two 3-D digital recreations for the Arch of Titus Restoration Project.

"In the first, or 'state model,' we will add just the color that is attested by Dr. Piening's studies," he said. "In the second, or 'restoration model,' we will go beyond the spotty evidence that survives to restore color all over the arch, inspired both by the actual traces and by analogous examples of painted Roman imperial monuments.

"What has been learned thus far can encourage even 'minimalists' like myself to dare to restore color even to monuments that have not yet been studied. After all, the ancient color palette was limited, and we are starting to see conventions emerge in the use of color. And one thing we do know is that white marble ? whether on a public building or on a statue ? was rarely, if ever, left unpainted."

From Ancient Greece until the 21st century, the arts and sciences have moved in tandem in an implicit and unconscious way, Frischer said.

"Today, the unity of art, science and technology is rapidly becoming a conscious theme as we embrace interdisciplinarity and unity of knowledge derived from concurring conclusions from a variety of disciplines in which the knowledge and expertise of different, seemingly unrelated fields such as archaeology, history, chemistry and physics can converge to give a better understanding of both the human and natural worlds. I see the Arch of Titus project as a good case in point."

? by Jane Ford

Source: http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=18963

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Could the Republicans really repeal Obamacare?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/could-republicans-really-repeal-obamacare-091546012.html

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AT&T approached RIM in 2010 about building an iPhone competitor

AT&T apparently asked Research In Motion in 2010 to kindly build a competitor to the iPhone, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.?The dirty deed took place while Apple?s iPhone was still exclusively available on AT&T in the United States.

?We work with all device makers to bring the best products to market for our customers,? AT&T said in a statement. RIM added that the goal was simply to create ?a differentiated, unique BlackBerry experience for AT&T customers.? That sounds great from a PR standpoint, but the real motive was AT&T?s fear that the iPhone would make Apple far too powerful in the mobile industry. Since RIM was king of this territory before the iPhone in 2007, it made for a good fighting partner. The carrier and the vendor worked on what would later become the BlackBerry Torch. Verizon, too, was fearful about the iPhone for other reasons and worked with RIM earlier to create the BlackBerry Storm.

Neither even came close to killing the iPhone. If anything, they set RIM back even further. Let?s fast forward to today.

Apple is the richest company on the face of the planet and the iPhone is the best-selling handset on the market. RIM just announced yesterday a lot of wacky numbers for last quarter that basically suggest an imminent doom: a net loss of $518 million, 5,000 jobs slashed, a forecast of only 7.8 million shipments this quarter, and a delay on BlackBerry 10 until 2013. Analysts have since laid out the company?s burial plot.

The carriers weren?t exactly left in the dark in their attempts to limit Apple?s power. Android has been doing pretty well and poses a threat that the BlackBerry was never able to. In the end, AT&T might have had the right idea, but the wrong partner.

[via AppleInsider]

About The Author

George Tinari

George has followed technology news for quite some time, but he only started writing about it a few years ago. He's a self-proclaimed Apple fanboy, but that doesn't stop him from covering a wide range of topics in the mobile area. When he's not reporting for IntoMobile, you can usually find George listening to a wide array of music, trying to be funny and sarcastic, eating, or voicing his opinions about all things tech on his personal blog, GT Daily.

');NS_AdDivs.push(NS_AdDiv);NS_AdZones.push(NS_AdZone);NS_Ads++;

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IntoMobile/~3/K4WNGHVbk7U/

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Monster Energy/ESPN X Games 18 Preview

Monster FMXer Adams, Kings of Vert ? PLG & Bestwick ? lead an army of Skaters, BMXers, FMXers & Rally drivers on LAXG

The yearly action sports pilgrimage to Los Angeles ? birthplace of skateboarding, BMX as well as being the sport of motocross and FMX?s epicenter ? will again have a decided Monster Energy flair as no less than 34 Monster Energy-backed superstar athletes descend upon the 18^th installment of ESPN?s highly-valued Summer X Games beginning this Thursday, June 28^th and running through Sunday, July 1^st.

Well in excess of a 100,000 fans will attend the four LA venues ? LA Live, Chick Hearn Arena, STAPLES Center and Nokia Theater ? for the live events with literally millions tuning in worldwide on the ESPN network and expn.com. The X Games is Monster Energy?s marquee event of the year to showcase many of its premier action sports athletes. And this in the spirit of the new Global X Games movement with Monster athletes arriving from Australia, UK, Japan, Canada, Italy, Germany, Norway and Spain to compete in LA - our most diverse team to date at X!

Here?s a breakdown of each 2012 X Games discipline (Dirt Bikes, BMX, Skateboarding & Rally), who we?ve got going this year and who?s expected to medal, along with a recap of last year?s X Games 17 competition and Monster Energy?s medal haul.

Dirt Bikes

2011 flashback: Nate Adams had a very impressive weekend at X Games?he was the only X competitor to earn two golds on the weekend. Coming into X-17 he was hungry for that gold?despite making the podium nearly every year, he hadn?t earned a gold medal since 2004. ?2011 spelt redemption for Adams. After taking a decisive win in Moto X Freestyle, he went on to chalk up a win in Moto X Speed & Style, combining his formidable supercross skills with his already-proven world?s best FMX skills.

FMX/Moto-X/Enduro-X

What?s going down: The STAPES Center will again be alive with the smell of pre-mix, crackle of two-strokes and the thunder bass of the four-strokes ? as well as, by far, the biggest air of the X Games. The brotherhood of global freestyle motocross riders ? the Knievels?, Wells? and Reckless Rex? of their time ? crack the throttles and go head-to-head for another year?s worth of bragging rights.

