Motorbike Racing 101
Motorbike enthusiasts come from all walks of life, and own motorbikes for a whole variety of different purposes. Some for long distance off- road travel, some for travel to work of a morning and other more extreme enthusiast for racing!
Different types of racing can test a drivers riding skills and techniques, whether a beginner or long- term fan, there are many different types of racing to choose from.
Motorcycle racing is also known as moto or bike racing. The sport involves racing motorbikes, and there are two main categories; tarmac based road disciplines and off road racing.
Road racing can be either motorcycle races are run on specially built, closed circuit courses, or using public roads which become are temporarily closed for conducting a race. For example the Targa Florio is a popular race. The most famous of this type however is likely to be The Tourist Trophy, which takes place over the Snaefell Mountain Course,
Closed circuit race tracks require a variety of skills from a racer due to its turns and curves, even though these are purpose built they resemble road courses.
Grand prix racing also exists, this is the premier category of motorcycle road racing, these are purpose built machines which cannot be bought for general use or ridden illegitimately.
Another type is super-sport bike racing which employs modified production motorcycles, motorbikes must have a four-stroke engine of between 400 and 600cc for four-cylinder machines, and between 600 and 750 cc for twins. There are many tight regulations and provisions with this type of racing.
Next, is endurance racing. The aim of this type of racing is to examine and test the durability of equipment and endurance of the riders. Set up either to cover a set distance in laps as in a time frame or to cover as much distance as possible in the fastest time. This is very demanding on the racer but high with adrenaline
Motocross is another popular type. This is off road, bikes on closed circuits. The circuits come in a variety of forms such as mud and grass and involve elevation levels. Jumps are often included in which bikes are able to become airborne. At the start line are many racers, about 40 riders on average. The first to cross the finish line is automatic winner. There are a wide variety of classifications and grouping based on machine displacement in Motocross.
The final type to be mentioned here is super cross racing. This is indoor motocross, and often more technical. Taking place in a stadium or arena it involves various difficult jumps. It is incredibly popular in the United States but less so in Eurpoe, where Motocross dominates.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Jackie Chan Biography
Jackie Chan Biography
If Bruce Lee smashed open the doors of Hollywood for Asian actors. Jackie Chan is threatening a complete take over. One of the most awaited movies of our times is his collaboration with Jet Li based on the writings of the Chinese war master - Sun Tzu. If made it will be the most expensive movie ever made in Hong Kong.
Jackie Chan was born in 1954. His name was Chan Kong-sang which meant "one who is born in Honk Kong." His parents were Charles and Lee-lee Chan. They worked for the French ambassador to Hong Kong as the cook and housekeeper respectively. Jackie has a penchant for extreme action, but his most dangerous stunt was his birth itself. It was the twelfth month of pregnancy and young Jackie was still in Lee-lee's womb. Surgery was required to bring Jackie out.
Jackie's parents knew that the only way for Jackie to escape the jaws of poverty was for him to join the Chinese Circus. He joined the Peking Opera School in Hong Kong, where he was put through the rigors of Shaolin Kung -Fu, Tai Kwon Do and Hapkido, His name was changed to Jackie when he visited a friend at a construction site. When his friend was introducing Jackie to his friends he thought that Chan Kong-sang would be difficult to pronounce and remember. The friend's name was Jack; he said that Chan Kong-sang's name was also Jack.
Jackie Chan started as a stuntman and body double in Chinese movies produced in Hong Kong. He even figured in the extras in Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon." By the time he was twenty years old he was already a veteran of twenty movies. He created his own stunts using his varied martial arts expertise. His first movie in the lead role was Master With Cracked Fingers. In his later roles he perfected the art of infusing a comic touch to even the most serious and dangerous of action sequences. The scale of his movies began to increase. In Police Story there is a car chase where innumerable hamlets were destroyed, the results were nothing short of spectacular.
His other notable movies include The Drunken Master, Project A, Operation Condor, Armor of God, Half a Loaf of Kung Fu, Rush Hour I & II, Shanghai Noon I & II, The Protector, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Dragons Forever and Rumble in the Bronx. He also made a successful animated television series called Jackie Chan Adventures. In 1994, he received the MTV lifetime achievement award.
The one common thread in all these movies is that Jackie Chan does all his stunts. His efforts have not gone unrewarded. He almost died while shooting Armor of God when he cracked his skull, other than this he has broken most of the fingers in his hands, his nose, both cheekbones and his jaw. Jackie Chan finds it extremely difficult to get insurance anywhere in the world.
Jackie Chan married Lin Feng-Chiao a very popular Taiwanese actress in 1983 with whom he had a son, Jaycee Chan. He also had a daughter, Etta Ng Chok Lam with Elaine Ng Yi-Lei.
Jackie Chan has used his standing as a star to his advantage to help in all kinds of social work. In Hong Kong, the drug triads and film business have had a long history. They contacted him saying that they wanted a part of his business. Jackie Chan famously challenged them to come and destroy his office if they could. He led a march against the gangsters on the streets of Hong Kong. This earned him the moniker of "Big Brother."
Jackie Chan has received recognition for his donations to children's charities in China. He has been part of the movement to clear landmines in Cambodia. He organized a car race for charity before the Shanghai Grand Prix. He was named Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. Jackie organized a show in Las Vegas, where he roped in a number of celebrities for the Self-Help for the Elderly project. He set up an Alzheimer's Center he'd earlier set up in San Francisco. The project that his closest to his heart is the school that he has opened for stunt men and women all over the world.
If Bruce Lee smashed open the doors of Hollywood for Asian actors. Jackie Chan is threatening a complete take over. One of the most awaited movies of our times is his collaboration with Jet Li based on the writings of the Chinese war master - Sun Tzu. If made it will be the most expensive movie ever made in Hong Kong.
Jackie Chan was born in 1954. His name was Chan Kong-sang which meant "one who is born in Honk Kong." His parents were Charles and Lee-lee Chan. They worked for the French ambassador to Hong Kong as the cook and housekeeper respectively. Jackie has a penchant for extreme action, but his most dangerous stunt was his birth itself. It was the twelfth month of pregnancy and young Jackie was still in Lee-lee's womb. Surgery was required to bring Jackie out.
Jackie's parents knew that the only way for Jackie to escape the jaws of poverty was for him to join the Chinese Circus. He joined the Peking Opera School in Hong Kong, where he was put through the rigors of Shaolin Kung -Fu, Tai Kwon Do and Hapkido, His name was changed to Jackie when he visited a friend at a construction site. When his friend was introducing Jackie to his friends he thought that Chan Kong-sang would be difficult to pronounce and remember. The friend's name was Jack; he said that Chan Kong-sang's name was also Jack.
Jackie Chan started as a stuntman and body double in Chinese movies produced in Hong Kong. He even figured in the extras in Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon." By the time he was twenty years old he was already a veteran of twenty movies. He created his own stunts using his varied martial arts expertise. His first movie in the lead role was Master With Cracked Fingers. In his later roles he perfected the art of infusing a comic touch to even the most serious and dangerous of action sequences. The scale of his movies began to increase. In Police Story there is a car chase where innumerable hamlets were destroyed, the results were nothing short of spectacular.
His other notable movies include The Drunken Master, Project A, Operation Condor, Armor of God, Half a Loaf of Kung Fu, Rush Hour I & II, Shanghai Noon I & II, The Protector, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Dragons Forever and Rumble in the Bronx. He also made a successful animated television series called Jackie Chan Adventures. In 1994, he received the MTV lifetime achievement award.
The one common thread in all these movies is that Jackie Chan does all his stunts. His efforts have not gone unrewarded. He almost died while shooting Armor of God when he cracked his skull, other than this he has broken most of the fingers in his hands, his nose, both cheekbones and his jaw. Jackie Chan finds it extremely difficult to get insurance anywhere in the world.
Jackie Chan married Lin Feng-Chiao a very popular Taiwanese actress in 1983 with whom he had a son, Jaycee Chan. He also had a daughter, Etta Ng Chok Lam with Elaine Ng Yi-Lei.
Jackie Chan has used his standing as a star to his advantage to help in all kinds of social work. In Hong Kong, the drug triads and film business have had a long history. They contacted him saying that they wanted a part of his business. Jackie Chan famously challenged them to come and destroy his office if they could. He led a march against the gangsters on the streets of Hong Kong. This earned him the moniker of "Big Brother."
Jackie Chan has received recognition for his donations to children's charities in China. He has been part of the movement to clear landmines in Cambodia. He organized a car race for charity before the Shanghai Grand Prix. He was named Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. Jackie organized a show in Las Vegas, where he roped in a number of celebrities for the Self-Help for the Elderly project. He set up an Alzheimer's Center he'd earlier set up in San Francisco. The project that his closest to his heart is the school that he has opened for stunt men and women all over the world.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Formula One Canadian Grand Prix Gives McLaren Another 1-2
Formula One Canadian Grand Prix Gives McLaren Another 1-2
This year's Formula One season only seems to be getting hotter. The Canadian Grand Prix had its fair share of tense moments. The notable ones are a collision between Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Force India's Vitantonio Liuzzi. This split the race into 2 sections and those that didn't stand a chance were seen racing for points. Also Mark Webber was penalized 5 places on the grid for replacing his gearbox, and had to start the race from 7th place. Although Hamilton won, he was seen struggling for grip in his McLaren. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso went on to take the last place on the podium.
Hamilton had this to say, "It was one of those races, where it was very hard to judge how hard to push and how much to try to conserve your tires. It's been a tremendous weekend, fantastic. Things have just gone so well for us, and there's been incredible support from all the Brits out here. And the team did an exceptional job. This was one of the toughest races so far but that's what you want, you want it to be difficult. I won my first Grand Prix here three years ago, and to come back and repeat that has been a real pleasure."
Race Classification
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) 25 pts
Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 18 pts
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 15 points
Sebastien Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 12 pts
Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 10 pts
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes Benz GP Ltd) 8 pts
Robert Kubica (Renault) 6 pts
Sebastien Buemi (STR-Ferrari) 4 pts
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes) 2 pts
Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1 pt Driver Standings
Position Driver Team Points
1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 109
2 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 106
3 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 103
4 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 94
5 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 90
6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 74
7 Robert Kubica Renault 73
8 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67
9 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 34
10 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 23
11 Vitantonio Luizzi Force India-Mercedes 12
12 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 7
13 Vitaly Petrov Renault 6
14 Sabastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 5
15 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 3
16 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1
17 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1
Constructor Standings
Position Team Points
1 McLaren-Mercedes 215
2 Red Bull-Renault 193
3 Ferrari 161
4 Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 108
5 Renault 79
6 Force India-Mercedes 35
7 STR-Ferrari 8
8 Williams-Cosworth 8
9 BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1
10 Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
McLaren have consolidated their position in the constructor's championship for the current Formula One season, along with both their drivers too sitting pretty at the top in the driver standings. Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes have some catching up to do now, and it remains to be seen what drama we have in store ahead.
See you in a couple of weeks time for the Grand Prix of Europe (Valencia).
This year's Formula One season only seems to be getting hotter. The Canadian Grand Prix had its fair share of tense moments. The notable ones are a collision between Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Force India's Vitantonio Liuzzi. This split the race into 2 sections and those that didn't stand a chance were seen racing for points. Also Mark Webber was penalized 5 places on the grid for replacing his gearbox, and had to start the race from 7th place. Although Hamilton won, he was seen struggling for grip in his McLaren. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso went on to take the last place on the podium.
Hamilton had this to say, "It was one of those races, where it was very hard to judge how hard to push and how much to try to conserve your tires. It's been a tremendous weekend, fantastic. Things have just gone so well for us, and there's been incredible support from all the Brits out here. And the team did an exceptional job. This was one of the toughest races so far but that's what you want, you want it to be difficult. I won my first Grand Prix here three years ago, and to come back and repeat that has been a real pleasure."
Race Classification
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) 25 pts
Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 18 pts
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 15 points
Sebastien Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 12 pts
Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 10 pts
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes Benz GP Ltd) 8 pts
Robert Kubica (Renault) 6 pts
Sebastien Buemi (STR-Ferrari) 4 pts
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes) 2 pts
Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1 pt Driver Standings
Position Driver Team Points
1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 109
2 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 106
3 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 103
4 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 94
5 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 90
6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 74
7 Robert Kubica Renault 73
8 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67
9 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 34
10 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 23
11 Vitantonio Luizzi Force India-Mercedes 12
12 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 7
13 Vitaly Petrov Renault 6
14 Sabastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 5
15 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 3
16 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1
17 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1
Constructor Standings
Position Team Points
1 McLaren-Mercedes 215
2 Red Bull-Renault 193
3 Ferrari 161
4 Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 108
5 Renault 79
6 Force India-Mercedes 35
7 STR-Ferrari 8
8 Williams-Cosworth 8
9 BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1
10 Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
McLaren have consolidated their position in the constructor's championship for the current Formula One season, along with both their drivers too sitting pretty at the top in the driver standings. Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes have some catching up to do now, and it remains to be seen what drama we have in store ahead.
See you in a couple of weeks time for the Grand Prix of Europe (Valencia).
More Than Speed Needed to Win Powerboat Racing's Greatest Race - The Bahamas 500
More Than Speed Needed to Win Powerboat Racing's Greatest Race - The Bahamas 500
While many changes rumbled through the 1960s, it was offshore powerboat racing that really made a splash for motorsport enthusiasts. The '60s saw not only the blossoming of the powerboat industry but the granddaddy of ocean racing events: the 1967 Bahamas 500, a 570-mile open water race pitting 63 thrill-seekers in a grueling mad dash around the islands, coral reefs, and sandbars of the Bahamas. The competition began and ended - with only 16 boats making it to the finish line - in Freeport, Bahamas after 11 hours of constant speed and, more importantly, excellent navigation skill.
Speed was important because a first place finish meant the quickest maneuvering boat. Powerboats were able to reach 90 mph at the time. It may not sound like much considering some powerboats today can easily fly past that and go up to 200 mph, but speed alone was not enough to win the Bahamas 500. There were checkpoints about 100 miles apart showing where a powerboat would need to turn. If you were to go off course or miss a turn, it would be the end of the race.
Two people manned the boat, a driver and a navigator. The key role of the navigator was to look at the mapped routes to make sure they stayed on course while keeping an eye out for the check points and buoys. This was an especially important job as the '60s was a decade before GPS. The two had to properly navigate the islands and ensure they would not miss any checkpoints for refueling or go off course and get disqualified - and they had to do so faster than the competition.
In powerboat racing history, the Bahamas 500 was the longest race and perhaps the most enduring. The boats may have been smaller and less powerful than today but the race was no less epic - 11 hours full-throttle around the Bahamas is no joke. Speed, navigation and excellent maneuvering skills were all needed to be number one. While spectators today prefer races that are closer to shore that they can see, the excitement and skill seen in the Bahamas 500 will never be forgotten.
While many changes rumbled through the 1960s, it was offshore powerboat racing that really made a splash for motorsport enthusiasts. The '60s saw not only the blossoming of the powerboat industry but the granddaddy of ocean racing events: the 1967 Bahamas 500, a 570-mile open water race pitting 63 thrill-seekers in a grueling mad dash around the islands, coral reefs, and sandbars of the Bahamas. The competition began and ended - with only 16 boats making it to the finish line - in Freeport, Bahamas after 11 hours of constant speed and, more importantly, excellent navigation skill.
Speed was important because a first place finish meant the quickest maneuvering boat. Powerboats were able to reach 90 mph at the time. It may not sound like much considering some powerboats today can easily fly past that and go up to 200 mph, but speed alone was not enough to win the Bahamas 500. There were checkpoints about 100 miles apart showing where a powerboat would need to turn. If you were to go off course or miss a turn, it would be the end of the race.
Two people manned the boat, a driver and a navigator. The key role of the navigator was to look at the mapped routes to make sure they stayed on course while keeping an eye out for the check points and buoys. This was an especially important job as the '60s was a decade before GPS. The two had to properly navigate the islands and ensure they would not miss any checkpoints for refueling or go off course and get disqualified - and they had to do so faster than the competition.
In powerboat racing history, the Bahamas 500 was the longest race and perhaps the most enduring. The boats may have been smaller and less powerful than today but the race was no less epic - 11 hours full-throttle around the Bahamas is no joke. Speed, navigation and excellent maneuvering skills were all needed to be number one. While spectators today prefer races that are closer to shore that they can see, the excitement and skill seen in the Bahamas 500 will never be forgotten.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Reasons Why Austin Was a Good Choice For Formula One
Reasons Why Austin Was a Good Choice For Formula One
Ever since it was announced that Austin would host Formula One racing from 2012 through 2020, it has been a topic of controversy. Not only are some residents unsure of how they feel about the event coming to Austin, primarily due to the costs involved as well as concerns regarding the location of the new track, but others have questioned why Austin was selected in the first place. After all, New York is the historical home for the event in the United States and many thought that was where the event would return this time around. But, while some people may be wondering why Austin was selected to be the new host to Formula One racing, there are actually several good reasons to choose the capital city to host the event.
One of the most obvious reasons for bringing the event to Austin is the fact that the city and the state is prepared to back the event with plenty of funding. In fact, everyone from the governor to the state comptroller and on down the line is fully supporting the project, which means the necessary funding is likely to flow quite freely.