Monster Energy has a jones for dirt bikes ? always has. That said the 2011 team features Monster?s largest-ever FMX/Moto-X/Enduro-X wrecking crew ? culled from as far away as Japan, Italy, Germany, Norway, Australia and Spain ? in addition to the US of A.

FMX

Freestyle

What?s going down: Monster Energy?s?Nate ?The Destroyer? Adams is the man to beat. Adams flat out ruled last year?s competition, as he has most global FMX events ? including X-fighters ? for the last couple years (or at least when he?s not injured). Simply put, it?s Adams? gold to lose this weekend in LA.

Several Monster Energy-backed athletes, respectively so, would be more than happy to see that happen. Norway?s?Andre Villa is one of the last riders to beat Adams straight up, doing so at X-fighters. Add to the mix former X Games gold medalists?Blake ?Bilko? Williams(?09) and?Adam Jones (?07) and Adams could either be toppled, or the ensuing battle ? along with Japan?s?Taka Higashino (X Games Best Trick bronze, ?10) ? could make for an all-Monster X-18 Freestyle podium!

Who we?ve got: Nate Adams, Taka Higashino, Adam Jones, Andrea Villa, Bilko Williams

Other top competitors: Levi Sherwood & Danny Torres

When to watch: Thursday, June 28^th, 6:30 p.m.

Best Whip

What?s going down: Gone from Monster Energy?s roster for the 2012 X Games is ?11 Best Whip medalist Jarryd McNeill (bronze). Back this year are two solid contenders in challenging for the fan-voted medals, MX/SX ace?Josh Hansen and veteran FMX star?Jeremy ?Twitch? Stenberg.

With their two unique styles ? racing vs. FMX ? you?d think Hansen and Stenberg would contrast in the whip dept. On the contrary, their finished products are quite similar ? although Stenberg, a great motocross racer in his own right, might not be able to hang with Hansen for 30 minutes plus two laps. And Hansen, with a career focused on dirt bike racing, isn?t quite Militia-worthy ? though he could likely add a back flip photo to his SX/MX trophy mantel given some time and a foam pit.

Who we?ve got: Josh Hansen & Jeremy ?Twitch? Stenberg

Other top competitors: Todd Potter & Jarryd McNeil

When to watch: Friday, June 29^th, 6:45 p.m.

Best Trick

What?s going down: As always, the most insane event at X Games. And judging by past competitions, Monster Energy for sure has a couple of the most insane riders.

The Volt. Electric Death. Electric Doom. Kiss of Death to Electric Doom. All ? and belong to none one other than longtime Monster Energy athlete?Kyle Loza, the 2007, ?08 and ?09 X Games Best Trick gold medalist. Lord knows what Loza has up his tattooed sleeve next, but you know for sure it?s gonna be cool. Joining Loza will be YouTube wonder Mark Monea, best known for his 360 front flip dubbed the ?Carry On.? Last year at X-17 Monea threw the trick with a no-handed variation ? and ended up paying the price. Should he land it this year he?ll certainly be a threat to whatever Loza serves up (provided he lands it).

Japanese freestyle ace?Taka Higashino will also throw his hat into the Best Trick ring, giving Monster Energy three shots at a medal in this all-or-nothing fan favorite event.

Who we?ve got: Kyle Loza, Taka Higashino & Mark Monea

Other top competitors: Cam Sinclair and Jacko Strong

When to watch: Friday, June 29^th, 8:15 p.m.

Speed & Style

What?s going down: Last year Nate Adams kicked everyone?s ass in this event. And this year he?s the favorite to do it again. And if for some reason he can?t, there?s two other badass Monster guys ??Jeremy ?Twitch? Stenberg and?Edgar Torronteras ? that for sure could.

With Adams you?re going up against the best freestyler in the world ? so style (i.e., tricks) are no problem. Add to that he?s got the speed to qualify, or at least attempt to qualify, against kids ten years younger than him at the Anaheim (Calif.) Monster Energy AMA Supercross. So if Adams comes into X-18 healthy, and it appears that he is, Speed & Style is an event made specifically for him and he should add another gold (three total heading into X-18, 13 X Games medals total) in Speed & Style.

Stenberg nailed the Speed & Style bronze in 2008 & ?10, but last year suffered an incredibly scary get-off on the big freestyle ramp in his heat race versus Carey Hart. This will be Torronteras? first Speed & Style event.

Who we?ve got: Nate Adams, Jeremy ?Twitch? Stenberg and Edgar Torronteras

Other top competitors: Carey Hart, Robbie Maddison, Ronnie Faisst and Matt Buyten

When to watch: Saturday, June 30^th, 6:30 p.m.

Women?s Moto-X

What?s going down: Two relatively new women to the Monster Energy MX program ? Arizona?s?Brandy Richards and Australian?Meghan Rutledge ? both race for Monster Energy/Kawasaki?s Team Green program. Rutledge, the 2011 Australian Women?s MX Champion, was recently on the podium at the Women?s Motocross League event in Freestone, Texas, and is currently in 9^th place overall in the WML standings.

Who we?ve got: Meghan Rutledge and Brandy Richards

Other top competitors: Jessica Patterson, Tara Geiger, Vicky Golden (Note: Ashley Fiolek?s out with a concussion)

When to watch: Saturday, June 30^th, 5:00 p.m.

Enduro-X

What?s going down: The thrill-a-second event that puts the exclamation point on four days of X Games competition the week/weekend?s final event, Enduro-X is inspired by the Monster Energy-fueled GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series.