Another benefit to bringing the event to Austin is the fact that the racers and others involved with the support will enjoy using a facility that was specifically designed and built for Formula One racing. If the event had returned to New York, on the other hand, it would have likely taken place in Monticello or Watkins Glen. While both are excellent tracks, neither is specifically designed to meet the needs of Formula One racing and neither can provide the modern amenities that will be included in the new Austin track, which is estimated to cost as much as $250 million to build.
Of course, there is some concern regarding whether or not the track can be constructed by 2012. If the city runs into problems over the next couple of years, Ecclestone may regret choosing a new track over one that is already in place.
Yet another benefit to choosing Austin as the host of the Formula One event is its location. Ecclestone has made it well know that he wishes to expand the even into new markets, including China, Abu Dhabi, Korea and India. Thanks to its location, the city of Austin makes it far easier to share the event with North, South and Central American fans. If the event were to be hosted in New York, on the other hand, the event would share the same market as the Canadian Grand Prix.
The bottom line is that Austin makes sense as the host for the Formula One. And, while it will certainly require a significant investment from the city and the state, most experts agree that the deal will ultimately be quite beneficial to the city's economy and its residents.
Ever since it was announced that Austin would host Formula One racing from 2012 through 2020, it has been a topic of controversy. Not only are some residents unsure of how they feel about the event coming to Austin, primarily due to the costs involved as well as concerns regarding the location of the new track, but others have questioned why Austin was selected in the first place. After all, New York is the historical home for the event in the United States and many thought that was where the event would return this time around. But, while some people may be wondering why Austin was selected to be the new host to Formula One racing, there are actually several good reasons to choose the capital city to host the event.
One of the most obvious reasons for bringing the event to Austin is the fact that the city and the state is prepared to back the event with plenty of funding. In fact, everyone from the governor to the state comptroller and on down the line is fully supporting the project, which means the necessary funding is likely to flow quite freely.
Another benefit to bringing the event to Austin is the fact that the racers and others involved with the support will enjoy using a facility that was specifically designed and built for Formula One racing. If the event had returned to New York, on the other hand, it would have likely taken place in Monticello or Watkins Glen. While both are excellent tracks, neither is specifically designed to meet the needs of Formula One racing and neither can provide the modern amenities that will be included in the new Austin track, which is estimated to cost as much as $250 million to build.
Of course, there is some concern regarding whether or not the track can be constructed by 2012. If the city runs into problems over the next couple of years, Ecclestone may regret choosing a new track over one that is already in place.
Yet another benefit to choosing Austin as the host of the Formula One event is its location. Ecclestone has made it well know that he wishes to expand the even into new markets, including China, Abu Dhabi, Korea and India. Thanks to its location, the city of Austin makes it far easier to share the event with North, South and Central American fans. If the event were to be hosted in New York, on the other hand, the event would share the same market as the Canadian Grand Prix.
The bottom line is that Austin makes sense as the host for the Formula One. And, while it will certainly require a significant investment from the city and the state, most experts agree that the deal will ultimately be quite beneficial to the city's economy and its residents.
Formula One in Austin, Texas
Formula One in Austin, Texas
A new racetrack will be built in Austin, Texas and will host an F1 race from 2012 through 2021. The track will be designed by a German company, Tilke GmbH which has also built a Formula 1 circuit in Abu Dabi and is working on a similar project in India. The Austin race will be the first race in US since 2007 and the track will be the first one in America designed for F1 racing.
The United States Grand Prix was the motor race that later became part of the Formula 1 World Championship. In 2000 a Grand Prix took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 225,000 audience was the largest in F1 history in the US. But in 2007 Formula 1 announced that this was to be the last year for a US Grand Prix as there were problems related to the terms of the event. For a time, there were hopes that this race would return to Indianapolis but earlier in 2010 plans were announced for a race in New York for the 2012 season. In May 2010 Austin, Texas managed to secure the deal for a ten year period starting with 2012. Eight-hundred acres were bought to the east of the city and the promoters promised that the project would be one of the most challenging and spectacular in the world.
F1 is the highest class of single seater auto racing, consisting of a series of races which are called Grand Prix. The races are held on circuits that are built for this purpose but also on public roads. There are two annual World Championships for the drivers and the constructors. The cars race at high speeds up to 220 mph.
The traditional centre of Formula 1 was Europe which is where all the teams are based and half of the races take place. But recently, Grand Prix takes place all over the world. Over 600 million people watch F1 races on television and since the 1970s the sport has become a billion dollar business. Drivers from McLaren, Ferrari, Williams and Renault have won each World Championship between 1984 and 2008.The 2010 Formula 1 will be a special event for Mercedes because the circuit is close to the company's headquarters in Stuttgart.
Professional race car drivers work hard many years and have to start their careers early in life in order to become competitive. Most champions start with driving Go-karts, which are popular all over the world. This is where young drivers get their first taste of races. Kart racing helps with developing driving skills. Professional race schools are the next step and obtaining a race license is mandatory. Such race schools operate on bigger tracks in most countries. Instructors are usually professional race drivers with extensive knowledge. It is also important to create and enhance a relationship with a car manufacturer in order to become a professional driver. But the glamour associated with Formula 1 is worth the effort.
A new racetrack will be built in Austin, Texas and will host an F1 race from 2012 through 2021. The track will be designed by a German company, Tilke GmbH which has also built a Formula 1 circuit in Abu Dabi and is working on a similar project in India. The Austin race will be the first race in US since 2007 and the track will be the first one in America designed for F1 racing.
The United States Grand Prix was the motor race that later became part of the Formula 1 World Championship. In 2000 a Grand Prix took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 225,000 audience was the largest in F1 history in the US. But in 2007 Formula 1 announced that this was to be the last year for a US Grand Prix as there were problems related to the terms of the event. For a time, there were hopes that this race would return to Indianapolis but earlier in 2010 plans were announced for a race in New York for the 2012 season. In May 2010 Austin, Texas managed to secure the deal for a ten year period starting with 2012. Eight-hundred acres were bought to the east of the city and the promoters promised that the project would be one of the most challenging and spectacular in the world.
F1 is the highest class of single seater auto racing, consisting of a series of races which are called Grand Prix. The races are held on circuits that are built for this purpose but also on public roads. There are two annual World Championships for the drivers and the constructors. The cars race at high speeds up to 220 mph.
The traditional centre of Formula 1 was Europe which is where all the teams are based and half of the races take place. But recently, Grand Prix takes place all over the world. Over 600 million people watch F1 races on television and since the 1970s the sport has become a billion dollar business. Drivers from McLaren, Ferrari, Williams and Renault have won each World Championship between 1984 and 2008.The 2010 Formula 1 will be a special event for Mercedes because the circuit is close to the company's headquarters in Stuttgart.
Professional race car drivers work hard many years and have to start their careers early in life in order to become competitive. Most champions start with driving Go-karts, which are popular all over the world. This is where young drivers get their first taste of races. Kart racing helps with developing driving skills. Professional race schools are the next step and obtaining a race license is mandatory. Such race schools operate on bigger tracks in most countries. Instructors are usually professional race drivers with extensive knowledge. It is also important to create and enhance a relationship with a car manufacturer in order to become a professional driver. But the glamour associated with Formula 1 is worth the effort.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Formula 1 Alonso Wins Singapore Grand Prix
Formula 1 Alonso Wins Singapore Grand Prix
The 2010 Formula 1 season has seen a change in the standings yet again with the conclusion of the race at Singapore. With numerous nudges, crashes, and safety car periods, Ferrari's Alonso went on to win the Singapore Grand Prix which took place under lights.
Alonso started on P1 and led till the end of the race, but had to fend off a tough challenge from Red Bull's Vettel, who was always in hot pursuit. But he didn't commit a single error all along and even had the perfect pit stop to complete a perfect race for his team. He won the race with less than half a second to spare ahead of Vettel. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton kept up all through in third place, but was involved in a light collision with Red Bull's Mark Weber towards the end of the race, which saw him crash out. This incident might prove to be the one that costs Hamilton the world championship this season. Webber came in third to make sure Red Bull took 2 of the 3 podium places at Singapore.
The race standings were as follows: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 25 pts, Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 18 pts, Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 15 pts, Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 12 pts, Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP) 10 pts, Rubens Barrichello (Williams-Cosworth) 8 pts, Robert Kubica (Renault) 6 pts, Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 4 pts, Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 2 pts, Nico Hulkenberg (Williams-Cosworth) 1 pt.
With this result, even though Mark Webber still leads the championship, Alonso has moved up to second place, just 11 points behind. And with him winning the last 2 races, Ferrari have come back very strong and things look extremely good for them. Red Bull though, will have other ideas, while it can be safely said that McLaren seem to be off the pace lately.
Driver Standings
Position Driver Team Points
1 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 202
2 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 191
3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 182
4 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 181
5 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 177
6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 128
7 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 122
8 Robert Kubica Renault 114
9 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 47
10 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 46
11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 39
12 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 21
13 Vitaly Petrov Renault 19
14 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 17
15 Vitantonio Luizzi Force India-Mercedes 13
16 Sabastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 7
17 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 6
18 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 3
Constructor Standings
Position Team Points
1 Red Bull-Renault 383
2 McLaren-Mercedes 359
3 Ferrari 319
4 Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 168
5 Renault 133
6 Force India-Mercedes 60
7 Williams-Cosworth 56
8 BMW Sauber-Ferrari 27
9 STR-Ferrari 10
10 Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
We now head to the Japanese Grand Prix, which will take place in a couple of weeks time. With only 4 races left in the current Formula 1 season, we still have 5 drivers who have a shot at the world championship. So it seems like things are going to go down to the wire. See you in Japan!
The 2010 Formula 1 season has seen a change in the standings yet again with the conclusion of the race at Singapore. With numerous nudges, crashes, and safety car periods, Ferrari's Alonso went on to win the Singapore Grand Prix which took place under lights.
Alonso started on P1 and led till the end of the race, but had to fend off a tough challenge from Red Bull's Vettel, who was always in hot pursuit. But he didn't commit a single error all along and even had the perfect pit stop to complete a perfect race for his team. He won the race with less than half a second to spare ahead of Vettel. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton kept up all through in third place, but was involved in a light collision with Red Bull's Mark Weber towards the end of the race, which saw him crash out. This incident might prove to be the one that costs Hamilton the world championship this season. Webber came in third to make sure Red Bull took 2 of the 3 podium places at Singapore.
The race standings were as follows: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 25 pts, Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 18 pts, Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 15 pts, Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 12 pts, Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP) 10 pts, Rubens Barrichello (Williams-Cosworth) 8 pts, Robert Kubica (Renault) 6 pts, Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 4 pts, Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 2 pts, Nico Hulkenberg (Williams-Cosworth) 1 pt.
With this result, even though Mark Webber still leads the championship, Alonso has moved up to second place, just 11 points behind. And with him winning the last 2 races, Ferrari have come back very strong and things look extremely good for them. Red Bull though, will have other ideas, while it can be safely said that McLaren seem to be off the pace lately.
Driver Standings
Position Driver Team Points
1 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 202
2 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 191
3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 182
4 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 181
5 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 177
6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 128
7 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 122
8 Robert Kubica Renault 114
9 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 47
10 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 46
11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 39
12 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 21
13 Vitaly Petrov Renault 19
14 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 17
15 Vitantonio Luizzi Force India-Mercedes 13
16 Sabastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 7
17 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 6
18 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 3
Constructor Standings
Position Team Points
1 Red Bull-Renault 383
2 McLaren-Mercedes 359
3 Ferrari 319
4 Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 168
5 Renault 133
6 Force India-Mercedes 60
7 Williams-Cosworth 56
8 BMW Sauber-Ferrari 27
9 STR-Ferrari 10
10 Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
We now head to the Japanese Grand Prix, which will take place in a couple of weeks time. With only 4 races left in the current Formula 1 season, we still have 5 drivers who have a shot at the world championship. So it seems like things are going to go down to the wire. See you in Japan!
Formula One Grand Prix Racing Coming To Austin Texas
Formula One Grand Prix Racing Coming To Austin Texas
Austin Formula 1 racing fans have something to be excited about. Not only will there be some outstanding racing action coming to town, but now there is a brand new world-class facility in the works where fans can witness all the action in the beautiful city of Austin, Texas.
Worldwide Sport With Local Appeal
Formula 1 Grand Prix racing is an international sport, holding events around the globe. It will be a thrill for Austin Formula One fans to be able to witness this event right in their back yard.
Austin has been selected to be the host city for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix from 2012 until 2021. Austin Formula 1 racing will offer visitors great racing action on a state of the art track that is in the construction phase now. It will feature a 5.5 kilometer track with 20 turns combined with 133 feet of varying elevation, featuring a steep uphill leg leading to a hairpin turn. It will be a very fast, challenging track and will run in a counter clockwise direction.
Also in the works are a driving club, a visitor riding and driving experience and a go-kart track. The facility is being constructed in Wandering Creek, which is southeast of Austin.
The people of Austin are world famous for their hospitality and look forward to welcoming visitors to the Austin Formula One racing season in 2012.
Austin Facts
If you are a Formula One fan who is not from the Austin area, here are some fun facts for you to consider about the city:
- Austin is the capital of Texas and a U.S. leader in the technology industry
- It is the 15th largest city in the U.S.
- Considered by many to be one of America's most beautiful cities
- More than 130 international flights daily to and from Austin and the surrounding area
- Wonderful climate all year around
- Dozens of great hotels in the area with thousands of rooms available
- Outstanding nightlife and fine dining
Formula One Facts
A season of Formula 1 racing features a series of 'Grand Prix' races that take place both on circuit tracks and on public roads. Points are accrued for each race and at the end of the season are used to determine the World Championship winners for the drivers and for the constructor teams.
Formula One racing speeds can reach as high as 220 mph and sometimes pull more than 5 g when cornering. The cars are heavily dependent on aerodynamics, electronics, tires and suspension for their performance, but driver skill is still the most important factor.
Austin Formula 1 racing fans have something to be excited about. Not only will there be some outstanding racing action coming to town, but now there is a brand new world-class facility in the works where fans can witness all the action in the beautiful city of Austin, Texas.
Worldwide Sport With Local Appeal
Formula 1 Grand Prix racing is an international sport, holding events around the globe. It will be a thrill for Austin Formula One fans to be able to witness this event right in their back yard.
Austin has been selected to be the host city for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix from 2012 until 2021. Austin Formula 1 racing will offer visitors great racing action on a state of the art track that is in the construction phase now. It will feature a 5.5 kilometer track with 20 turns combined with 133 feet of varying elevation, featuring a steep uphill leg leading to a hairpin turn. It will be a very fast, challenging track and will run in a counter clockwise direction.
Also in the works are a driving club, a visitor riding and driving experience and a go-kart track. The facility is being constructed in Wandering Creek, which is southeast of Austin.
The people of Austin are world famous for their hospitality and look forward to welcoming visitors to the Austin Formula One racing season in 2012.
Austin Facts
If you are a Formula One fan who is not from the Austin area, here are some fun facts for you to consider about the city:
- Austin is the capital of Texas and a U.S. leader in the technology industry
- It is the 15th largest city in the U.S.
- Considered by many to be one of America's most beautiful cities
- More than 130 international flights daily to and from Austin and the surrounding area
- Wonderful climate all year around
- Dozens of great hotels in the area with thousands of rooms available
- Outstanding nightlife and fine dining
Formula One Facts
A season of Formula 1 racing features a series of 'Grand Prix' races that take place both on circuit tracks and on public roads. Points are accrued for each race and at the end of the season are used to determine the World Championship winners for the drivers and for the constructor teams.
Formula One racing speeds can reach as high as 220 mph and sometimes pull more than 5 g when cornering. The cars are heavily dependent on aerodynamics, electronics, tires and suspension for their performance, but driver skill is still the most important factor.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
New Changes and Improvements For the 2010 Indianapolis 500
New Changes and Improvements For the 2010 Indianapolis 500
CHASSIS COMPETITION FOR 2012: The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race was the proving ground for early automobile manufacturers and its history of innovation has as much to do with its iconic status as its size, distance, and age. The invitation to brilliant automobile engineers to bring their best ideas to Indy has been kept in the box for years, as the historic venue has evolved into a spec race. The teams competing at Indy are currently all driving the same chassis and the same engine. The chassis are supplied by the Italian automobile company Dallara and the engines are leased to the teams by Honda.
The Indy Racing League, in an effort to boost competitive design options, has solicited entries from other chassis manufacturers for 2012, including Lola, Swift, Delta Wing. The IndyCar racing series set forth the specs and the manufacturers are looking for ways to develop a compliant product. Among the specs the manufacturers are expected to comply with is a requirement that the cars be manufactured within the united states and preferably in Indiana. Safety and cost specs are also specified.
CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AT IMS: Announced in June of 2009, Tony George resigned his position as President of the Indy Racing League and resigned from the board of directors for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well. Revered as a hero to some and assailed as a villain to others, Tony George, will forever be remembered as the man who brought NASCAR and Formula 1 to Indy. He will also forever be remembered as the man who dismantled the Indy car series by giving CART teams an unceremonious boot on the rear end, which led to a fifteen year rivalry that threatened the future of both factions.
Shortly before his double resignation was announced, rumors circulated that other Hulman family members serving on the IMS board were in a state of revolt after years of what they considered imprudent spending by Tony George. Enormous sums of capital were invested into the speedway to accommodate Formula 1, including the construction of completely new high tech garages, the construction of an infield road coarse, and resurfacing of the oval segments of the track to accommodate the Formula 1 series. The total price tag for these accommodations is said to be in excess of sixty million dollars. After negotiations between IMS and Formula 1 failed to produce an ongoing working agreement, IMS abandoned its desire to host the F1 event in the future. The short 8 year run of Formula 1 at Indy is generally regarded as a failed experiment, having cost millions more to run than it generated.. This, coupled with the staggering expense of operating the Indy Racing League, brought pressure for a dramatic change of course in the operational map of the two racing organizations. Tony George, who was apparently not willing to compromise, elected to resign his post at both organizations.
In January 2010, Tony George also announced he would be closing the doors on his own personal racing team, Vision Racing. This move appears to signal the complete and total abdication of all things Indy for Tony George. His mother, Mari Hulman George, remains the Chairman of the Board, where she is joined by other George family members including daughters Nancy George, Josie George, and Kathi George-Conforti.
CHASSIS COMPETITION FOR 2012: The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race was the proving ground for early automobile manufacturers and its history of innovation has as much to do with its iconic status as its size, distance, and age. The invitation to brilliant automobile engineers to bring their best ideas to Indy has been kept in the box for years, as the historic venue has evolved into a spec race. The teams competing at Indy are currently all driving the same chassis and the same engine. The chassis are supplied by the Italian automobile company Dallara and the engines are leased to the teams by Honda.
The Indy Racing League, in an effort to boost competitive design options, has solicited entries from other chassis manufacturers for 2012, including Lola, Swift, Delta Wing. The IndyCar racing series set forth the specs and the manufacturers are looking for ways to develop a compliant product. Among the specs the manufacturers are expected to comply with is a requirement that the cars be manufactured within the united states and preferably in Indiana. Safety and cost specs are also specified.
CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AT IMS: Announced in June of 2009, Tony George resigned his position as President of the Indy Racing League and resigned from the board of directors for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well. Revered as a hero to some and assailed as a villain to others, Tony George, will forever be remembered as the man who brought NASCAR and Formula 1 to Indy. He will also forever be remembered as the man who dismantled the Indy car series by giving CART teams an unceremonious boot on the rear end, which led to a fifteen year rivalry that threatened the future of both factions.
Shortly before his double resignation was announced, rumors circulated that other Hulman family members serving on the IMS board were in a state of revolt after years of what they considered imprudent spending by Tony George. Enormous sums of capital were invested into the speedway to accommodate Formula 1, including the construction of completely new high tech garages, the construction of an infield road coarse, and resurfacing of the oval segments of the track to accommodate the Formula 1 series. The total price tag for these accommodations is said to be in excess of sixty million dollars. After negotiations between IMS and Formula 1 failed to produce an ongoing working agreement, IMS abandoned its desire to host the F1 event in the future. The short 8 year run of Formula 1 at Indy is generally regarded as a failed experiment, having cost millions more to run than it generated.. This, coupled with the staggering expense of operating the Indy Racing League, brought pressure for a dramatic change of course in the operational map of the two racing organizations. Tony George, who was apparently not willing to compromise, elected to resign his post at both organizations.
In January 2010, Tony George also announced he would be closing the doors on his own personal racing team, Vision Racing. This move appears to signal the complete and total abdication of all things Indy for Tony George. His mother, Mari Hulman George, remains the Chairman of the Board, where she is joined by other George family members including daughters Nancy George, Josie George, and Kathi George-Conforti.
Goscinny and Uderzo
Goscinny and Uderzo
I've been reading - and rereading - the Asterix and Obelix Comics for a very long time now, but it was only recently, when I got interested in Ancient Rome, that I realized the vast amount of research that has undoubtedly gone into creating these series. The factual details, both written and drawn, are impressively correct, and it is the presentation of these details, not in a dry historic way but in a lively, contemporary manner coupled with a wonderful, ironic sense of humor throughout, that brings the characters to life and draws in the reader, making these stories so endearingly lasting.
"The year is 50 B.C., Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Well, not entirely... One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the invaders..."
Such is the introduction of these extraordinarily brilliant comics, created by the artist-writer duo Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny. The period is, of course, 50 B.C., during Julius Caesar's Roman Campaigns in Gaul, and the storyline is more specifically about a small Gallic Village that is still resisting, buoyed in their continuing fight by their Druid's Magic Potion. The lead characters are the warrior Asterix, a puny but wily and witty Gaul, and his boon companion Obelix, a large-hearted if somewhat simple Menhir-delivery man who fell into the cauldron of Magic Potion as a baby and so is practically invincible. The duo is quite, quite inseparable and completely loyal to one another, though they do have their periodical disagreements and tiffs. Apart from defending their own village, the two have tried the patience of Rome by traveling and making memorable impacts around the rest of the Empire as well. They are accompanied on their adventures by Dogmatix, Obelix's charismatic, tree-loving, black and white dog. The other characters peopling the series are the colorful villagers - Chief Vitalstatistix, the fiery headstrong leader with a nagging wife Impedimenta, Getafix the wise Druid, Cacofonix the phenomenally untalented bard, Geriatrix the old man with the beautiful young wife, Unhygienix the smelly Fish seller, and many others.
There are in all 23 Comic Albums, my personal favorites being 'Asterix and the Banquet', 'Asterix and the Golden Sickle', 'Asterix in Britain', 'Asterix and the Magic Carpet', 'Asterix in Corsica', 'Asterix and the Laurel Wreath'....Well, all of them really.
The Creators -
The creators Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny appear as background characters several times in the Asterix Comics.
Albert Uderzo -
Albert Uderzo, the Frenchman of Italian origin, was born in 25 April 1927 in Normandy. As a child he was fascinated by Mickey Mouse and showed such an aptitude for drawing caricatures himself that he was hired as a Junior Artist by the Paris Publishing Society in 1940. Calvo, the famous comic artist, also worked here around about this time and he greatly encouraged the new, thirteen year old artist. Uderzo had become quite well-grounded in calligraphy and photo-editing by the time his apprenticeship was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. The War period was spent in Bretagne working first on a farm and then helping his father in his furniture business. He returned to Paris to resume his art career in 1945, and his first comic strips 'Flamberge' and 'Les aventures de Clopinard' were published. He did some work on the animated cartoon film 'Clic-Clac', and joined the artistic staff of O.K. Magazine. Here, between 1947 and 1948, he created some successful characters like 'Arys Buck', 'Le Prince Rollin' and 'Belloy l'Invulnerable'. He joined France Dimanche in 1949 as a reporter and illustrator and, for France-Soir, drew the comics 'Le crime ne paie pas'. The Nineteen-Fifties saw him working on 'Captain Marvel Jr.' for Bravo Magazine' and traveling to Brussels to work on 'Belloy' with the writer Jean-Michel Charlier for La Wallonie Magazine. In Brussels he also met many other talented and well-known artists like Mitacg, Victor Hubinon and Eddy Paape, who all had a profound influence on his work. More importantly though he met Rene Goscinny with whom he quickly struck up a long-lasting friendship. Their first creation together was 'Jehan Pistolet', the Pirate and their next character was 'Luc Junior', both show-cased in La Libre Junior until 1957. From 1958 to 1962, they worked on the series concerning the Red Indian, 'Oumpah Pah', for Tintin Magazine, and from 1962 to 1967, with writer Jean Michel Charlier, on the realistically rendered Aviator heroes 'Tanguy et Laverdure'. 'Der Rote Korsar' series followed after this, and then came 'Asterix the Gaul'. He got his own separate album in 1961, and soon proved to be so popular that after 1967 Goscinny and Uderzo began concentrating wholly on these new series. After the death of Goscinny, Uderzo continued with the Asterix series on his own. Uderzo's work was honored by his home country in 1985 when he was awarded with the Knight of the Legion of Honor. This was followed by the Grand Prix des Arts Graphiques 1986 in January 1986 by the French culture minister Jack Lang.
Rene Goscinny -
Born in Paris on 14 August 1926, of a Polish father and an Ukrainian mother, Rene Goscinny moved with his parents to Argentina in 1928 at the age of two and spent his growing up years in Buenos Aires. His father was a Mathematics teacher at the French School there and Goscinny attended the same, showing a remarkable proficiency in the arts. Many of his early works were published in the school magazines, Notre Voix and Quartier Latin. Only a month after he graduated in Fine Arts, in 1942, Goscinny's father unexpectedly died and financial issues made it imperative that he take a job as a book-keeper at a Tire Factory. Later, after he was laid off, he attempted to get back in the Art Stream by taking a job as a Junior Illustrator at an Advertising Agency. He doesn't appear to have been very successful there, and in 1945, when his maternal uncle issued an invitation to join him in New York, he gladly uprooted and moved to Brooklyn with his mother. For a while he worked as a translator and then was drafted into the Army. However it was the tail-end of the Second World War and, although he served in France, he saw no battle action. Returning to Brooklyn after his discharge, he once more attempted to find work as an artist and once more was unsuccessful - this time as a result of his poor command of the English Language. His luck changed however in 1948. This was the year he found employment as an assistant in a small studio and here he came in contact with the artists Maurice de Bevere (who signed his work as Morris and with whom Goscinny was to collaborate for twenty years on the comic strip 'Lucky Luke') and Harvey Kurtzman, who both encouraged and aided him work-wise. It was through Harvey Kurtzman that he came to know with the upcoming American artists and the soon-to-be founders of MAD Magazine, Willy Elder, Jack Davis and John Severin. About a year later his work had improved to such an extent that it caught the attention of Georges Troisfontaines, the Director of the World Press Agency in Brussels, Belgium. Goscinny went to Belgium to meet with him and also met the Art Director of the Dupuis Agency, Jean-Michel Charlier. The meetings went well and Goscinny settled in Paris where he did some assignments for Dupuis and later took over the management of the Paris Office of the World Press Agency in 1951. It was here that he met Albert Uderzo. Their first assignments came from Dupuis, but at the same time they also worked on developing their own characters, notably 'Oumpah Pah'. Unfortunately this comic strip didn't interest the creative people at Dupuis, and had a long time in getting published. In 1955, with Goscinny providing the storyline for Morris's clever drawings, the extremely successful 'Lucky Luke' was launched. That same year, after a disagreement, Goscinny left the World Press Agency and, together with Charlier and Uderzo who resigned too in support of him and Jean Hebrard, set up the independent syndicates Edipress and Edifrance. They started the comic magazine 'Pilote' in 1955, which, since the big publishers boycotted them and the established artists wouldn't dare work for them, began to show-case the works of various new and talented artists. Goscinny also created Children's books featuring 'Le Petit Nicolas', created with Jean-Jacques Sempe in 1956, and wrote editorials and stories for Pilote as well as scripts for films. In 1962, he worked on 'Le Grand Vizier Iznogoud' with the young artist Jean Tabary. But it was really 'Asterix', created for the first issue of 'Pilote', that propelled him into the limelight. Around 1968, disagreements at the Agency made Goscinny withdraw from the business and he began concentrating almost exclusively on 'Asterix'. Together with Uderzo he founded the Idefix Studios in 1974 to make animated versions of the comics, the first production being 'The Twelve Tasks of Asterix'. It was a great success. Later a film version of 'Lucky Luke' followed. Like Uderzo, Goscinny too was the recipient of numerous awards and was considered a National Hero in France. Unfortunately, hard work and stress had taken their toll. He died of a Cardiac Arrest on 5 November 1977 at the age of only fifty-one.
I've been reading - and rereading - the Asterix and Obelix Comics for a very long time now, but it was only recently, when I got interested in Ancient Rome, that I realized the vast amount of research that has undoubtedly gone into creating these series. The factual details, both written and drawn, are impressively correct, and it is the presentation of these details, not in a dry historic way but in a lively, contemporary manner coupled with a wonderful, ironic sense of humor throughout, that brings the characters to life and draws in the reader, making these stories so endearingly lasting.
"The year is 50 B.C., Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Well, not entirely... One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the invaders..."
Such is the introduction of these extraordinarily brilliant comics, created by the artist-writer duo Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny. The period is, of course, 50 B.C., during Julius Caesar's Roman Campaigns in Gaul, and the storyline is more specifically about a small Gallic Village that is still resisting, buoyed in their continuing fight by their Druid's Magic Potion. The lead characters are the warrior Asterix, a puny but wily and witty Gaul, and his boon companion Obelix, a large-hearted if somewhat simple Menhir-delivery man who fell into the cauldron of Magic Potion as a baby and so is practically invincible. The duo is quite, quite inseparable and completely loyal to one another, though they do have their periodical disagreements and tiffs. Apart from defending their own village, the two have tried the patience of Rome by traveling and making memorable impacts around the rest of the Empire as well. They are accompanied on their adventures by Dogmatix, Obelix's charismatic, tree-loving, black and white dog. The other characters peopling the series are the colorful villagers - Chief Vitalstatistix, the fiery headstrong leader with a nagging wife Impedimenta, Getafix the wise Druid, Cacofonix the phenomenally untalented bard, Geriatrix the old man with the beautiful young wife, Unhygienix the smelly Fish seller, and many others.
There are in all 23 Comic Albums, my personal favorites being 'Asterix and the Banquet', 'Asterix and the Golden Sickle', 'Asterix in Britain', 'Asterix and the Magic Carpet', 'Asterix in Corsica', 'Asterix and the Laurel Wreath'....Well, all of them really.
The Creators -
The creators Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny appear as background characters several times in the Asterix Comics.
Albert Uderzo -
Albert Uderzo, the Frenchman of Italian origin, was born in 25 April 1927 in Normandy. As a child he was fascinated by Mickey Mouse and showed such an aptitude for drawing caricatures himself that he was hired as a Junior Artist by the Paris Publishing Society in 1940. Calvo, the famous comic artist, also worked here around about this time and he greatly encouraged the new, thirteen year old artist. Uderzo had become quite well-grounded in calligraphy and photo-editing by the time his apprenticeship was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. The War period was spent in Bretagne working first on a farm and then helping his father in his furniture business. He returned to Paris to resume his art career in 1945, and his first comic strips 'Flamberge' and 'Les aventures de Clopinard' were published. He did some work on the animated cartoon film 'Clic-Clac', and joined the artistic staff of O.K. Magazine. Here, between 1947 and 1948, he created some successful characters like 'Arys Buck', 'Le Prince Rollin' and 'Belloy l'Invulnerable'. He joined France Dimanche in 1949 as a reporter and illustrator and, for France-Soir, drew the comics 'Le crime ne paie pas'. The Nineteen-Fifties saw him working on 'Captain Marvel Jr.' for Bravo Magazine' and traveling to Brussels to work on 'Belloy' with the writer Jean-Michel Charlier for La Wallonie Magazine. In Brussels he also met many other talented and well-known artists like Mitacg, Victor Hubinon and Eddy Paape, who all had a profound influence on his work. More importantly though he met Rene Goscinny with whom he quickly struck up a long-lasting friendship. Their first creation together was 'Jehan Pistolet', the Pirate and their next character was 'Luc Junior', both show-cased in La Libre Junior until 1957. From 1958 to 1962, they worked on the series concerning the Red Indian, 'Oumpah Pah', for Tintin Magazine, and from 1962 to 1967, with writer Jean Michel Charlier, on the realistically rendered Aviator heroes 'Tanguy et Laverdure'. 'Der Rote Korsar' series followed after this, and then came 'Asterix the Gaul'. He got his own separate album in 1961, and soon proved to be so popular that after 1967 Goscinny and Uderzo began concentrating wholly on these new series. After the death of Goscinny, Uderzo continued with the Asterix series on his own. Uderzo's work was honored by his home country in 1985 when he was awarded with the Knight of the Legion of Honor. This was followed by the Grand Prix des Arts Graphiques 1986 in January 1986 by the French culture minister Jack Lang.