Leading the M-claw assault on the STAPLES Center Enduro-X will be Monster Energy/Kawasaki?s premier American off-road racers,Destry Abbott,?Justin Soule?- who nailed a bronze medal in last year?s inaugural Enduro-X ? and?Taylor Robert, who?s won four WORCS events this summer.

Joining the Monster/Team Green riders on the starting line from Europe will be Italian great?Alex Salvini and German?Andreas Lettenbichler. Keep an eye on Lettenbichler as he?s been the only rider to challenge perennial AMA EnduroCross champ Taddy Blazusiak at the grueling Erzberg Rodeo. Both are competing in their first X Games.

Who we?ve got: Destry Abbott, Justin Soule?, Taylor Robert, Alex Salvini & Andreas Lettenbichler

Other top competitors: Taddy Blazusiak, Geoff Aaron, Mike Brown,

When to watch: Sunday, July 1^st, 8:45 p.m.

BMX

BMX Vert

What?s going down: On the BMX bikes in 2012 the halfpipe will again be Monster Energy?s Jamie Bestwick?s (aka ?Bestrick?) stomping grounds. Leading the list of Monster Energy successes in 2011, Bestwick earned a record fifth-straight gold medal in BMX Vert ? and is gunning for a?SIXTH STRAIGHT BMX Vert gold in 2012. Coming into last year?s event he was the clear-cut favorite, but he still had to perform if he wanted to beat some serious threats. Bestwick dropped in and cooked around the 60-foot wide halfpipe, chalking up a huge 92.00 for the win.

Bestwick?s got the biggest bag of tricks. So big at times he?s only had to pull just enough out to win ? and that?s why he?s gunning for asixth-straight X Games gold medal on the vert ramp. With a nod to Mat Hoffman as the Godfather of BMX Vert and Monster Energy?s own?Dave Mirra, Bestwick?s record states that he is, hands down, the most successful vert BMX competitor of all time. Look no further than his FIVE-STRAIGHT Dew Cups in BMX vert and it?s easy to see why this 41-year-old veteran athlete is one of the most resilient actions sports athletes of all-time as well.

Note: High above the floor of the Nokia Theater, airing it out to chants of ?Auzzie! Auzzie! Auzzie!? by the X Games faithful will be Monster Energy?s newest BMX stable mate ? 2011 X Games double medalist?Vince Byron.

At 22 Byron?s young by BMX Vert standards, though a bronze BMX Vert medal from 2011 X Games certainly certified his experience in terms of age ? or lack thereof. He also stepped up and captured the silver medal in BMX Big Air, making him one of only two BMX athletes to mine double-precious medals at the epicenter of global action sports in Los Angeles.

And back home on the mantle in his native Australia, next to his two U.S. X Games medals, are an array of Golds from the Asian X Games ? five Golds in total to go with one Silver for six Asian X Games medals. So for sure keep an eye on Vince Byron ? and not just in Vert, he?ll also be running the M-claw logo in Park and Big Air as well.

Who we?ve got: Jamie Bestwick & Vince Byron

Other top competitors: Chad Kagy, Simon Tabron, Steve McCann, Dennis McCoy, Jimmy Walker and Zach Warden

When to watch: Saturday, June 30^th, 4:30 p.m.

BMX Park

What?s going down: With a similar design to X 17?s concrete park, this year?s BMX Park at X Games should again go down as one of the most hotly-contested events of the weekend. Last year?s comp was off-the-charts in terms of top flight talent laying it all on the line in one of the most spectacular displays of riding buddy one upmanship in the history of freestyle BMX. Coming out with a thoroughly well-deserved medal (bronze) for Monster Energy was?Scott Cranmer. A former X Games BMX Park gold medalist (2006 & ?09, along with silver medals in ?05 & ?07), Cranmer can be considered one of the top three X Games BMX Park riders of all time, along with Mirra & Dhers.

Joining Cranmer in the newly-build X Games Park will be host of Monster Energy-backed riders ? strength in numbers that Monster?s never enjoyed in BMX Park before. Chasing precious medals in BMX Park with the M-claw logo on their helmets along with Cranmer will be:?Kyle Baldock,?Ben Wallace,?Vince Byron and?Pat Casey.

From MonsterEnergy.com?s recent Vince Byron interview:

Monster Energy: Your Monster Energy teammate Scotty Cranmer clobbers the park. So will Monster?s Kyle Baldock. Heading into the event what?s your strategy - pull out all the stops on every run or lay down a descent score and try to go out big on your last two?

Vince Byron: Honestly, I?ll probably ? just for the fact I?m in three events and favouring Mega Ramp and Vert ? not go full throttle in Park so I can do well in the other events. I?m not a favourite to win Park, but definitely going to give it a go. Try and find some big lines, the ramps I can use to my advantage. You?ll see some ridiculous stuff, but I?m going to try and add some original lines and variety.

Who we?ve got: Scotty Cranmer, Kyle Baldock, Ben Wallace, Vince Byron and Pat Casey

Other top competitors: Daniel Dhers, Dennis Enarson, Gary Young, Ryan Nyquist, Garrett Reynolds, Diogo Canina

When to watch: Saturday, June 30^th, 4:30 p.m.

BMX Street

What?s going down: Last year?Dakota Roche scored Monster Energy its first-ever medal in BMX Street ? a bronze, just one point away from a silver medal behind Dennis Enarson.

Roche combines seemingly flawless tech abilities with flat out burly lines, highlighted in his bronze medal run at X-17 by a 540 to fakie and an alley-oop to Smith grind on the big box.