Rene Goscinny -
Born in Paris on 14 August 1926, of a Polish father and an Ukrainian mother, Rene Goscinny moved with his parents to Argentina in 1928 at the age of two and spent his growing up years in Buenos Aires. His father was a Mathematics teacher at the French School there and Goscinny attended the same, showing a remarkable proficiency in the arts. Many of his early works were published in the school magazines, Notre Voix and Quartier Latin. Only a month after he graduated in Fine Arts, in 1942, Goscinny's father unexpectedly died and financial issues made it imperative that he take a job as a book-keeper at a Tire Factory. Later, after he was laid off, he attempted to get back in the Art Stream by taking a job as a Junior Illustrator at an Advertising Agency. He doesn't appear to have been very successful there, and in 1945, when his maternal uncle issued an invitation to join him in New York, he gladly uprooted and moved to Brooklyn with his mother. For a while he worked as a translator and then was drafted into the Army. However it was the tail-end of the Second World War and, although he served in France, he saw no battle action. Returning to Brooklyn after his discharge, he once more attempted to find work as an artist and once more was unsuccessful - this time as a result of his poor command of the English Language. His luck changed however in 1948. This was the year he found employment as an assistant in a small studio and here he came in contact with the artists Maurice de Bevere (who signed his work as Morris and with whom Goscinny was to collaborate for twenty years on the comic strip 'Lucky Luke') and Harvey Kurtzman, who both encouraged and aided him work-wise. It was through Harvey Kurtzman that he came to know with the upcoming American artists and the soon-to-be founders of MAD Magazine, Willy Elder, Jack Davis and John Severin. About a year later his work had improved to such an extent that it caught the attention of Georges Troisfontaines, the Director of the World Press Agency in Brussels, Belgium. Goscinny went to Belgium to meet with him and also met the Art Director of the Dupuis Agency, Jean-Michel Charlier. The meetings went well and Goscinny settled in Paris where he did some assignments for Dupuis and later took over the management of the Paris Office of the World Press Agency in 1951. It was here that he met Albert Uderzo. Their first assignments came from Dupuis, but at the same time they also worked on developing their own characters, notably 'Oumpah Pah'. Unfortunately this comic strip didn't interest the creative people at Dupuis, and had a long time in getting published. In 1955, with Goscinny providing the storyline for Morris's clever drawings, the extremely successful 'Lucky Luke' was launched. That same year, after a disagreement, Goscinny left the World Press Agency and, together with Charlier and Uderzo who resigned too in support of him and Jean Hebrard, set up the independent syndicates Edipress and Edifrance. They started the comic magazine 'Pilote' in 1955, which, since the big publishers boycotted them and the established artists wouldn't dare work for them, began to show-case the works of various new and talented artists. Goscinny also created Children's books featuring 'Le Petit Nicolas', created with Jean-Jacques Sempe in 1956, and wrote editorials and stories for Pilote as well as scripts for films. In 1962, he worked on 'Le Grand Vizier Iznogoud' with the young artist Jean Tabary. But it was really 'Asterix', created for the first issue of 'Pilote', that propelled him into the limelight. Around 1968, disagreements at the Agency made Goscinny withdraw from the business and he began concentrating almost exclusively on 'Asterix'. Together with Uderzo he founded the Idefix Studios in 1974 to make animated versions of the comics, the first production being 'The Twelve Tasks of Asterix'. It was a great success. Later a film version of 'Lucky Luke' followed. Like Uderzo, Goscinny too was the recipient of numerous awards and was considered a National Hero in France. Unfortunately, hard work and stress had taken their toll. He died of a Cardiac Arrest on 5 November 1977 at the age of only fifty-one.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Motorsport 2011 Formula 1 Schedule
Motorsport 2011 Formula 1 Schedule
Formula One is getting bigger and better. The fans are gonna like this. World Motor Sport Council released the 2011 Formula 1 schedule. India will host its first ever Formula 1 race, which will be called the Indian Grand Prix, thus adding to the season's calendar. As a result, the 2011 season will be the longest in the history of Formula 1. Until now, the 2005 and 2010 seasons were the longest with 19 races each. But with 2011 slated to have 20 races, we are seeing Formula 1 history.
Here in the table below, we will have a look at the season's calendar for next year, so save the dates to stay posted...
Formula 1 Schedule 2011
RACE DATE VENUE GRAND PRIX
1 March 13 Bahrain Bahrain Grand Prix
2 March 27 Australia Australian Grand Prix
3 April 10 Malaysia Malaysian Grand Prix
4 April 17 China Chinese Grand Prix
5 May 8 Turkey Turkish Grand Prix
6 May 22 Spain Gran Premio de Espana
7 May 29 Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco
8 June 12 Canada Grand Prix du Canada
9 June 26 Europe Grand Prix of Europe
10 July 10 Great Britain British Grand Prix
11 July 24 Germany Grosser Preis Santander von Deutschland
12 July 31 Hungary Eni Magyar Nagydij
13 August 28 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix
14 September 11 Italy Gran Premio Santander D'Italia
15 September 25 Singapore Singapore Grand Prix
16 October 9 Japan Japanese Grand Prix
17 October 16 Korea Korean Grand Prix
18 October 30 India Indian Grand Prix
19 November 13 Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
20 November 27 Brazil Grande Premio Petrobras do Brasil
Continuing this year's trend, Bahrain will be the opening race of the season, while Brazil will host the last race on November 27, 2011. This also makes it the latest end to a year's season in the last 45 years.
Formula One is getting bigger and better. The fans are gonna like this. World Motor Sport Council released the 2011 Formula 1 schedule. India will host its first ever Formula 1 race, which will be called the Indian Grand Prix, thus adding to the season's calendar. As a result, the 2011 season will be the longest in the history of Formula 1. Until now, the 2005 and 2010 seasons were the longest with 19 races each. But with 2011 slated to have 20 races, we are seeing Formula 1 history.
Here in the table below, we will have a look at the season's calendar for next year, so save the dates to stay posted...
Formula 1 Schedule 2011
RACE DATE VENUE GRAND PRIX
1 March 13 Bahrain Bahrain Grand Prix
2 March 27 Australia Australian Grand Prix
3 April 10 Malaysia Malaysian Grand Prix
4 April 17 China Chinese Grand Prix
5 May 8 Turkey Turkish Grand Prix
6 May 22 Spain Gran Premio de Espana
7 May 29 Monaco Grand Prix de Monaco
8 June 12 Canada Grand Prix du Canada
9 June 26 Europe Grand Prix of Europe
10 July 10 Great Britain British Grand Prix
11 July 24 Germany Grosser Preis Santander von Deutschland
12 July 31 Hungary Eni Magyar Nagydij
13 August 28 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix
14 September 11 Italy Gran Premio Santander D'Italia
15 September 25 Singapore Singapore Grand Prix
16 October 9 Japan Japanese Grand Prix
17 October 16 Korea Korean Grand Prix
18 October 30 India Indian Grand Prix
19 November 13 Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
20 November 27 Brazil Grande Premio Petrobras do Brasil
Continuing this year's trend, Bahrain will be the opening race of the season, while Brazil will host the last race on November 27, 2011. This also makes it the latest end to a year's season in the last 45 years.
Formula 1 Mark Webber Wins British Grand Prix
Formula 1 Mark Webber Wins British Grand Prix
Mark Webber started the race behind his teammate Sebastian Vettel, but took the lead right at the start when Vettel had the worst start brushing Lewis Hamilton's McLaren to go off track. Webber never looked back, and even when a safety car period cut down his lead over the rest, he held his nerve to win the British Grand Prix, and keep his hopes alive of becoming the world champion in the 2010 Formula One season.
20 of the 24 drivers managed to finish the race, which saw both Ferraris failing to score a single point. Lewis Hamilton finished 2nd for McLaren, while Nico Rosberg came home 3rd in his Mercedes.
Race Classification
Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 25 pts
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) 18 pts
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes Benz GP Ltd) 15 pts
Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 12 pts
Rubens Barrichello (Williams-Cosworth) 10 pts
Kamui Kobayashi (BMW Sauber-Ferrari) 8 pts
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 6 pts
Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 4 pts
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes Benz GP Ltd) 2 pts
Nico Hulkenberg (Williams-Cosworth) 1 pt Driver Standings
Position Driver Team Points
1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 145
2 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 133
3 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 128
4 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 121
5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 98
6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 90
7 Robert Kubica Renault 83
8 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67
9 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 36
10 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 35
11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 29
12 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 15
13 Vitantonio Luizzi Force India-Mercedes 12
14 Sabastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 7
15 Vitaly Petrov Renault 6
16 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 3
17 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 2
Constructor Standings
Position Team Points
1 McLaren-Mercedes 278
2 Red Bull-Renault 249
3 Ferrari 165
4 Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 126
5 Renault 89
6 Force India-Mercedes 47
7 Williams-Cosworth 31
8 BMW Sauber-Ferrari 15
9 STR-Ferrari 10
10 Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
Ferrari need to get their act together as they are falling way behind in the points table. The fight is hotting up between Red Bull and MCLaren in the 2010 Formula One season. As for the driver's, the field is still wide open and this year could be anybody's.
See you on the 25th for the next Grand Prix in Germany.
Mark Webber started the race behind his teammate Sebastian Vettel, but took the lead right at the start when Vettel had the worst start brushing Lewis Hamilton's McLaren to go off track. Webber never looked back, and even when a safety car period cut down his lead over the rest, he held his nerve to win the British Grand Prix, and keep his hopes alive of becoming the world champion in the 2010 Formula One season.
20 of the 24 drivers managed to finish the race, which saw both Ferraris failing to score a single point. Lewis Hamilton finished 2nd for McLaren, while Nico Rosberg came home 3rd in his Mercedes.
Race Classification
Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 25 pts
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) 18 pts
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes Benz GP Ltd) 15 pts
Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes) 12 pts
Rubens Barrichello (Williams-Cosworth) 10 pts
Kamui Kobayashi (BMW Sauber-Ferrari) 8 pts
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 6 pts
Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 4 pts
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes Benz GP Ltd) 2 pts
Nico Hulkenberg (Williams-Cosworth) 1 pt Driver Standings
Position Driver Team Points
1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 145
2 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 133
3 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 128
4 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 121
5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 98
6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 90
7 Robert Kubica Renault 83
8 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67
9 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 36
10 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 35
11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 29
12 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 15
13 Vitantonio Luizzi Force India-Mercedes 12
14 Sabastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 7
15 Vitaly Petrov Renault 6
16 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 3
17 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 2
Constructor Standings
Position Team Points
1 McLaren-Mercedes 278
2 Red Bull-Renault 249
3 Ferrari 165
4 Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 126
5 Renault 89
6 Force India-Mercedes 47
7 Williams-Cosworth 31
8 BMW Sauber-Ferrari 15
9 STR-Ferrari 10
10 Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 HRT-Cosworth 0
12 Virgin-Cosworth 0
Ferrari need to get their act together as they are falling way behind in the points table. The fight is hotting up between Red Bull and MCLaren in the 2010 Formula One season. As for the driver's, the field is still wide open and this year could be anybody's.
See you on the 25th for the next Grand Prix in Germany.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
What Do They Mean When Riders Call A Horse Scopey
What Do They Mean When Riders Call A Horse Scopey
The dictionary definition of scope among many, is extent or range. When riders speak of a horse's scope, they are referring to the animal's ability to jump fences easily. A horse that jumps with little effort, and endless power is considered to be "scopey."
Scope is a very valuable commodity in the horse show jumping world. Riders and trainers are in constant search of the animals that can jump with ease over the biggest of obstacles. The largest classes reach heights in excess of 1.60m, and scope becomes an absolute necessity for success. Horses with tremendous scope are few and far between, and command huge sums of money to purchase. The great equine athlete that has this jumping power is as hard to come by as a great human athlete. Michael Jordan was scopey. Authentic, Beezie Madden's olympic mount, was scopey.
So does that mean horses that do not jump the grand prix size jumps are never scopey? No, horses can be scopey for their relative divisions. You can have a scopey 3' 6" first year green hunter that can move up to the the regular working hunters (4'). You can have a scopey children's jumper that may or may not be able to move up in height, but is scopey in that division, it's all relative.
Scope, however, is not all you need for a good jumper. You also need a horse that is careful. A careful horse is one that wants to jump clean, and not hit the jumps. If you have scope without being careful, you do not have all that much. On the other hand, if you do not have scope with your careful, you do not have anything at all.
The dictionary definition of scope among many, is extent or range. When riders speak of a horse's scope, they are referring to the animal's ability to jump fences easily. A horse that jumps with little effort, and endless power is considered to be "scopey."
Scope is a very valuable commodity in the horse show jumping world. Riders and trainers are in constant search of the animals that can jump with ease over the biggest of obstacles. The largest classes reach heights in excess of 1.60m, and scope becomes an absolute necessity for success. Horses with tremendous scope are few and far between, and command huge sums of money to purchase. The great equine athlete that has this jumping power is as hard to come by as a great human athlete. Michael Jordan was scopey. Authentic, Beezie Madden's olympic mount, was scopey.
So does that mean horses that do not jump the grand prix size jumps are never scopey? No, horses can be scopey for their relative divisions. You can have a scopey 3' 6" first year green hunter that can move up to the the regular working hunters (4'). You can have a scopey children's jumper that may or may not be able to move up in height, but is scopey in that division, it's all relative.
Scope, however, is not all you need for a good jumper. You also need a horse that is careful. A careful horse is one that wants to jump clean, and not hit the jumps. If you have scope without being careful, you do not have all that much. On the other hand, if you do not have scope with your careful, you do not have anything at all.
The History of Castor Wheels
The History of Castor Wheels
Even before the invention of the modern castor wheels that we use today, history already has a record of how the Egyptians of the ancient times have utilized logs to roll giant stone blocks used to construct their pyramids. It might even come as a surprise that the first wheel which is the basic inspiration of today's castors is not even used to carry anything. It is believed that some 3500 years ago, the early Mesopotamians use wheels to make clay pottery.
The combination of the "ancient technologies" used by the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians only came around sometime by the end of the 13th century, during the beginning of the Italian Renaissance period. It is said that the black plague which killed nearly half the entire population of Europe resulted to a massive demand for manpower. Labour became very expensive and for the economy to thrive, businessmen have to look for alternatives to compensate for the lack of manpower.
It is assumed that this immediate need for manpower pushed the great thinkers of the 13th century to innovate. Since wheels have already been extensively used for transportation during this period, it is easy to imagine how the concept of using wheels to move around furniture came into existence. However, the use of wheeled furniture outside Europe only rose to popularity by the end of the 16th century.
The castor wheels used during this period are made of wood or carved stone; it was the Germans who developed the first synthetic castor wheels made of a new type of rubber and plastic products. During the World War II, Germany has to cut ties with the nations that supply the raw materials needed by their industries. To compensate for this loss, they have to rely on their own resources. So, they started producing products made of rubber and plastic - including castor wheels.
The new synthetic rubber material developed by Germany became the basis for the many high-tech plastic products available to us now. In fact, it can be safety assumed that the manufacturers of the best castors in the market today found their inspiration in the castor wheels produced by Germany during the war.
It is very interesting to know that one of the simplest machines that we use today has a very complex history. Castor wheels came into existence after merging two ancient technologies. For it to be perfected, the wheels have to go through an entire World War!
Even before the invention of the modern castor wheels that we use today, history already has a record of how the Egyptians of the ancient times have utilized logs to roll giant stone blocks used to construct their pyramids. It might even come as a surprise that the first wheel which is the basic inspiration of today's castors is not even used to carry anything. It is believed that some 3500 years ago, the early Mesopotamians use wheels to make clay pottery.
The combination of the "ancient technologies" used by the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians only came around sometime by the end of the 13th century, during the beginning of the Italian Renaissance period. It is said that the black plague which killed nearly half the entire population of Europe resulted to a massive demand for manpower. Labour became very expensive and for the economy to thrive, businessmen have to look for alternatives to compensate for the lack of manpower.
It is assumed that this immediate need for manpower pushed the great thinkers of the 13th century to innovate. Since wheels have already been extensively used for transportation during this period, it is easy to imagine how the concept of using wheels to move around furniture came into existence. However, the use of wheeled furniture outside Europe only rose to popularity by the end of the 16th century.
The castor wheels used during this period are made of wood or carved stone; it was the Germans who developed the first synthetic castor wheels made of a new type of rubber and plastic products. During the World War II, Germany has to cut ties with the nations that supply the raw materials needed by their industries. To compensate for this loss, they have to rely on their own resources. So, they started producing products made of rubber and plastic - including castor wheels.
The new synthetic rubber material developed by Germany became the basis for the many high-tech plastic products available to us now. In fact, it can be safety assumed that the manufacturers of the best castors in the market today found their inspiration in the castor wheels produced by Germany during the war.
It is very interesting to know that one of the simplest machines that we use today has a very complex history. Castor wheels came into existence after merging two ancient technologies. For it to be perfected, the wheels have to go through an entire World War!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Reiki Energy Healing - Magical Mystical Miracles Part II
Reiki Energy Healing - Magical Mystical Miracles Part II
Last issue I decided to "come out" and begin to share more about the "miracles" that have been happening for many years, and I began with my personal healings and magical happenings.
Now I would like to share some magical moments with my clients, and this one happened to be a gorgeous chestnut 14 yo thoroughbred gelding Grand Prix jumper. And these results happened in only one session! Often the presenting problem is not the only thing that clears- an underlying issue can come to the surface and be healed as well!
International Grand Prix Jumper's Colic Healed
I performed long distance Reiki and animal communication phone sessions for 4 years to treat various lameness issues and minor health issues, often related to travel to Florida. On this occasion I was in Wellington so I visited the jumper with my sister who was his vet for many years. This was my first time meeting him in the flesh. The gelding had just arrived from NJ and no one was around. He seemed increasingly uncomfortable, and at first we just thought he had a rough time traveling, and adjusting to the new routine and environment.
He never was fond of the FL scene as I recalled from our sessions. Not enough turnout, hanging out in grassy pastures with trees. But he was beginning to show more than signs of stress; now he was having diarrhea, and looking at his sides, and my sister and I both thought he appeared colicky. She called the groom again, and I continued to send Reiki. She got her stethoscope and listened for bowel sounds (or lack thereof) and it was consistent with a colic diagnosis. In horses, colic can be fatal.
Now both of us were treating with Reiki-my sister has Reiki Level II-and awaiting his groom. The most obvious area to treat was the gastrointestinal tract, and the distress symptoms continued but were lessening after 15 minutes. Scanning with Reiki over other areas of the body, I noticed the jumper had an area in his neck that was energetically blocked. My sister confirmed this and told me he had stiffness in that area for over 8 years, and the vet who treated him previously was also aware of it and none of the veterinarians had been able to successfully cure it.
"Please Don't Twitch My Ears!"