This year Roche will be joined by Monster Army newcomer?Nathan Williams, a Tennessean, who rips street could be a big breakthrough BMXer for Monster at X-18 here this week.

Who we?ve got: Dakota Roche and Nathan Williams

Other top competitors: Garrett Reynolds, Ty Morrow, Dennis Enarson, Sean Sexton

When to watch: Friday, June 29^th, 3 p.m.

BMX Big Air

What?s going down: Monster Energy has the returning silver medalist in BMX Big Air ??Vince Byron. An X Games rookie last year, Byron ? who?s also competing in BMX Park & Vert @ X-19 ? threw a huge double tail whip back flip on the gap, then a no-handed 540 on the quarter for a 90.66 ? a mere point off Steve McCann?s gold medal effort.

Byron would end up breaking his bike and couldn?t complete his next two runs and had to watch his Aussie buddy McCann nail a 91.66 on his fourth and final run. So you know the two are going to drop the gloves and go at it hard here this week!

Who we?ve got: Vince Byron

Other top competitors: Steve McCann, Chad Kagy, Anthony Napolitan & Kevin Robinson

When to watch: Friday, June 29^th, 3 p.m.

Skateboarding

2011 flashback:?Mining the only precious medals for Monster Energy-backed skateboarders out of X Games 17 was?Pierre Luc ?PLG? Gagnon. The Carlsbad transplant from Montreal was edged in the Vert finals by Shawn White, but rallied back to capture gold in Vert Best Trick. Top names in Skate Street ??Shane O?Neill, who?s back at X-18 with Monster this year and?Chris Cole (not skating X-18) represented well, both making it to the hotly-contested Street Semis. Similar story in Vert where Monster?s?Alex Perelson and?Paul Luc Ronchetti (PLR) would rip into the semis, but would make the final group.

Skate Street

What?s going down: You can?t do much better during the off-season than acquiring the reigning X Games Skate Street gold medalist ?Nyjah Huston. The West Coast regular footer has been clobbering it as of late, dominating the first two rounds of the Monster Energy-fueled Street League rounds to take a commanding lead in that series. Add to that perennial X Games street ripper O?Neill and Monster Energy newcomer?Ishod Wair, and Monster looks to be sitting pretty well in terms of medal potential this year.

Note: Huston also skated/will also skate in the X Games??Real Street and?Game of SK8 ? joined in the latter event by Wair as well. In Real Street, voted on by the fans in the weeks leading up to this weekend?s X Games, Huston won his opening round videoed match versus Daryl Angel (67-percent to 33-percent), then lost in the quarterfinals to Chris Haslam 57 to 43.

Who we?ve got: Huston, O?Neill & Wair

Other top competitors: Sean Malto, Chaz Ortiz, Luan Oliveria, Dennis Busenitz, Greg Lutzka, Paul Rodriguez and Ryan Scheckler

When to watch: Sunday July 1^st, 3 p.m.

Skate Vert

What?s going down: Probably the biggest news hitting the X Games 18 halfpipe was the fact that 2011 Skate Vert gold medalist, Shaun White, has reportedly bailed on this week?s X Games. Oh well, he was going to get a BIG dose of?Pierre Luc Gagnon anyway. PLG ? holder of eight X Games gold medals (five in the halfpipe) and 18 X Games medals overall is again the dude to beat. At 32, Gagnon is in his vert-ripping prime and should be considered the favorite for the gold heading into X-18. Another Monster Energy-backed skater worthy of an X Games Vert medal is?Alex Perelson. The fourth skater to land the 900 and former winner on the Maloof Money Cup tour, Perelson will be joined by?Paul Luc Ronchetti (PLR) to give Monster a formidable shot at multiple Skate Vert medals here this weekend.

Who we?ve got: PLG, Perelson & PLR

Other top competitors: Bucky Lasek, Andy McDonald, Bob Burnquist, Sandro Dias, Mitch Brusco, Adam Taylor and Pedro Barros

When to watch: Saturday, June 30^th, 7:30 p.m.

Skate Big Air

What?s going down: Monster Energy legend?Jake Brown didn?t figure in the medals last year, but won gold the previous year in 2010. A fan favorite ? forever ? Brown can easily step up and put himself into medal contention with one big-assed stuck run. In the same breath he can also detonate ? like everyone remembers him doing in 2007. Back-to-back gold medals in 2009 and ?10, along with a bronze in 2007, make him one of the all-time most decorated Mega Ramp athletes ever ? along with Way and Burnquist. All Aussie all the time, count on Brown to also be at the center of fun at X Games ? including the big Monster Bash on Saturday night!

Who we?ve got: Again this year, all we need?s Jake!

Other top competitors: Bob Burnquist, Mitch Brusco and Tom Schaar

When to watch: Friday, June 29^th, 6:00 p.m.

Skate Park

What?s going down: Monster Energy?s only got one guy running the X-18 Park contest ? and he?s ?tentative? at that.? Alex Perelson, our No. 2 halfpipe guy behind PLG, can bring it on the concrete as well. He?s done well overseas (Stockholm, 2011) in park-type contest and would no doubt be an outside threat to medal in X-18 Skate Park. But, as of press time, Perelson was still undecided as to if he was going to skate Park or not.

Who we?ve got: Alex Perelson (possibly)

Other top competitors: Pedro Barros, Raven Tershy, Rune Glifberg, Curren Caples, Aaron Homoki, Grant Taylor, and Andy McDonald

When to watch: Saturday, June 30^th, 2 p.m.

RallyCross

What?s going down: It?s gonna be a wild one for sure on the grounds of the Gilbert Lindsey Plaza as a virtual smorgasbord of top road racing, off-road, MX, BMX and stunt drivers get to rail on some specially-built sports cars in a full-on motorsports slugfest that very well may spill out from the track and into the pits this year!

Note: RallyCross is really starting to take off here in the United States where traditional rally racing, though popular in Europe and other parts of the world through the World Rally Championships (WRC), has been scaled back (in favor of RallyCross). The X Games version of the event is thoroughly exciting and Monster Energy drivers should figure in the medals.

With 2011?s RallyCross event coming down to a two-out-three race main event for the gold, Monster Energy?s Liam Doran would take charge. ?This is unbelievable!,? said a confident Doran following his sweep of the first two finals racer to take the gold medal win over Gr?nholm. ?I can?t thank Monster Energy, Citroen and my whole team enough. And I can?t wait for tomorrow?s RallyCross event!?

Doran, son of British rallycross champion Pat Doran, placed 3^rd overall in the 2010 European Rallycross Championship. In the finals he pulled the holeshot on Gr?nholm ? twice - and drove near flawless races in topping the Finnish racer. ?I didn?t even leave him a chance, I did him in two,? added Doran. ?I can?t say it was easy, it definitely wasn?t easy. These guys are the best guys in the world and this has to be one of the toughest rally competitions ever. I still can?t believe it, to be honest.?

Monster Energy?s?Ken Block, with valuable WRC experience, has medaled three times in X Games Rally Car Racing (RCR) competition. Monster will also have?Dave Mirra running the M-claw logo in RallyCross. Mirra, the winningest X Games athlete of all-time (24 medals), has been racing the U.S. rounds of the Global RallyCross Series and could easily figure in the medals along with Block and Doran.

Who we?ve got: Ken Block, Dave Mirra & Liam Doran

Other top competitors: Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan, Travis Pastrana, Bryce Menzies, Samuel Hubinette

When to watch: Sunday, July 1^st, 3:30 p.m.

Recap of 2011 Monster Energy X Games medal haul

2011 was another in a long line of successful outings for Monster Energy athletes at the X Games. In all the Monster Energy team descended on X Games 17 in L.A., and they left with a bevy of medals to show for their efforts. Bagging?11 medals overall, the team took medals in every discipline?skate, moto, BMX, rally?and represented well throughout the four-day event.

Leading the list of successes is?Jamie Bestwick, who earned a record fifth-straight gold medal in BMX Vert, his ninth medal overall. Coming into the event he was the clear-cut favorite, but he still had to perform if he wanted to beat some serious threats. Bestwick dropped in and cooked around the 60-foot wide half pipe, chalking up a huge 92.00 for the win.

In Rally Car Racing?Liam Doran beat a stacked field of talented drivers to take the gold. Doran was dominant throughout the day in his head-to-head battles, and in the finals he grabbed the holeshot in both races and never looked back on his way to the checkered flag and his first X Games gold.

Nate Adams had a very impressive weekend at X Games?he was the only X competitor to earn two golds this weekend. Coming into the weekend he was hungry for that gold?despite making the podium nearly every year, he hadn?t earned a gold since 2004. ?2011 spelt redemption for Adams. After taking the win in Moto X Freestyle, he went on to chalk up a win in Moto X Speed & Style.

Nate?s Monster Energy teammate,?Adam Jones took the silver in Moto X Freestyle, representing two Monster riders on the same podium. Jones pulled a multitude of huge backflip variations to take his fifth X Games medal.

In Skateboard Vert,?Pierre Luc Gagnon (PLG) took the silver medal and his 17th X Games medal throughout his career. ?The strong finish continues PLG?s impressive X Games three-time consecutive medal count prior to this weekend?s silver where he took the Skate Vert gold in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In BMX Park,?Scotty Cranmer took the bronze. ?Under a blazing sun, Cranmer handled the course well and with great flow, mixing in 360 tail whips, a backflip tail whip, smooth transfers, and other technical tricks. His two bests scores of 35 and 37?net total 72?was enough for the bronze and his fifth X Games medal.

Dakota Roche took the bronze in BMX Freestyle Street. Despite a painful fall in the early round of the finals that left him with a bloody sternum, he really muscled his way through his spin variations to take the bronze, his first X Games medal. ?I was beyond stoked to make it to the finals, let alone make the podium,? said Roche.

Justin Soule battled to a well-earned bronze in Moto X Enduro X. This was an all-new event that saw racers battling across a course of dirt, rocks, tractor tires and even something called ?The Matterhorn,? a 20-foot tall pile of logs and rocks. In the finals, just before the halfway point, Soule took advantage in the boulder section to pass riders and move into the medal position. A battle ensued, but on the final circuit he was able to reclaim third and take home the bronze.

In Moto X Best Whip,?Jarryd McNeil tossed his bike around to take the bronze. Fans determined this win by text messaging in their votes to decide the winner.

2011 Monster Energy X Games 17 medal count:

Gold---------------------------------------Silver ------------------------------------Bronze

FMX (Adams) ------------------------- Skate Half (PLG)?---------------------Enduro-X (Soule?)