The neck blockage felt like the source of the problem to me, much deeper than the colic. By this point he had his head down by my knees and I began to feel him becoming quite emotional. I felt lots of sadness coming up, and I asked him why. I received an image of his ear being twisted, and heard the horse pleading "please tell them I will do what they want if they just ASK- they don't need to twist my ears, PLEASE! I can understand very well if they just explain what they want." It is a common practice to steady a horse when doing difficult or painful things like giving shots, dental work or other potentially dangerous operations with a horse to use a twitch around the very sensitive ears and hold them steady.
The groom arrived by now, and I spoke these insights out loud to her. She agreed to tell him what she needed of him and not twist his ears. It seemed that the twitching had happened before she was his groom; she was very kind and understanding. The jumper let out a lot of emotions, making me cry actually as I felt it, and the tightness in his neck was significantly improved, however still not totally released.
My sister was giving Reiki to both sides of his neck at once, hoping the horse would move freely and self-adjust through moving his neck sideways but he wasn't quite ready or able to let it all go. By now he had passed some manure and the colic symptoms were rapidly clearing. I suggested the groom take him for a walk to let him move it out a bit as he had released a lot of emotion and old pain.
Underlying Neck Stiffness Healed
He walked out of the stall fairly gingerly and short-strided, but when the groom came back down the lane toward us he was walking very boldly. My sister exclaimed "I have NEVER in all my 8 years of knowing him seen him walk that freely and extended." The Reiki not only helped shift the colic very quickly, but removed some old neck issues that had plagued him and stumped the vets for years. My sister spoke to the trainer the following day, who also noticed the change in stride immediately and acknowledged the jumper was moving sounder and more evenly than he had in many years!
Reiki enabled the layers of physical, mental and emotional blockages come to the surface and release. As animal communication helped to express and acknowledge the emotional feelings around the frustration and pain of having his ear twisted, he was able to release the physical stiffness in his neck. It seemed to me that trust was just as important an issue as the pain of the actual ear twisting. The gelding prided himself on being extremely smart and cooperative in nature and felt he didn't need to be treated in such a callous and uncaring way, without giving him the benefit of the doubt and explaining what was required of him first. Once all of this old trauma and emotions were conveyed, and the groom agreed to talk to him first to get cooperation, he was able to release many layers of emotional and physical blockages.
Note: If I had it with me, I would also have applied Di-Gize, a blend of medicinal grade essential oils that has been very beneficial in treating colic naturally in horses and humans! When I am visiting a barn, now I don't leave home without it!
Copyright Kumari Inc. 2010
Last issue I decided to "come out" and begin to share more about the "miracles" that have been happening for many years, and I began with my personal healings and magical happenings.
Now I would like to share some magical moments with my clients, and this one happened to be a gorgeous chestnut 14 yo thoroughbred gelding Grand Prix jumper. And these results happened in only one session! Often the presenting problem is not the only thing that clears- an underlying issue can come to the surface and be healed as well!
International Grand Prix Jumper's Colic Healed
I performed long distance Reiki and animal communication phone sessions for 4 years to treat various lameness issues and minor health issues, often related to travel to Florida. On this occasion I was in Wellington so I visited the jumper with my sister who was his vet for many years. This was my first time meeting him in the flesh. The gelding had just arrived from NJ and no one was around. He seemed increasingly uncomfortable, and at first we just thought he had a rough time traveling, and adjusting to the new routine and environment.
He never was fond of the FL scene as I recalled from our sessions. Not enough turnout, hanging out in grassy pastures with trees. But he was beginning to show more than signs of stress; now he was having diarrhea, and looking at his sides, and my sister and I both thought he appeared colicky. She called the groom again, and I continued to send Reiki. She got her stethoscope and listened for bowel sounds (or lack thereof) and it was consistent with a colic diagnosis. In horses, colic can be fatal.
Now both of us were treating with Reiki-my sister has Reiki Level II-and awaiting his groom. The most obvious area to treat was the gastrointestinal tract, and the distress symptoms continued but were lessening after 15 minutes. Scanning with Reiki over other areas of the body, I noticed the jumper had an area in his neck that was energetically blocked. My sister confirmed this and told me he had stiffness in that area for over 8 years, and the vet who treated him previously was also aware of it and none of the veterinarians had been able to successfully cure it.
"Please Don't Twitch My Ears!"
The neck blockage felt like the source of the problem to me, much deeper than the colic. By this point he had his head down by my knees and I began to feel him becoming quite emotional. I felt lots of sadness coming up, and I asked him why. I received an image of his ear being twisted, and heard the horse pleading "please tell them I will do what they want if they just ASK- they don't need to twist my ears, PLEASE! I can understand very well if they just explain what they want." It is a common practice to steady a horse when doing difficult or painful things like giving shots, dental work or other potentially dangerous operations with a horse to use a twitch around the very sensitive ears and hold them steady.
The groom arrived by now, and I spoke these insights out loud to her. She agreed to tell him what she needed of him and not twist his ears. It seemed that the twitching had happened before she was his groom; she was very kind and understanding. The jumper let out a lot of emotions, making me cry actually as I felt it, and the tightness in his neck was significantly improved, however still not totally released.
My sister was giving Reiki to both sides of his neck at once, hoping the horse would move freely and self-adjust through moving his neck sideways but he wasn't quite ready or able to let it all go. By now he had passed some manure and the colic symptoms were rapidly clearing. I suggested the groom take him for a walk to let him move it out a bit as he had released a lot of emotion and old pain.
Underlying Neck Stiffness Healed
He walked out of the stall fairly gingerly and short-strided, but when the groom came back down the lane toward us he was walking very boldly. My sister exclaimed "I have NEVER in all my 8 years of knowing him seen him walk that freely and extended." The Reiki not only helped shift the colic very quickly, but removed some old neck issues that had plagued him and stumped the vets for years. My sister spoke to the trainer the following day, who also noticed the change in stride immediately and acknowledged the jumper was moving sounder and more evenly than he had in many years!
Reiki enabled the layers of physical, mental and emotional blockages come to the surface and release. As animal communication helped to express and acknowledge the emotional feelings around the frustration and pain of having his ear twisted, he was able to release the physical stiffness in his neck. It seemed to me that trust was just as important an issue as the pain of the actual ear twisting. The gelding prided himself on being extremely smart and cooperative in nature and felt he didn't need to be treated in such a callous and uncaring way, without giving him the benefit of the doubt and explaining what was required of him first. Once all of this old trauma and emotions were conveyed, and the groom agreed to talk to him first to get cooperation, he was able to release many layers of emotional and physical blockages.
Note: If I had it with me, I would also have applied Di-Gize, a blend of medicinal grade essential oils that has been very beneficial in treating colic naturally in horses and humans! When I am visiting a barn, now I don't leave home without it!
Copyright Kumari Inc. 2010
Trivia Facts About Blanka Vlasic - World's Best Female Athlete in 2010
Trivia Facts About Blanka Vlasic - World's Best Female Athlete in 2010
Did you know that...
Blanka's father and coach Josko Vlasic is the national decathlon record holder while her mother Venera used to be successful basketball player and cross-country skier.
Blanka got her name after Casablanca, where her father won the decathlon gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games, around the time of her birth.
She was born in town of Split, the hometown of famous tennis players Goran Ivanisevic and Nikola Pilic (who became more famous for coaching Novak Djokovic) and Duje Draganja, Olympic medalist winner in swimming.
Blanka Vlasic has three younger brothers: Marin used to play basketball but he recently began coaching, Luka attends high school,while the youngest brother Nikola is extraordinary talented football player.
Initially, Blanka wanted to be a sprinter, but since she was thin and tall, she decided upon the high jump. Her height is 1.93m (6ft 4in).
So far, Blanka Vlasic has entered the Olympic Games three times: in Sydney, Athens and Beijing, where she won silver. If everything goes well, she's looking forward to enter her fourth Olympics, in London 2012.
Due to her hyperthyroid condition she underwent surgery in 2005 and spent almost the whole season recovering, but she was determined and well motivated to get back in shape.
Blanka's personal best at 2.08 m, which is also the second-best performance ever, was set on August 31st 2009, at IAAF Grand prix meet in Zagreb. However, the record holder in high jump is still Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova, who set the record to 2.09 m in 1987. Blanka Vlasic succeeded in 18 out of 20 competitions this year, including all seven of the IAAF Diamond League meetings and the IAAF Continental Cup.
In 2010, Blanka Vlasic dated Nikola Karabatic, French team handball player of Croatian and Serbian descent, but they broke up after a few months.
Did you know that...
Blanka's father and coach Josko Vlasic is the national decathlon record holder while her mother Venera used to be successful basketball player and cross-country skier.
Blanka got her name after Casablanca, where her father won the decathlon gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games, around the time of her birth.
She was born in town of Split, the hometown of famous tennis players Goran Ivanisevic and Nikola Pilic (who became more famous for coaching Novak Djokovic) and Duje Draganja, Olympic medalist winner in swimming.
Blanka Vlasic has three younger brothers: Marin used to play basketball but he recently began coaching, Luka attends high school,while the youngest brother Nikola is extraordinary talented football player.
Initially, Blanka wanted to be a sprinter, but since she was thin and tall, she decided upon the high jump. Her height is 1.93m (6ft 4in).
So far, Blanka Vlasic has entered the Olympic Games three times: in Sydney, Athens and Beijing, where she won silver. If everything goes well, she's looking forward to enter her fourth Olympics, in London 2012.
Due to her hyperthyroid condition she underwent surgery in 2005 and spent almost the whole season recovering, but she was determined and well motivated to get back in shape.
Blanka's personal best at 2.08 m, which is also the second-best performance ever, was set on August 31st 2009, at IAAF Grand prix meet in Zagreb. However, the record holder in high jump is still Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova, who set the record to 2.09 m in 1987. Blanka Vlasic succeeded in 18 out of 20 competitions this year, including all seven of the IAAF Diamond League meetings and the IAAF Continental Cup.
In 2010, Blanka Vlasic dated Nikola Karabatic, French team handball player of Croatian and Serbian descent, but they broke up after a few months.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Sasha Cohen - The Pressure to Win
Sasha Cohen - The Pressure to Win
Sasha is an avid skater, a talented artist; she has modeled in major magazines, walked the red carpet, and has skated in many countries. As the two-time and reigning World Silver Medalist, the 2006 U.S. National Champion, Grand Prix Final Champion, and 2-Time Olympic Team Member (2002 and 2006), Sasha is a sure podium contender for the 2010 Olympic Games. Sasha has experience.
Alexandra Pauline Cohen was named after her mother's favorite ballerina. She was born on October 26, 1984. Sasha's mother is of Ukrainian background and she is a former ballerina. Because of her Russian heritage, Sasha can converse in Russian. She has translated competitor Viktoria Volchkova's interview responses from Russian to English at the 2001 Trophe Lalique competition (Cup Of Paris).
Sasha began skating around the age of seven. Prior to starting figure skating, she used to be a gymnast and had progressed to level five. Apparently, her mom was relieved when she made the switch to figure skating. She enjoys reading. One or her favorite places to be, is the public library. After years of hard work and training, Sasha is renowned. She has become one of the skaters in the world today. She won her first silver medal at the 2000 U.S. Nationals. Sasha missed the 2001 Nationals because of a serious back injury which required her to take time off from training. At the 2002 U.S. Nationals, she earned her second silver medal and a spot on the 2002 Olympic Team.
Her gymnastic background has made her resilient when it comes to sustaining those spills on the ice. She has a great deal of experience. I am going on a limb to say that Sasha Cohen knows the why, the where and the how when it comes to her skating. She knows her body. Things may not always be "perfect," however Sasha should know how to compete by now.
She is a different person from the inexperienced youngster who was introduced to us in 2000. She can handle skating. She may just need to reinvent herself. We should never think of inconsistency, or spills, by the mere mention of Sasha's name. She has nothing to learn as this point. Sasha needs to be more confident when it comes to the technical aspects of her skating. She has always verbalized (like most skaters) that she is having fun on the ice; when in reality, she does (they do) not believe in those words. Those are rehearsed thoughts for the media and viewers' sake. Deep down, most skaters don't believe they are having "fun" Those skaters are preoccupied with the ultimate goal.
Vying for top spot is well and good; however, it should not be the main focus. Like Sara Hughes, Sasha (or any other skaters) should be getting on that ice with the objective that she has nothing to lose. She really should believe that she is actually there to have fun. Skating well is the ultimate prize. The medal will be the bonus. She should approach both programs ( short and free) as if a flawless skate is her driving force; the prize she wants to obtain.
She has an exciting season ahead of her.
At this point, Sasha ( Flatt included) should be beyond feeling the pressure to win. Let the other skaters from other countries succumb to pressure or be pressured. Let them be the ones with that "something to lose" preoccupying their mind and their programs. Our skaters (we) live in a free society, it won't be the end of the world if they don't bring home the gold.
Sasha will be prepared. She just has to skate the way she does at practice. Her quest should be to skate well. According to Sasha, skating is her own commitment, her hard work and that no one is pushing her to do it. And, that is how she should approach the upcoming season. She is skating on her own terms.
As far as I am concerned, Sasha would benefit if she were to practice in a vacuum; without the interference, the scolding and the criticisms of the media. She does not need to be reminded of her flaws or her inconsistencies. She does not need to be asked if gold will be her color, or whom she she feels she has to beat; nor does she need to be compared to other skaters ( "I must think I am living in Utopia"). This type of attention can be nerve-racking. All of the skaters are good in their own way. They are a gifted bunch. Sasha needn't be perfect; nor does she need to skate perfectly. Sasha needs to be Sasha. She needs to skate and be there for Sasha.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that she is (Flatt, Meissner, Zhang, Nagasu,Hughes as well as the other skaters are ) injury free. Sasha can be unstoppable. She must first have to free her herself of the burden of having to be perfect. Her artistry, flawless connections, fluid extensions and techniques will be the determining factor. She has nothing to lose.
Her artistry, the way she interprets the music, the way she relates to the audience, her spiral and straight-line step sequence will set her apart; in turn, she will earn high marks with the judges. She is ready. She has the ability to skate two solid performances. She does not have to be perfect.
Sasha is an avid skater, a talented artist; she has modeled in major magazines, walked the red carpet, and has skated in many countries. As the two-time and reigning World Silver Medalist, the 2006 U.S. National Champion, Grand Prix Final Champion, and 2-Time Olympic Team Member (2002 and 2006), Sasha is a sure podium contender for the 2010 Olympic Games. Sasha has experience.
Alexandra Pauline Cohen was named after her mother's favorite ballerina. She was born on October 26, 1984. Sasha's mother is of Ukrainian background and she is a former ballerina. Because of her Russian heritage, Sasha can converse in Russian. She has translated competitor Viktoria Volchkova's interview responses from Russian to English at the 2001 Trophe Lalique competition (Cup Of Paris).
Sasha began skating around the age of seven. Prior to starting figure skating, she used to be a gymnast and had progressed to level five. Apparently, her mom was relieved when she made the switch to figure skating. She enjoys reading. One or her favorite places to be, is the public library. After years of hard work and training, Sasha is renowned. She has become one of the skaters in the world today. She won her first silver medal at the 2000 U.S. Nationals. Sasha missed the 2001 Nationals because of a serious back injury which required her to take time off from training. At the 2002 U.S. Nationals, she earned her second silver medal and a spot on the 2002 Olympic Team.
Her gymnastic background has made her resilient when it comes to sustaining those spills on the ice. She has a great deal of experience. I am going on a limb to say that Sasha Cohen knows the why, the where and the how when it comes to her skating. She knows her body. Things may not always be "perfect," however Sasha should know how to compete by now.
She is a different person from the inexperienced youngster who was introduced to us in 2000. She can handle skating. She may just need to reinvent herself. We should never think of inconsistency, or spills, by the mere mention of Sasha's name. She has nothing to learn as this point. Sasha needs to be more confident when it comes to the technical aspects of her skating. She has always verbalized (like most skaters) that she is having fun on the ice; when in reality, she does (they do) not believe in those words. Those are rehearsed thoughts for the media and viewers' sake. Deep down, most skaters don't believe they are having "fun" Those skaters are preoccupied with the ultimate goal.
Vying for top spot is well and good; however, it should not be the main focus. Like Sara Hughes, Sasha (or any other skaters) should be getting on that ice with the objective that she has nothing to lose. She really should believe that she is actually there to have fun. Skating well is the ultimate prize. The medal will be the bonus. She should approach both programs ( short and free) as if a flawless skate is her driving force; the prize she wants to obtain.
She has an exciting season ahead of her.
At this point, Sasha ( Flatt included) should be beyond feeling the pressure to win. Let the other skaters from other countries succumb to pressure or be pressured. Let them be the ones with that "something to lose" preoccupying their mind and their programs. Our skaters (we) live in a free society, it won't be the end of the world if they don't bring home the gold.
Sasha will be prepared. She just has to skate the way she does at practice. Her quest should be to skate well. According to Sasha, skating is her own commitment, her hard work and that no one is pushing her to do it. And, that is how she should approach the upcoming season. She is skating on her own terms.