MX Speed & Style (Adams) ---------FMX (Jones) -------------------------Best Whip (McNeil

BMX Vert (Bestwick)?------------------------------------------------------------ BMX Park (Cranmer)

Rally-X (Doran)--------------------------------------------------------------------BMX Street (Roche)

Skate Best Trick (PLG)

Total 2011 X Games Medals: 11

5 (Gold)?-------------------------2 (Silver) ------------------------ 4 (Bronze)

So that?s about it ? check back to MonsterEnergy.com daily during X Games 18 for all sorts of updates, photos and video. And as always you can follow the action on?www.xgames.com

Source: http://www.monsterenergy.com/us/en/news/monster-energyespn-x-games-18-preview/

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Friday, June 29, 2012

HP ditches Windows RT tablet plans, Microsoft Surface to blame

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hp-ditches-windows-rt-tablet-plans-microsoft-surface-184513553.html

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NetWeave: Microsoft to pay $1.2 billion for Yammer?s Facebook-like networking service for business - The Washington Post http://t.co/Xpd4a1EU

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://twitter.com/NetWeave/statuses/218794484329234432

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Go Commando Half Marathon to feature Free Health and Fitness Expo

Go Commando Half Marathon and 5k Clarksville, TN ? The Go Commando Half Marathon & 5k powered by CDE Lightband will feature a free Health and Fitness Expo as part of the race weekend. The Go Commando Health Expo presented by The Runners Hub will be Friday, October 19th from 10:00am?8:00pm.

The event is open to the public as well as race participants.

The Health Expo will be held at the new Wilma Rudolph Event Center at Liberty Park. Race participants will have the chance to pick up their event packets and meet health and fitness professionals and vendors.

Over 45 vendors will be on hand to offer advice, training tips, provide samples and more. The Runners Hub, presenting sponsor of the Health Expo, will have a micro-store on-site offering all the running essentials.

?We feel privileged and are honored to host the 2012 Health & Fitness Expo,? states Travis Esterby, Owner of The Runners Hub. ?It is really exciting to see the amount of runners throughout the Clarksville area grow. We continue to be impressed by the amount of health conscious individuals there are throughout the community.?

The Runners Hub is Clarksville?s only locally owned specialty running store. The Runners Hub staff can provide gait analysis and recommendations on products specific to the individual athlete. Race participants are encouraged to visit The Runners Hub, 127 Franklin Street, prior to the race for all of their training needs. Special events, such as group runs and pre-race evaluations will also take place at the store. Details can be found on the Go Commando Facebook page.

If you would like to be a vendor at the Health & Fitness Expo presented by The Runners Hub contact Jessica Goldberg at 931.245.4346 or email

. There is limited space still available. To learn more about the Expo visit the event website at www.gocommandoclarksville.com

About Go Commando

The 2012 Go Commando Half Marathon & 5k will be Saturday, October 20th and is limited to the first 1,500 participants. In 2011, the inaugural race sold out. The Go Commando Half Marathon presented by CDE Lightband began in 2011 as a tribute to the soldiers at Fort Campbell and their families.

The event is also aimed at promoting health & wellness to the Clarksville-Montgomery County community. The race is completely community driven, with local organizations and businesses partnering to create a fun and engaging event. The race is also featured in the Guinness Book of World Records after a local Fort Campbell solider, Marc DiBernardo, ran the entire 13.1 miles wearing a gas mask.

More information for the event can be found at www.gocommandoclarksville.com.

If you are interested in sponsoring or advertising with our event please contact Jessica Goldberg at 931.245.4346 or email

If you are interested in participating in the event, visit the website or contact Channel Lemon at 931.245.4347 or email

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CDE Lightband, Clarksville TN, Clarksville-Montgomery County, Facebook, Fort Campbell KY, Franklin Street, Go Commando Half Marathon and 5k, Guinness Book of World Records, Health and Fitness Expo, Jessica Goldberg, Liberty Park, Marc DiBernardo, Montgomery County, The Runners Hub, Travis Esterby, Wilma Rudolph Event Center

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Jim Cramer says, ?Contrarian Investing? Forget About It?

by Jason Jenkins, Investment U Research
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Contrary to Cramer's belief, contrarian investing works. Just ask the likes of Warren Buffet, George Soros, John Templeton, David Dreman, and Jim Rogers.

A couple of weeks ago Mad Money host Jim Cramer made the above declaration regarding contrarian investing. He went on to say, ?I think it?s wrong. I think it doesn?t matter? I think it?s really a treacherous way to invest.?

I was a little baffled when I saw excerpt. Then I saw the editorial written by Producer Drew Sandholm where he gave the following definition of a ?contrarian investor:?

?In the investment world, a contrarian is someone who takes a position that differs from the majority. If a particular sector is ?hated? by most investors, a contrarian might want to buy in. After all, if few investors like the sector, a contrarian thinks there are few people left to sell, making it immune to big declines.?

Sandholm went on to write that Cramer feels the strategy to be ?too hazardous? to recommend. It infers that contrarian investing is based purely on sentiment and that investors should be using fundamentals and research to decide which companies to invest in.

However, here at Investment U, we don?t feel these two things are mutually exclusive. You can still look for solid fundamentals in regions and sectors that were abandoned by ?the herd.?

For instance, Alexander Green recently wrote about finding fundamentally sound companies in the beaten-down natural gas sector.

Contrarian Investing is Based on Fundamentals

Contrarians aren?t rebellious teens, rejecting their parents? way of investing. What the piece misses is that contrarian investing is based on fundamentals. Many times popular investment sentiment is not. Do we need to remind you of the dot com and housing bubbles?

Investment U defines a contrarian investor as someone who believes in independent wealth building and profits rather than the actions of the herd. The key isn?t to go against the grain for the sake of being different, but to find opportunities based on solid fundamentals that are ignored or shunned by everyone else. And if this is done successfully, then you get in on the ground floor and watch profits rise as the rest of the investment world gets a clue.