As far as I am concerned, Sasha would benefit if she were to practice in a vacuum; without the interference, the scolding and the criticisms of the media. She does not need to be reminded of her flaws or her inconsistencies. She does not need to be asked if gold will be her color, or whom she she feels she has to beat; nor does she need to be compared to other skaters ( "I must think I am living in Utopia"). This type of attention can be nerve-racking. All of the skaters are good in their own way. They are a gifted bunch. Sasha needn't be perfect; nor does she need to skate perfectly. Sasha needs to be Sasha. She needs to skate and be there for Sasha.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that she is (Flatt, Meissner, Zhang, Nagasu,Hughes as well as the other skaters are ) injury free. Sasha can be unstoppable. She must first have to free her herself of the burden of having to be perfect. Her artistry, flawless connections, fluid extensions and techniques will be the determining factor. She has nothing to lose.
Her artistry, the way she interprets the music, the way she relates to the audience, her spiral and straight-line step sequence will set her apart; in turn, she will earn high marks with the judges. She is ready. She has the ability to skate two solid performances. She does not have to be perfect.
The Nobel History Of The Kentucky Derby
The Nobel History Of The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is the oldest consecutively run thoroughbred horse race in the United States and one of the most prestigious horse races in the world. Run on the first Saturday in May each year at the world famous Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, it attracts the attention of millions of fans who attend in person, watch on television, or listen by radio. The celebratory pomp and circumstance attending this event is unparalleled in American sports. You've simply got to see it to believe it.
The most sought after prize in American thoroughbred racing is the Triple Crown, awarded to the horse who can win all 3 of America's most competitive events in one season; the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and The Belmont Stakes. The challenge is only open to 3 year olds. Only 11 horses have ever won the triple crown and it hasn't been won since Affirmed won all three races in 1978. The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel of the Triple Crown and naturally all eyes turn to Churchill Downs each Spring to see which contender will take the first jewel.
When speaking of the history of the Kentucky Derby, it is impossible to ignore the history of Churchill Downs, as their stories are so entertwined. Few would ever guess the now famous race and its home, Churchill Downs, have origins connected to George Roger's Clark, the revolutionary war hero who founded Louisville, Kentucky and his brother William Clark, who explored the great north west with Meriwether Lewis. The connection to the two famous Clarks is Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., who founded and built the track at Churchill Downs and commissioned the first Kentucky Derby. Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, known as "Lutie" Clark, was the grandson of William Clark and the great nephew of George Roger's Clark.
Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. was born in Louisville, Kentucky January 27, 1846 to Meriwether Lewis Clark and Abigail Prather Churchill. Upon his mother's death, at the age of 6, he was sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle who raised him to adulthood. Lutie's Uncles John and Henry Churchill were said to be inseparable and cultivated an interest in horse breeding in their young nephew. As a young adult, Lutie was also introduced to horse racing by his father-in-law Richard Ten Broeck, who was an accomplished horse breeder and trainer.
The dream that became the legend of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby all started when Lutie Clark, an ambitious 26 year old, traveled abroad and attended two of Europe's most famous horse racing events. While overseas in 1872 and 1873 he attended the Epsom Derby near London England and the Grand Prix de Paris in Paris France. He met with their respective representatives and inquired about their operations while conceiving his plan to build a similar facility back home in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Kentucky Derby is the oldest consecutively run thoroughbred horse race in the United States and one of the most prestigious horse races in the world. Run on the first Saturday in May each year at the world famous Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, it attracts the attention of millions of fans who attend in person, watch on television, or listen by radio. The celebratory pomp and circumstance attending this event is unparalleled in American sports. You've simply got to see it to believe it.
The most sought after prize in American thoroughbred racing is the Triple Crown, awarded to the horse who can win all 3 of America's most competitive events in one season; the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and The Belmont Stakes. The challenge is only open to 3 year olds. Only 11 horses have ever won the triple crown and it hasn't been won since Affirmed won all three races in 1978. The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel of the Triple Crown and naturally all eyes turn to Churchill Downs each Spring to see which contender will take the first jewel.
When speaking of the history of the Kentucky Derby, it is impossible to ignore the history of Churchill Downs, as their stories are so entertwined. Few would ever guess the now famous race and its home, Churchill Downs, have origins connected to George Roger's Clark, the revolutionary war hero who founded Louisville, Kentucky and his brother William Clark, who explored the great north west with Meriwether Lewis. The connection to the two famous Clarks is Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., who founded and built the track at Churchill Downs and commissioned the first Kentucky Derby. Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, known as "Lutie" Clark, was the grandson of William Clark and the great nephew of George Roger's Clark.
Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. was born in Louisville, Kentucky January 27, 1846 to Meriwether Lewis Clark and Abigail Prather Churchill. Upon his mother's death, at the age of 6, he was sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle who raised him to adulthood. Lutie's Uncles John and Henry Churchill were said to be inseparable and cultivated an interest in horse breeding in their young nephew. As a young adult, Lutie was also introduced to horse racing by his father-in-law Richard Ten Broeck, who was an accomplished horse breeder and trainer.
The dream that became the legend of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby all started when Lutie Clark, an ambitious 26 year old, traveled abroad and attended two of Europe's most famous horse racing events. While overseas in 1872 and 1873 he attended the Epsom Derby near London England and the Grand Prix de Paris in Paris France. He met with their respective representatives and inquired about their operations while conceiving his plan to build a similar facility back home in Louisville, Kentucky.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Vulli and Sophie A Look at the Toy Manufacturer and Their Most Famous Toy
Vulli and Sophie A Look at the Toy Manufacturer and Their Most Famous Toy
Vulli was started in 1946 by a man named Joseph Vullierme. Originally a machine parts manufacturer which continued to be so until 1961 when the company produced a cute little giraffe named Sophie that skyrocketed the little company to success in France.
2. The company is based in Rumilly, a town in the French Alps.
3. In 2000 Vulli was awarded the Grand Prix du Jouet award for its toy, Sophie the Giraffe's Garden.
4. Vulli strives to maintain its reputation as an environmentally friendly and health conscious company, making toys that are phthalate free, BPA free, made of 100% rubber, painted with food grade paints that make the toys safe for your child to chew, and recyclable.
5. The production of the companies most coveted toy, Sophie the Giraffe, is still a secret to this day. All the company will say is that they apply a "special process and rotational molding technique" to latex, a rubber that has been made from the sap of the Havea tree which is grown in Malaysia.
6. Sophie the Giraffe just celebrated her 50th birthday in 2011. Her creation process and world renowned look is still the same after 50 years and over 50 million Sophies have been sold since her creation in 1961.
7. Vulli produces 250 items ranging from a Sophie key chains for mom, teethers, baby blankets, rattles, early learning toys, and bath toys.
8. Sophie the Giraffe is a popular toy all over the world and can be found in 40 countries and all continents. Vulli toys have been seen in the hands of many celebrity babies. Parents like Live Schrieber, Naomi Watts, Alisson Hannigan, Nicole Richie, and Sandra Bullock have purchased the adorable little curio for their babies teething needs.
9. The company champions the VML Association which fights to overcome Lysosomal diseases. Vulli produced and created Leo the Lysosome, a character and mascot who toured France to help raise awareness and money for the disease.
10. It's signature toy, Sophie was one of the first toys on the market not to be made in the image of a farm animal, making her instantly unique on the toy market. Vuli is a respected company that has a long standing reputation for quality toys, community commitment, environmentally responsible employees, a commitment to excellence in every product that they produce. In this era of recalled toys and lead based paint scares Vulli stands out for its use of natural substances and health conscious production.
Vulli was started in 1946 by a man named Joseph Vullierme. Originally a machine parts manufacturer which continued to be so until 1961 when the company produced a cute little giraffe named Sophie that skyrocketed the little company to success in France.
2. The company is based in Rumilly, a town in the French Alps.
3. In 2000 Vulli was awarded the Grand Prix du Jouet award for its toy, Sophie the Giraffe's Garden.
4. Vulli strives to maintain its reputation as an environmentally friendly and health conscious company, making toys that are phthalate free, BPA free, made of 100% rubber, painted with food grade paints that make the toys safe for your child to chew, and recyclable.
5. The production of the companies most coveted toy, Sophie the Giraffe, is still a secret to this day. All the company will say is that they apply a "special process and rotational molding technique" to latex, a rubber that has been made from the sap of the Havea tree which is grown in Malaysia.
6. Sophie the Giraffe just celebrated her 50th birthday in 2011. Her creation process and world renowned look is still the same after 50 years and over 50 million Sophies have been sold since her creation in 1961.
7. Vulli produces 250 items ranging from a Sophie key chains for mom, teethers, baby blankets, rattles, early learning toys, and bath toys.
8. Sophie the Giraffe is a popular toy all over the world and can be found in 40 countries and all continents. Vulli toys have been seen in the hands of many celebrity babies. Parents like Live Schrieber, Naomi Watts, Alisson Hannigan, Nicole Richie, and Sandra Bullock have purchased the adorable little curio for their babies teething needs.
9. The company champions the VML Association which fights to overcome Lysosomal diseases. Vulli produced and created Leo the Lysosome, a character and mascot who toured France to help raise awareness and money for the disease.
10. It's signature toy, Sophie was one of the first toys on the market not to be made in the image of a farm animal, making her instantly unique on the toy market. Vuli is a respected company that has a long standing reputation for quality toys, community commitment, environmentally responsible employees, a commitment to excellence in every product that they produce. In this era of recalled toys and lead based paint scares Vulli stands out for its use of natural substances and health conscious production.
Red Bull Milton Keynes Event
Red Bull Milton Keynes Event
Saturday the 10th of December was a massive day in Milton Keynes. 60,000 people attended Red Bull Racing's big show where World championship driver Sebastian Vettel and his team mate Mark Webber got to drive their F1 cars through the streets of central Milton Keynes. Red Bull racing's team principal Christian Horner was also out to help celebrate his team's performance in the 2011 F1 season. Luckily they did not need a pit stop for servicing as they only had to drive the cars a couple of miles!
The show took place along the length of Midsummer Boulevard between The Centre MK and the city's train station. The F1 drivers were also accompanied by David Coulthard in a Nascar Showcar and stuntman Chris Pfeiffer thrilled fans with some two-wheel bike tricks. The event was broadcast to eagerly awaiting fans over huge screens, with Jake Humphrey running the commentary and interviewing the drivers, the management team and the cooing crowds. Fans were given Vettel fingers and Webber kangaroos to aid them in cheering on their favourite. Even on a freezing cold December afternoon it appeared everyone had a fabulous time being entertained.
Red Bull has had an absolutely superb season, not only have they won the Constructor's Championship, Sebastian was the winner of the Driver's Championship. Mark Webber is no stranger to the podium though and bagged first place in the Brazilian Grand Prix. He has spent the last ten years racing the world's circuits and was 4th in the driver's standings for 2011. Although 2011 was definitely Sebastian's year, with an astounding 11 wins out of 19 races. With the Red Bull team producing record breaking pit stops throughout the course of the season, let's hope they did not need to replace their brakes in Milton Keynes with all the skidding around they were doing during their show!
Red Bull's headquarters is based in Tilbrook, Milton Keynes. Although Red Bull racing have been around since 2005, the team was previously Jaguar Racing in 2000 to 2004. The Ford Motor Company purchased it from Jackie Stewart. Whilst Ford's outlay from the team was millions it did not really see a return on its investment as the team struggled to re-create the magic from when it was owned by Jackie Stewart. Jackie & his son Paul formed the racing team 'Stewart Grand Prix' in 1996 and after only three years sold the team on to Ford Motor Company. Jackie Stewart who is a three times over world champion is now retired but is still on TV every now and again.
Saturday the 10th of December was a massive day in Milton Keynes. 60,000 people attended Red Bull Racing's big show where World championship driver Sebastian Vettel and his team mate Mark Webber got to drive their F1 cars through the streets of central Milton Keynes. Red Bull racing's team principal Christian Horner was also out to help celebrate his team's performance in the 2011 F1 season. Luckily they did not need a pit stop for servicing as they only had to drive the cars a couple of miles!
The show took place along the length of Midsummer Boulevard between The Centre MK and the city's train station. The F1 drivers were also accompanied by David Coulthard in a Nascar Showcar and stuntman Chris Pfeiffer thrilled fans with some two-wheel bike tricks. The event was broadcast to eagerly awaiting fans over huge screens, with Jake Humphrey running the commentary and interviewing the drivers, the management team and the cooing crowds. Fans were given Vettel fingers and Webber kangaroos to aid them in cheering on their favourite. Even on a freezing cold December afternoon it appeared everyone had a fabulous time being entertained.
Red Bull has had an absolutely superb season, not only have they won the Constructor's Championship, Sebastian was the winner of the Driver's Championship. Mark Webber is no stranger to the podium though and bagged first place in the Brazilian Grand Prix. He has spent the last ten years racing the world's circuits and was 4th in the driver's standings for 2011. Although 2011 was definitely Sebastian's year, with an astounding 11 wins out of 19 races. With the Red Bull team producing record breaking pit stops throughout the course of the season, let's hope they did not need to replace their brakes in Milton Keynes with all the skidding around they were doing during their show!
Red Bull's headquarters is based in Tilbrook, Milton Keynes. Although Red Bull racing have been around since 2005, the team was previously Jaguar Racing in 2000 to 2004. The Ford Motor Company purchased it from Jackie Stewart. Whilst Ford's outlay from the team was millions it did not really see a return on its investment as the team struggled to re-create the magic from when it was owned by Jackie Stewart. Jackie & his son Paul formed the racing team 'Stewart Grand Prix' in 1996 and after only three years sold the team on to Ford Motor Company. Jackie Stewart who is a three times over world champion is now retired but is still on TV every now and again.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Team Building Your Way to Corporate Success
Team Building Your Way to Corporate Success
There are a number of ways to incorporate team building events at your place of business. In order to help you achieve peak productivity you must provide employees with a well-rounded environment that helps to clarify goals and keep motivation levels high. One important aspect needed to do this, is to know your staff's strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know how to utilize your staff in the most productive means possible. While it can be challenging for employers who have a large staff, it is important to make time to incorporate events. Team building events can also be a great way to get to know your employees and how they operate.
Using team building exercises can help mangers and employers to obtain a clearer perspective of their staff's capabilities and then apply them throughout the work day. Even if you only have time to schedule an office dinner party, you can take away a great deal of knowledge from these types of gatherings.
During team building events, employers can take the time to watch how their staff engages one another and communicates. This can help provide a better idea of how to run your in-office activities. For example, if you notice that there are certain people or departments that socialize more with each other than the rest of the staff; this could represent the same dynamic inside of the office. Keep this in mind and take notice of how employees communicate with one another during the work day. If there are certain departments or personnel that don't interact or communicate as much as they should, make it a point to take the appropriate measures and improve this.
Efficient communication, both in and out of the office, is an essential aspect of any successful business. If you feel that your employees or various departments are not communicating effectively - make it a point to do something about this. Team building events and exercises can be used in a variety of ways to help in these situations. If you have the time, you can turn the planning and setup of an event into a team-building exercise in and of itself. Do this by handing out different tasks to various employees who can help plan everything from location, cuisine and transportation to budgeting and activity scheduling.
Even if you don't have much time, try planning an event at a location that is already equipped for communication, goal setting, leadership and a little healthy competition. Scavenger hunts, bowling, cooking classes, trivia scenarios, or racing competitions are just a few great ways to easily setup events.
Team building events are also a great way to take some time and reward your staff or offer incentives. Using this will help to reinvigorate morale among staff throughout the year. Sometimes, taking some extra time out of the office can help provide greater incite about the bulk of the people working for you and what is best for your company.
There are a number of ways to incorporate team building events at your place of business. In order to help you achieve peak productivity you must provide employees with a well-rounded environment that helps to clarify goals and keep motivation levels high. One important aspect needed to do this, is to know your staff's strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know how to utilize your staff in the most productive means possible. While it can be challenging for employers who have a large staff, it is important to make time to incorporate events. Team building events can also be a great way to get to know your employees and how they operate.
Using team building exercises can help mangers and employers to obtain a clearer perspective of their staff's capabilities and then apply them throughout the work day. Even if you only have time to schedule an office dinner party, you can take away a great deal of knowledge from these types of gatherings.
During team building events, employers can take the time to watch how their staff engages one another and communicates. This can help provide a better idea of how to run your in-office activities. For example, if you notice that there are certain people or departments that socialize more with each other than the rest of the staff; this could represent the same dynamic inside of the office. Keep this in mind and take notice of how employees communicate with one another during the work day. If there are certain departments or personnel that don't interact or communicate as much as they should, make it a point to take the appropriate measures and improve this.
Efficient communication, both in and out of the office, is an essential aspect of any successful business. If you feel that your employees or various departments are not communicating effectively - make it a point to do something about this. Team building events and exercises can be used in a variety of ways to help in these situations. If you have the time, you can turn the planning and setup of an event into a team-building exercise in and of itself. Do this by handing out different tasks to various employees who can help plan everything from location, cuisine and transportation to budgeting and activity scheduling.
Even if you don't have much time, try planning an event at a location that is already equipped for communication, goal setting, leadership and a little healthy competition. Scavenger hunts, bowling, cooking classes, trivia scenarios, or racing competitions are just a few great ways to easily setup events.
Team building events are also a great way to take some time and reward your staff or offer incentives. Using this will help to reinvigorate morale among staff throughout the year. Sometimes, taking some extra time out of the office can help provide greater incite about the bulk of the people working for you and what is best for your company.