In Cramer?s defense, I believe he?s specifically speaking about those investors who are looking at whether a sector is under or overweighted compared to the S&P 500 in an attempt to time the market. But that definition doesn?t cover the whole contrarian movement.

The Vast Spectrum of Contrarian Investing

I don?t think anyone out there would call Jim Rogers, George Soros, or Warren Buffett contrarian day traders. However, the contrarian part of that statement is true.

Jim Rogers loves buying undervalued assets. What he saw in gold and silver over a decade ago, he currently sees in the agricultural sector. Agriculture prices are ? on a historical basis ? extremely depressed and this is where he sees his next opportunity.
On September 16, 1992, Black Wednesday, Soros? fund sold short more than $10 billion in pounds, profiting from the U.K. government?s reluctance to either raise its interest rates to levels comparable to those of other European Exchange Rate Mechanism countries or to float its currency.
Warren Buffett is famously ?greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy.? He focuses on the quality of the business rather than the short-term or near-future share price or market moves. He takes a long-term, large scale, business value-based investment approach that concentrates on good fundamentals and intrinsic business value, rather than the share price. His recent bets on housing are a good example of his contrarian prowess.

So, I do agree with Cramer that investors should avoid investing simply on sentiment. But that?s not our brand of contrarian investing anyways. We look for fundamentally strong businesses in areas where many investors essentially threw the baby out with the bathwater.

Good Investing,

Jason Jenkins

Jim Cramer says, ?Contrarian Investing? Forget About It?, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Proposition 8 trial witness to stop opposing marriage for gay couples ...

David Blankenhorn, founder the Institute for American Values and a witness at the trial of the ballot which led to California?s gay marriage ban says he will no longer fight against marriage rights for gay couples.

Mr Blankenhorn wrote in an opinion piece for the New York Times that he still believed children had the right ?insofar as society makes it possible, to know and to be cared for by the two parents who brought them into this world?.

But, he said, ?there are more good things under heaven than these beliefs?.

Mr Blankenhorn cited firstly the ?equal dignity of homosexual love? and said that while gay and straight relationships were not the same, ?the time for denigrating or stigmatizing same-sex relationships is over?.

?Whatever one?s definition of marriage, legally recognizing gay and lesbian couples and their children is a victory for basic fairness.?

Secondly, he said ?mutual acceptance? and ?compromise? was a necessary part of living together in society, that ?bending the knee a bit, in the name of comity, is not always the same as weakness? and that he wanted ?conciliation?, not ?further fighting?.

Thirdly, Mr Blankenhorn said the emerging consensus among the broader general public had persuaded him in part to change his views.

The consensus, he said ?may be wrong on the merits?, but ?surely it matters?.

He wrote: ?I had hoped that the gay marriage debate would be mostly about marriage?s relationship to parenthood. [...]

?In the mind of today?s public, gay marriage is almost entirely about accepting lesbians and gay men as equal citizens. And to my deep regret, much of the opposition to gay marriage seems to stem, at least in part, from an underlying anti-gay animus. To me, a Southerner by birth whose formative moral experience was the civil rights movement, this fact is profoundly disturbing.?

He continued: ?With each passing year, we see higher and higher levels of unwed childbearing, nonmarital cohabitation and family fragmentation among heterosexuals. Perhaps some of this can be attributed to the reconceptualization of marriage as a private ordering that is so central to the idea of gay marriage. But either way, if fighting gay marriage was going to help marriage over all, I think we?d have seen some signs of it by now.?

Instead of campaigning against marriage for gay couples, Mr Blankhorn said he would ?like to help build new coalitions bringing together gays who want to strengthen marriage with straight people who want to do the same?.

?For example, once we accept gay marriage, might we also agree that marrying before having children is a vital cultural value that all of us should do more to embrace? Can we agree that, for all lovers who want their love to last, marriage is preferable to cohabitation?

?Can we discuss whether both gays and straight people should think twice before denying children born through artificial reproductive technology the right to know and be known by their biological parents??

Mr Blankenhorn had argued against gay marriage rights in the trial of Proposition 8 in 2010, characterising marriage more as a relationship in which to bring up children than a private relationship between two adults.

That court case ultimately ruled that Proposition 8, a public ballot through which voters revoked the rights of gay couples to marry in California, was unconstitutional. The court said his appearance constituted ?inadmissible opinion testimony that should be given essentially no weight?.

It said: ?Blankenhorn?s opinions are not supported by reliable evidence or methodology and Blankenhorn failed to consider evidence contrary to his view in presenting his testimony.?

Mr Blankenhorn?s Institute for American Values aims to ensure children grow up with both married parents, ?renew the ethic of thrift?, combat ?extremism in the Arab and Muslim world? and ?civilise? public conversation.

He has previously acknowledged benefits of marriage rights for gay couples. In his book the Future of Marriage, he said it would promote stable, committed relationships for gay couples, mean fewer children would grow up in institutions, reduce the incidence of hate crimes and drive progress in the American dream of equal opportunity regardless of an individual?s circumstances.

Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin told AP: ?While it can be difficult as a public figure to change course, I applaud him for taking a courageous and principled stand. His experience wrestling with the issue of marriage equality and coming out on the right side of history will be an inspiration to millions of fair-minded who are in the same?place.?

Discuss this ?

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Why Smes Need To Quickly Alter Their Attitudes To Coaching If ...

A recent report on coaching culture, compiled by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), revealed that in the UK, 68% of businesses with 230-500 employees have used coaching in the past five years. This focus on betterment is encouraging, particularly with the global economy still in a worrying state. However, some smaller business owners still feel that coaching is a luxury they cannot afford, a treat available only to corporations who have the cash to spare on self-improvement.

Without this self-improvement, owners or managers of smaller companies may never attain the level of leadership which would help them to get more from their staff and improve their profitability as a company. The top two reasons given for why organisations engage with coaching were ?for general personal development? and ?to improve a specific area of performance?. No matter how small or large the company, if it is made up of professionally-developed individuals who are focused on targeted goals, the path to success is a clear one.

The outcomes of coaching often surprise the business owners and corporate managers that we work with, surpassing their expectations, and ILM?s research confirms that this is a sentiment shared nationwide. Improved awareness, confidence and business knowledge are cited as the predominant outcomes, and further benefits listed include ?improvements in communication and interpersonal skills, leadership and management, conflict resolution, personal confidence, motivation, management performance as well as preparation for a new role or promotion?.

Over 90% of large organisations (defined as having more than 2,000 employees) are engaged in coaching.

Its success seems to speak for itself. The popularity of coaching is consistently increasing in environments where a coaching budget is made available to HR departments. Businesses not only need structure, their employees need leadership and channels for growth and development as offered by coaching. This is as true for 2,500 employees as it is for 250. Do you provide avenues for your employees to grow as professional individuals? Whether your focus would be management or throughout your entire organisation, coaching helps to unlock otherwise-wasted potential and strengthen each department of your business in turn.

?We are seeing a shift in role from the ?manager as expert? to the ?manager as coach?.?

With each manager expected to lead their team towards success, contributing to the overall value of the company, the pressure is on managers to extract more from their reports. However, if they are not trained as coaches, how can they be expected to deliver the results that directors may be looking for? Trying to implement a coaching culture with no coaching experience on board is an endeavour destined to fail: the fantastic results of coaching that they have heard rumours of will never materialise when left to untrained individuals.

The skill set required for effective coaching is not automatically possessed by every management figure as some expect it ought to be. It is a ?skill that people have to work on and improve.? This calls for training, experience, ongoing development and support.

A willing attitude or natural aptitude is not enough.

Ask yourself, if you have tried to implement some kind of coaching culture in your organisation already: ?Is it working as well as I hope?? The chances are that you are not seeing the dynamic results you?ve seen effected by professional, external business coaches elsewhere.

When delivered by a qualified and experienced professional, business coaching is undoubtedly a worthwhile investment and out of the 80% of the organisations questioned who claimed they used coaching, 65% hired their coaches externally, taking into account their qualifications and success rates. When approached with the right attitude and careful research, coaching is not an indulgence but an investment which can seriously pay off, with a direct and measurable return on investment.

ILM?s report revealed that ?organisations that use external coaches are more likely than those that only use internal coaches to say that the coaching focuses more broadly ? covering business and workplace skills and personal skills (78% vs 59%).? This specific but varied focus demonstrates a targeted, educated approach to coaching which is often lacking amongst untrained coaches.

If you allow yourself a coaching budget, consider how it gets spent.

Do you hire someone else in or do you offer training to your elected internal coaching staff? Is the training you offer delivered by professionals with the appropriate qualifications? Every company is different, with different hopes for coaching outcomes and therefore requiring a different kind of coaching. By seeking professional guidance, you can be sure you are implementing the right kind of coaching for your business.

If you don?t currently have a coaching budget, consider what your hopes are for improving the quality of your staff and the time they spend working for you. Compare your performance wish-list to the reported benefits of coaching management figures. Countless case studies are available as testimonies to the success of what professional coaching companies can achieve by coaching your managers to be not just experts, but effective coaches in their own right.

68% of businesses with 230-500 employees are engaging with coaching. This is a figure which cannot be ignored.

By addressing ?personal skills and development, as well as business and work skills? coaching strengthens each individual within an organisation, allowing them to contribute more to the daily success and, ultimately, to drive profit. According to ILM, coaching ?is about self-awareness and personal confidence, about building leadership quality, and not just job knowledge.? It is not just about generating positive change in the workplace, but generating change which translates into measurable success, an increased, focused output.

These profit-driven benefits will almost certainly align with the improvements you would like to see in your company.

The pressure on all employees to perform is enormous, but if you support your managers by offering them one-to-one coaching with a professional, they will in turn be able to extract the best performance possible from the employees for which they are responsible. This knock-on effect can transform a company, no matter how small or large.

Whatever size you are, you should be striving for more as a business. This does not mean that a company of 250 employees should be looking to become an enormous corporate outfit, but that the output of those 250 employees should be at its optimum level. An improvement in confidence and productivity will mean greater job satisfaction for your employees, too.

Well, if it?s so effective, why do relatively few smaller companies use coaching?

ILM?s ?research findings demonstrate that coaching is widely accepted as beneficial, among all organisations, regardless of size. Rather, they reflect the fact that larger organisations enjoy access to more resources and better in-house coaching capability.?

It is simply a matter of investing time and money. If you are the director of a smaller company who has not given coaching much thought, speak to your HR department or a business coach directly. Professional business coaching companies have proven success records for return on investment in a range of companies, small, medium, and large, evidence that coaching is not simply an indulgence entertained by large corporations.

If you?d like to give your profit margins a boost in 2012 ? and who wouldn?t? ? contact a Business Coach today.

About the Author:
Laura is the Director of Coaching at BusinessCoaching.co.uk ? Notion and the force behind the outstanding quality of Business Coaching that Notion offers. Passionate about driving Business Growth and Profitability, Notion works with Business Owners to achieve their own and their business? full potential.

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