Titanium Fasteners
Titanium Fasteners
Titanium is an inert metal alloy that is usually combined with aluminum, steel, manganese and molybdenum. A titanium alloy is almost as strong as steel but forty five percent lighter. Titanium fasteners are used in the aircraft industry in a great quantity because they reduce the weight of the aircraft and are corrosion resistant.
Titanium fasteners such as screws are also corrosion resistant because of the oxide layer that forms on titanium alloys. This layer is the main reason for the extensive use of titanium in many industries. An amazing fact about this layer is that it is automatically replaced if scratched or removed. Fasteners and screws undergo tremendous amount of scratching and friction and this is the reason why titanium is used in the manufacturing of such products.
The oxide layer that forms on the fastener protects it from corrosion thus making it durable and sturdy. Titanium fasteners also include bolts, washers, nuts, and flanges. These types of fasteners are used in sports, petrochemical industries, and oil industries. Another advantage of titanium is that it is heavier compared to steel. This is an important feature in fasteners because a heavy fastener or screw can hold more weight compared to a stainless steel fastener.
Titanium fasteners are also used in grand prix racecars' wheels. This is because of their lightweight and adherence properties. A titanium screw will adhere to any surface after some time because of the oxide layer that forms automatically on the surface of the metal. Titanium also has astounding galvanizing properties, which means that it can be mixed with many metals such as aluminum and steel to form an alloy that is suitable for the purpose that it serves.
The price of titanium fasteners ranges from $0.45 to$10 per piece. The price varies according to the size and the metal that it is combined with. Titanium fasteners are a good option for those who want the structure to be durable, stable, and long lasting.
Titanium is an inert metal alloy that is usually combined with aluminum, steel, manganese and molybdenum. A titanium alloy is almost as strong as steel but forty five percent lighter. Titanium fasteners are used in the aircraft industry in a great quantity because they reduce the weight of the aircraft and are corrosion resistant.
Titanium fasteners such as screws are also corrosion resistant because of the oxide layer that forms on titanium alloys. This layer is the main reason for the extensive use of titanium in many industries. An amazing fact about this layer is that it is automatically replaced if scratched or removed. Fasteners and screws undergo tremendous amount of scratching and friction and this is the reason why titanium is used in the manufacturing of such products.
The oxide layer that forms on the fastener protects it from corrosion thus making it durable and sturdy. Titanium fasteners also include bolts, washers, nuts, and flanges. These types of fasteners are used in sports, petrochemical industries, and oil industries. Another advantage of titanium is that it is heavier compared to steel. This is an important feature in fasteners because a heavy fastener or screw can hold more weight compared to a stainless steel fastener.
Titanium fasteners are also used in grand prix racecars' wheels. This is because of their lightweight and adherence properties. A titanium screw will adhere to any surface after some time because of the oxide layer that forms automatically on the surface of the metal. Titanium also has astounding galvanizing properties, which means that it can be mixed with many metals such as aluminum and steel to form an alloy that is suitable for the purpose that it serves.
The price of titanium fasteners ranges from $0.45 to$10 per piece. The price varies according to the size and the metal that it is combined with. Titanium fasteners are a good option for those who want the structure to be durable, stable, and long lasting.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The 1961 Monaco Grand Prix - New Rules Make for Stellar Racing!
The 1961 Monaco Grand Prix - New Rules Make for Stellar Racing!
The date - Sunday, May 14, 1961; the place; well, it is found on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It's a small principality that is surrounded on three sides by its much larger neighbor, France. The center of this tiny place is also less than 10 miles from Italy. It covers less than a square mile. Monaco is the name of the place... both the country and it's capital city. In fact, it's only city. Best known for being a famous tax haven and favorite destination of the jet-setting rich, this one particular day in history, Monaco was host to the inaugural race of the 1961 Formula One season.
The race was the first World Championship event held under a new 1.5 litre engine displacement limit ruling. Basically this new set of regulations concerning car configuration made engines less powerful but the driving machine slightly more balanced from previous years. It would also demand of every driver that rather than muscling his way around the track, he'd need to be more skillful and strategic in his driving to remain competitive.
Even before race day, excitement and racing action fore-shadowed what was to come. Most notably, Innes Ireland crashed in the tunnel just before one of the fastest stretches of the course during the final session of practice. His Lotus was totally destroyed and his leg was broken, effectively eliminating him from competing.
Stirling Moss was to take the pole position driving number 20, an underpowered Lotus (using a Coventry-Climax engine), for the Rob Walker team. Moss shared the first row with Richie Ginther who was driving for the Ferrari team and Jim Clark who was also driving for team Lotus. Two "Hills" share the second row, Graham Hill drove for BRM and Phil Hill, who drove for Ferrari.
The Starting flag was waved and Richie Ginther quickly took the lead (followed closely by Clark and Moss) into the first corner. From there, Jim Clark quickly became plagued with mechanical difficulties and dropped back in the race. He was not to finish. In lap 14, Richie Ginther fell to third. Moss and Jo Bonnier (from a ninth position start) passed him at almost the same time. A quarter way into the race, Moss had blazed an impressive 10 second lead in front of the other racers. From behind, the more powerful Ferraris of Hill and Ginther found their way around Jo Bonnier (then in 2nd) and began to press the hard won gap of Stirling Moss. Half way through, Moss has only an 8 second lead. By lap 60 it has been pared down to only 3 seconds. At lap 75 Richie Ginther moved into second place and tried to close the gap, but Moss was prepared to do battle. They jockeyed for position for the remainder of this exciting race, giving race fans quite the spectacle to remember. Moss was to take the checkered flag in 2:45:50.1, just 3.6 short seconds ahead of second place competitor, Richie Ginther. Stirling Moss was to make this race his third such victory.
I was almost two months old when the 61 Monaco GP took place. Having seen old black and white footage of this dramatic piece of auto racing history, I can honestly say it is one of the most exciting Formula One events that I've watched. Even 50 years after it took place and knowing the outcome in advance, I can still watch and enjoy it again and again.
The date - Sunday, May 14, 1961; the place; well, it is found on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It's a small principality that is surrounded on three sides by its much larger neighbor, France. The center of this tiny place is also less than 10 miles from Italy. It covers less than a square mile. Monaco is the name of the place... both the country and it's capital city. In fact, it's only city. Best known for being a famous tax haven and favorite destination of the jet-setting rich, this one particular day in history, Monaco was host to the inaugural race of the 1961 Formula One season.
The race was the first World Championship event held under a new 1.5 litre engine displacement limit ruling. Basically this new set of regulations concerning car configuration made engines less powerful but the driving machine slightly more balanced from previous years. It would also demand of every driver that rather than muscling his way around the track, he'd need to be more skillful and strategic in his driving to remain competitive.
Even before race day, excitement and racing action fore-shadowed what was to come. Most notably, Innes Ireland crashed in the tunnel just before one of the fastest stretches of the course during the final session of practice. His Lotus was totally destroyed and his leg was broken, effectively eliminating him from competing.
Stirling Moss was to take the pole position driving number 20, an underpowered Lotus (using a Coventry-Climax engine), for the Rob Walker team. Moss shared the first row with Richie Ginther who was driving for the Ferrari team and Jim Clark who was also driving for team Lotus. Two "Hills" share the second row, Graham Hill drove for BRM and Phil Hill, who drove for Ferrari.
The Starting flag was waved and Richie Ginther quickly took the lead (followed closely by Clark and Moss) into the first corner. From there, Jim Clark quickly became plagued with mechanical difficulties and dropped back in the race. He was not to finish. In lap 14, Richie Ginther fell to third. Moss and Jo Bonnier (from a ninth position start) passed him at almost the same time. A quarter way into the race, Moss had blazed an impressive 10 second lead in front of the other racers. From behind, the more powerful Ferraris of Hill and Ginther found their way around Jo Bonnier (then in 2nd) and began to press the hard won gap of Stirling Moss. Half way through, Moss has only an 8 second lead. By lap 60 it has been pared down to only 3 seconds. At lap 75 Richie Ginther moved into second place and tried to close the gap, but Moss was prepared to do battle. They jockeyed for position for the remainder of this exciting race, giving race fans quite the spectacle to remember. Moss was to take the checkered flag in 2:45:50.1, just 3.6 short seconds ahead of second place competitor, Richie Ginther. Stirling Moss was to make this race his third such victory.
I was almost two months old when the 61 Monaco GP took place. Having seen old black and white footage of this dramatic piece of auto racing history, I can honestly say it is one of the most exciting Formula One events that I've watched. Even 50 years after it took place and knowing the outcome in advance, I can still watch and enjoy it again and again.
Rubens Goncalves Barrichello - One of the Leaders in F1 Today
Rubens Goncalves Barrichello - One of the Leaders in F1 Today
Born on May 23, 1972 in Brazil, Rubens Goncalves Barrichello is one of today's most well-known Formula 1 racecar drivers. As the son and grandson of two other "Rubens", Barichello was often called "Rubinho" by his family, meaning "little Rubens."
His childhood was spent admiring fast cars, and Rubens quickly took to racing. He was an extremely promising driver in his youth, winning a karting title on five separate occasions in Brazil.
In 1990 at only 18 years of age, Rubens left his small-time racing in Brazil and headed overseas to Europe where he began racing in the Formula Lotus series. Rubens showed tremendous promise in the Lotus series. In fact, his first year was a huge success, winning the championship.
He repeated his winning ways the following year when he took home the championship in the British Formula 3 category. At 19-years-old, Rubens was close to making his move to Formula One, but decided on Formula 3000 instead.
Rubens wouldn't win the Formula 3000 title, but he had a very impressive third place showing that year. In 1993, he promptly joined the Jordan Formula One team for the season.
Barrichello's rookie year was effective given the circumstances. In the third race of the season, the European Grand Prix, he started in 12th place on a wet track and ended up in 2nd before a faulty car halted his progress. The car's reliability was in question all year, and Barrichello rarely finished a race.
The 1994 season started off with a bang as Barrichello finished 4th in Brazil and 3rd at Aida. These finishes put him second in the Drivers' ranking. However, a violent crash that season nearly cut Rubens' entire career short, when he was knocked unconscious and nearly killed at San Marino Grand Prix.
Two days later, Rubens' mentor, Ayrton Senna, died in a race, further dampening Barrichello's spirits. Despite the set backs, he continued to race and finished the year strong, even becoming the youngest driver in history to secure a Pole Position.
1995 would bring a year of similar good fortune. Barrichello finished 2nd in Montreal as a highlight, and in 1996, with a maturing engine and a revamped fiscal situation courtesy of Benson & Hedges, Barrichello was once again a contender in the early goings.
He would later find that his car wasn't much of a contender, and Rubens left Eddie Jordan's team in 1997. With team Stewart in 1997, Rubens only finished 3 races all year. His biggest highlight was a 2nd place finish in Monaco.
Rubens continued to perform far greater than the equipment he used with Stewart during the following seasons. Rubens took three podium spots in 1999, and consistently came ahead of teammate Jan Magnussen.
As the year 2000 rolled in, Ferrari signed the young driver and Rubens' driving had become something to admire. He secured four victories during his time with Ferrari, and finished second in points in his best season. Barrichello now drives for Honda, and is still considered one of the better drivers in the F1 series.
Born on May 23, 1972 in Brazil, Rubens Goncalves Barrichello is one of today's most well-known Formula 1 racecar drivers. As the son and grandson of two other "Rubens", Barichello was often called "Rubinho" by his family, meaning "little Rubens."
His childhood was spent admiring fast cars, and Rubens quickly took to racing. He was an extremely promising driver in his youth, winning a karting title on five separate occasions in Brazil.
In 1990 at only 18 years of age, Rubens left his small-time racing in Brazil and headed overseas to Europe where he began racing in the Formula Lotus series. Rubens showed tremendous promise in the Lotus series. In fact, his first year was a huge success, winning the championship.
He repeated his winning ways the following year when he took home the championship in the British Formula 3 category. At 19-years-old, Rubens was close to making his move to Formula One, but decided on Formula 3000 instead.
Rubens wouldn't win the Formula 3000 title, but he had a very impressive third place showing that year. In 1993, he promptly joined the Jordan Formula One team for the season.
Barrichello's rookie year was effective given the circumstances. In the third race of the season, the European Grand Prix, he started in 12th place on a wet track and ended up in 2nd before a faulty car halted his progress. The car's reliability was in question all year, and Barrichello rarely finished a race.
The 1994 season started off with a bang as Barrichello finished 4th in Brazil and 3rd at Aida. These finishes put him second in the Drivers' ranking. However, a violent crash that season nearly cut Rubens' entire career short, when he was knocked unconscious and nearly killed at San Marino Grand Prix.
Two days later, Rubens' mentor, Ayrton Senna, died in a race, further dampening Barrichello's spirits. Despite the set backs, he continued to race and finished the year strong, even becoming the youngest driver in history to secure a Pole Position.
1995 would bring a year of similar good fortune. Barrichello finished 2nd in Montreal as a highlight, and in 1996, with a maturing engine and a revamped fiscal situation courtesy of Benson & Hedges, Barrichello was once again a contender in the early goings.
He would later find that his car wasn't much of a contender, and Rubens left Eddie Jordan's team in 1997. With team Stewart in 1997, Rubens only finished 3 races all year. His biggest highlight was a 2nd place finish in Monaco.
Rubens continued to perform far greater than the equipment he used with Stewart during the following seasons. Rubens took three podium spots in 1999, and consistently came ahead of teammate Jan Magnussen.
As the year 2000 rolled in, Ferrari signed the young driver and Rubens' driving had become something to admire. He secured four victories during his time with Ferrari, and finished second in points in his best season. Barrichello now drives for Honda, and is still considered one of the better drivers in the F1 series.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile Gets Ready To Nail The Bad Guys!
Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile Gets Ready To Nail The Bad Guys!
Time to grab your Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile and travel the globe to thwart evil at every turn! Or at least take a trip to your best friends house and fire Finn's rocket launchers at his kid sister. Ok! Just kidding about that! (said with just a soft spy type laugh to let you know that I really wasn't!) When you feast your eyes of this latest release from Mattel and Disney, you will see exactly why the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile is going to be another one of the toys in the Cars 2 lineup that will have kids everywhere wanting to become an international super spy.
Now just in case you don't have a whole lot of background intel (a secret spy word for knowing who's who) on Finn McMissile, he is the ultra suave and sophisticated British master spy who has sniffed out a evil plot in regards to the World Grand Prix in the upcoming movie Cars 2. And naturally, like any good spy would do, he embarks on an adventure in order to save the day! Now just like in the movie, the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile comes with a variety of high tech weaponry to help him succeed in his daring mission.
So just how cool is the Cars 2 Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile? Well let's begin with the fact that he talks and says some his signature lines from the movie. To make Finn talk, all your child has to do is press on the hood, where there is a sticker conveniently located that says "press", and Finn will start talking. But wait! There's more!
If you fully depress the hood on Finn out will pop 2 ultra high tech spy type missile launchers from the top of each fender that are ready to launch missiles at your nearest adversary! And the uniqueness with the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile gets even better. If your child presses down on the rear bumper, another missile launcher pops up from the trunk along with a super secret infra green spy screen from the roof. When you're done with your mission all you have to do is push them back in and Finn is right back to normal and ready to mingle unnoticed.
With features like these, along with the attention to detail that Mattel has done with the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile, this is surely going to be one of your kids favorite new toys to play with. In fact, Finn could in all likelihood turn out to be a surprise best seller once the Cars 2 movie hits the big screens.
Time to grab your Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile and travel the globe to thwart evil at every turn! Or at least take a trip to your best friends house and fire Finn's rocket launchers at his kid sister. Ok! Just kidding about that! (said with just a soft spy type laugh to let you know that I really wasn't!) When you feast your eyes of this latest release from Mattel and Disney, you will see exactly why the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile is going to be another one of the toys in the Cars 2 lineup that will have kids everywhere wanting to become an international super spy.
Now just in case you don't have a whole lot of background intel (a secret spy word for knowing who's who) on Finn McMissile, he is the ultra suave and sophisticated British master spy who has sniffed out a evil plot in regards to the World Grand Prix in the upcoming movie Cars 2. And naturally, like any good spy would do, he embarks on an adventure in order to save the day! Now just like in the movie, the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile comes with a variety of high tech weaponry to help him succeed in his daring mission.
So just how cool is the Cars 2 Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile? Well let's begin with the fact that he talks and says some his signature lines from the movie. To make Finn talk, all your child has to do is press on the hood, where there is a sticker conveniently located that says "press", and Finn will start talking. But wait! There's more!
If you fully depress the hood on Finn out will pop 2 ultra high tech spy type missile launchers from the top of each fender that are ready to launch missiles at your nearest adversary! And the uniqueness with the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile gets even better. If your child presses down on the rear bumper, another missile launcher pops up from the trunk along with a super secret infra green spy screen from the roof. When you're done with your mission all you have to do is push them back in and Finn is right back to normal and ready to mingle unnoticed.
With features like these, along with the attention to detail that Mattel has done with the Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile, this is surely going to be one of your kids favorite new toys to play with. In fact, Finn could in all likelihood turn out to be a surprise best seller once the Cars 2 movie hits the big screens.
Yamaha Motorcycles Assessment
Yamaha Motorcycles Assessment
The development of Yamaha motorcycles is one that took place quite by accident. In 1953 the company was already developing a variety of other products. They were looking for a use for idle pieces of equipment that had once been used to make propellers for airplanes. The ideas for this equipment included sewing machines, auto parts, scooters, all terrain vehicles, and motorcycles. The decision was made to focus on manufacturing motorcycles because of the market demand for them.
The first Yamaha motorcycle was introduced in August of 1954, called the Yamaha YA-1. This bike featured a two stroke single cylinder engine. By July of 1955 Yamaha was creating 200 quality motorcycles each month with a staff of 274 people. The YD-1 was introduced in 1957 as a racing bike. The bike quickly became popular and was featured in the United States Catalina Grand Prix in 1958.
This gave Yamaha the invitation to start selling its motorcycles in the United States with a private dealer in California. To further attract sales in the United States, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA was established in 1977. In 1959 Yamaha introduced the idea of offering a converter kit to consumers. This allowed the motorcycle to be used for both street riding and motocross racing.
By 1960 Yamaha was producing 135,000 bikes per year. 1965 saw the advancement of no longer having to mix oil with gas due to the automatic oiling system. By 1973 Yamaha was selling more than 1 million motorcycles each year worldwide.
During the 1970's they began working on developing four stroke models to compete with other manufacturers. The results were faster motorcycles that met emissions regulations and were even more economical than the two stroke models. However, they also realized the potential to continue selling two stroke models to consumers as well. Many other manufacturers focused only on four strokes, so Yamaha was able to meet the needs of that target market.
1974 brought the introduction of the YZ250. This model quickly became the largest selling motocross bike because it featured a single horizontal rear suspension system. Yamaha built a racing track right next to the plant, allowing them to continually observe the quality and capabilities of their products.
Yamaha created one of the fastest racing bike models in 1985 with the introduction of the V-Max. This was classified as a muscle bike, with power that was not for the beginning rider. They continue to produce some of the fastest bikes on the market both for street riding and for racing.
Yamaha has never been satisfied to simply stop when they had a good thing going. They always had a vision of achieving more and to strive to further customer satisfaction. The visions and philosophies of the company have proven to be effective in every aspect of motorcycle production. The fact that they offer so many different models means the consumer has the opportunity to find the exact motorcycle they are looking for from a brand name they know they can trust to offer them a quality product.
While some of their models of motorcycles haven't sold well, many of them have. Yamaha has always focused on the future of motorcycles while keeping in mind what consumers are wanting. They have been able to diversify their developments, and it has paid off by allowing them to reach a large portion of the motorcycle market without compromising their vision.
Today, Yamaha is the second largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world behind Harley-Davidson. They continue to make fast, reliable motorcycles that customers around the world are proud to own. They also manufacture motorcycles that have won more races than any other brand on the market. Their diversity and dedication to making quality motorcycles that meet the needs of the consumer have kept them a top seller in this growing industry. Yamaha dealerships can be found around the world, offering a full range of motorcycle models to suit your tastes.
The development of Yamaha motorcycles is one that took place quite by accident. In 1953 the company was already developing a variety of other products. They were looking for a use for idle pieces of equipment that had once been used to make propellers for airplanes. The ideas for this equipment included sewing machines, auto parts, scooters, all terrain vehicles, and motorcycles. The decision was made to focus on manufacturing motorcycles because of the market demand for them.
The first Yamaha motorcycle was introduced in August of 1954, called the Yamaha YA-1. This bike featured a two stroke single cylinder engine. By July of 1955 Yamaha was creating 200 quality motorcycles each month with a staff of 274 people. The YD-1 was introduced in 1957 as a racing bike. The bike quickly became popular and was featured in the United States Catalina Grand Prix in 1958.
This gave Yamaha the invitation to start selling its motorcycles in the United States with a private dealer in California. To further attract sales in the United States, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA was established in 1977. In 1959 Yamaha introduced the idea of offering a converter kit to consumers. This allowed the motorcycle to be used for both street riding and motocross racing.
By 1960 Yamaha was producing 135,000 bikes per year. 1965 saw the advancement of no longer having to mix oil with gas due to the automatic oiling system. By 1973 Yamaha was selling more than 1 million motorcycles each year worldwide.
During the 1970's they began working on developing four stroke models to compete with other manufacturers. The results were faster motorcycles that met emissions regulations and were even more economical than the two stroke models. However, they also realized the potential to continue selling two stroke models to consumers as well. Many other manufacturers focused only on four strokes, so Yamaha was able to meet the needs of that target market.
1974 brought the introduction of the YZ250. This model quickly became the largest selling motocross bike because it featured a single horizontal rear suspension system. Yamaha built a racing track right next to the plant, allowing them to continually observe the quality and capabilities of their products.
Yamaha created one of the fastest racing bike models in 1985 with the introduction of the V-Max. This was classified as a muscle bike, with power that was not for the beginning rider. They continue to produce some of the fastest bikes on the market both for street riding and for racing.
Yamaha has never been satisfied to simply stop when they had a good thing going. They always had a vision of achieving more and to strive to further customer satisfaction. The visions and philosophies of the company have proven to be effective in every aspect of motorcycle production. The fact that they offer so many different models means the consumer has the opportunity to find the exact motorcycle they are looking for from a brand name they know they can trust to offer them a quality product.
While some of their models of motorcycles haven't sold well, many of them have. Yamaha has always focused on the future of motorcycles while keeping in mind what consumers are wanting. They have been able to diversify their developments, and it has paid off by allowing them to reach a large portion of the motorcycle market without compromising their vision.
Today, Yamaha is the second largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world behind Harley-Davidson. They continue to make fast, reliable motorcycles that customers around the world are proud to own. They also manufacture motorcycles that have won more races than any other brand on the market. Their diversity and dedication to making quality motorcycles that meet the needs of the consumer have kept them a top seller in this growing industry. Yamaha dealerships can be found around the world, offering a full range of motorcycle models to suit your tastes.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The History Of Formula One Winners
The History Of Formula One Winners
Formula 1 is one of the most popular sports in the world. It takes a deceptive amount of skill and strategy to do well, and since the 1950 season, there have been few that can do it as well as the official season winners. With a pedigree that goes back more than 60 years, the sport has no signs of slowing down any time soon. But where did it all begin, and how far has it come since those post-War days? In the following article, you'll learn about the history of the Formula 1 winners as well as some of their earnings and the circumstances behind their wins. If you have an interest or a fascination with this sport, then read on:
1) Giuseppe Farina
The first Formula 1 winner was Giuseppe Farina. This Italian born driver used Pirelli tires, pretty much putting the company on the map. He had three wins and three podiums. Also, three times he took the fastest lap honors and amassed a total of 30 points, besting out everyone else in the series. The engine was an Alfa Romeo, which would win the following year as well when Juan Manuel Fangio would take the title.
2) Juan Manuel Fangio
Fangio would take two years off from claiming the Formula 1 racing crown in 1952 and 1953, but he would follow up that hiatus with four consecutive wins, the first driver to have won more than two titles. His dominance ended in 1958 when Mike Hawthorn of Great Britain would take over. Hawthorn's success would be short lived as the following year would see another consecutive champion sit behind the wheel.
3) Jack Brabham
Driving a Cooper engine, Brabham would win the titles in 1959 and 1960. While any win was a good win in Brabham's eyes, the one that came in 1960 was sweeter than most. He set a new points record with 43. That record would stand until 1963, when Jim Clark demolished it with 54. However, Brabham returned in 1966 to claim his third and final Formula 1 racing championship.
4) Jackie Stewart
Formula 1 driver Jackie Stewart scored big in 1969, 1971, and 1973, with three F1 championships. Stewart's final year to win would bring with it a new points record at 71. The record would not stand for long, though its accomplishment at the time would be spectacularly noteworthy.
F1 has come a long way since its inception. The last two years Sebastian Vettel has claimed both titles, smashing the points record in the process with 256 in 2010 and then an astounding 374 in 2011. who knows where the sport will end up? But as for the history, it's a long and rich one.
Formula 1 is one of the most popular sports in the world. It takes a deceptive amount of skill and strategy to do well, and since the 1950 season, there have been few that can do it as well as the official season winners. With a pedigree that goes back more than 60 years, the sport has no signs of slowing down any time soon. But where did it all begin, and how far has it come since those post-War days? In the following article, you'll learn about the history of the Formula 1 winners as well as some of their earnings and the circumstances behind their wins. If you have an interest or a fascination with this sport, then read on:
1) Giuseppe Farina
The first Formula 1 winner was Giuseppe Farina. This Italian born driver used Pirelli tires, pretty much putting the company on the map. He had three wins and three podiums. Also, three times he took the fastest lap honors and amassed a total of 30 points, besting out everyone else in the series. The engine was an Alfa Romeo, which would win the following year as well when Juan Manuel Fangio would take the title.
2) Juan Manuel Fangio
Fangio would take two years off from claiming the Formula 1 racing crown in 1952 and 1953, but he would follow up that hiatus with four consecutive wins, the first driver to have won more than two titles. His dominance ended in 1958 when Mike Hawthorn of Great Britain would take over. Hawthorn's success would be short lived as the following year would see another consecutive champion sit behind the wheel.
3) Jack Brabham
Driving a Cooper engine, Brabham would win the titles in 1959 and 1960. While any win was a good win in Brabham's eyes, the one that came in 1960 was sweeter than most. He set a new points record with 43. That record would stand until 1963, when Jim Clark demolished it with 54. However, Brabham returned in 1966 to claim his third and final Formula 1 racing championship.
4) Jackie Stewart
Formula 1 driver Jackie Stewart scored big in 1969, 1971, and 1973, with three F1 championships. Stewart's final year to win would bring with it a new points record at 71. The record would not stand for long, though its accomplishment at the time would be spectacularly noteworthy.
F1 has come a long way since its inception. The last two years Sebastian Vettel has claimed both titles, smashing the points record in the process with 256 in 2010 and then an astounding 374 in 2011. who knows where the sport will end up? But as for the history, it's a long and rich one.
Success Lessons From Formula One
Success Lessons From Formula One
The era of Michael Schumacher, the seven times world champion of Formula One racing finally came to an end in Brazil on Sunday 22nd Oct 2006. He is regarded as one of the most successful drivers of all time. What are the secrets of his success?
Perhaps the main secret is his ability to prioritize. He decides on his main goal in life and then pursues it with enormous commitment.
On Sunday, 10th September 2006, I left my house for a walk just as the Formula One race at Monza, the home circuit of Ferrari, was beginning. Schumacher was one of the favorites to win. I wanted to watch the race but my priority was exercise.
As expected, Michael won the race and then announced his retirement from Formula One. One probable reason for his retirement is that he feels that he cannot give his racing career the time and effort it demands.
His priority may now be his family and other key aspects of his life. He owns several houses in pleasant locations and will be able to give his family a rich and varied life. His annual income of about 30 million dollars should mean that he will never need to work again.
He has made motor racing his priority for the last thirty years and Formula One has been his priority for the last fifteen years. This must be one of the main reasons for his success. A Jack of all trades is master of none.
Jenson Button, a thoughtful British driver, believes that Schumacher is as good as ever, but thinks that he has reached a point in his life when racing cars is no longer a priority:
"I don't think he is on the wane. There comes a time when you need more in your life. Formula One can't be your whole life."
Another secret of Michael Schumacher's success is his fitness. Racing drivers need to be very, very fit. Michael is so fit that he can finish a race without breaking sweat.
I saw him recently on TV working out on a kicking bag. His flexibility allowed him to kick high and hard. He also uses weights in his workouts.
After he broke his leg badly at the British Grand Prix in 1999, he worked very hard to return to fitness. He came back fitter and stronger.
"His level of fitness is incredible," says Ross Brawn, his strategist.
Murray Walker, the great commentator, pinpointed a third secret to his success as being his 'massive application' to every aspect of his craft. Working hard at their skills and knowledge can make anyone into a very valuable and well-paid person.
Murray believes Michael helped turn Ferrari round:
"When Michael joined Ferrari, they were a struggling team but then Michael and Ferrari began one of the most impressive comebacks in Formula One history. But it would be hard work."
Button commented on this aspect:
"Michael is one of the first to really work in every area you could think of - in training and pushing his team as hard as he could. He spent night and day trying to improve the car."
Ross Brawn, Michael's strategist, agreed:
"His application was at a different level to anyone prior to him both inside the car and outside the car."
Michael believes in teamwork and his first action after his triumphant win at Monza was to walk over to his mechanics and other team members to give them a hug and words of appreciation.
Brawn comments: "He took his involvement with the team and his work with the engineers to a new level. It is not unusual for him to be here to 10 or 11 on Saturday night."
Eddie Jordan agrees: "Very few people that I have ever come across spend as much time as he does making sure that his car is as perfect as it can be."
A Formula One driver cannot be a champion without a great car and a great team of people to service and maintain it. He also needs the help of expert strategists like Ross Brawn, the master mind behind many of his victories.
There were tears in the Ferrari garage as they contemplated the end of Schumacher's racing career but not every one in motor sport was tearful. As you might expect, the rivals of Ferrari were not shedding any tears at his departure!
The head of the Renault opposition - Flavio Briatore - was asked how much he would miss Schumacher. His reply was brief and to the point:
"I won't miss him at all!"
Recently, on a website dedicated to persuading Schumacher to stay, a dissenting voice managed to escape the censors:
"Go now, and take that useless brother with you."
Some of his fellow drivers felt that his desire to win sometimes took him over the edge of fairness. Brawn admits that but feels that being willing to go over the edge is what makes him a world champion.
Schumacher has several enemies but few can deny his talent and, possibly, genius. Martin Brundle was his racing team mate for several years:
"I am in awe of his driving skill He still has his speed and fitness but it is better to stop a year too early than a year too late. He is a good all rounder and one of the greats of all time."
What lessons can we learn from Michael Schumacher's Formula One career?
Decide on your priorities and stick to them until you succeed and feel ready to move on to other things.
Work very hard at developing all the skills, including fitness, which are necessary to achieve excellence in your chosen career. It helps if you choose a career you have talent for. Sometimes, however, hard work can create talent where it did not appear to exist before. It can even turn talent into genius.
Recognize the importance of teamwork and show your appreciation of the people that support you in your career.
Ignore the comments and lack of respect shown you by rivals or enemies and, if you can't ignore them, at least don't let them discourage you from pursuing your chosen course.
Retire when you are at the top of your game.
According to the record books, Michael is the greatest driver of all time in Formula One. However, some feel that the controversial incidents in his career place him below the great Ayrton Senna who died in 1994 at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Maybe a new, younger driver like Alonso or Jensen Button will overtake them both
1,103 .
The era of Michael Schumacher, the seven times world champion of Formula One racing finally came to an end in Brazil on Sunday 22nd Oct 2006. He is regarded as one of the most successful drivers of all time. What are the secrets of his success?
Perhaps the main secret is his ability to prioritize. He decides on his main goal in life and then pursues it with enormous commitment.
On Sunday, 10th September 2006, I left my house for a walk just as the Formula One race at Monza, the home circuit of Ferrari, was beginning. Schumacher was one of the favorites to win. I wanted to watch the race but my priority was exercise.
As expected, Michael won the race and then announced his retirement from Formula One. One probable reason for his retirement is that he feels that he cannot give his racing career the time and effort it demands.
His priority may now be his family and other key aspects of his life. He owns several houses in pleasant locations and will be able to give his family a rich and varied life. His annual income of about 30 million dollars should mean that he will never need to work again.
He has made motor racing his priority for the last thirty years and Formula One has been his priority for the last fifteen years. This must be one of the main reasons for his success. A Jack of all trades is master of none.
Jenson Button, a thoughtful British driver, believes that Schumacher is as good as ever, but thinks that he has reached a point in his life when racing cars is no longer a priority:
"I don't think he is on the wane. There comes a time when you need more in your life. Formula One can't be your whole life."
Another secret of Michael Schumacher's success is his fitness. Racing drivers need to be very, very fit. Michael is so fit that he can finish a race without breaking sweat.
I saw him recently on TV working out on a kicking bag. His flexibility allowed him to kick high and hard. He also uses weights in his workouts.
After he broke his leg badly at the British Grand Prix in 1999, he worked very hard to return to fitness. He came back fitter and stronger.
"His level of fitness is incredible," says Ross Brawn, his strategist.
Murray Walker, the great commentator, pinpointed a third secret to his success as being his 'massive application' to every aspect of his craft. Working hard at their skills and knowledge can make anyone into a very valuable and well-paid person.
Murray believes Michael helped turn Ferrari round:
"When Michael joined Ferrari, they were a struggling team but then Michael and Ferrari began one of the most impressive comebacks in Formula One history. But it would be hard work."
Button commented on this aspect:
"Michael is one of the first to really work in every area you could think of - in training and pushing his team as hard as he could. He spent night and day trying to improve the car."
Ross Brawn, Michael's strategist, agreed:
"His application was at a different level to anyone prior to him both inside the car and outside the car."
Michael believes in teamwork and his first action after his triumphant win at Monza was to walk over to his mechanics and other team members to give them a hug and words of appreciation.
Brawn comments: "He took his involvement with the team and his work with the engineers to a new level. It is not unusual for him to be here to 10 or 11 on Saturday night."
Eddie Jordan agrees: "Very few people that I have ever come across spend as much time as he does making sure that his car is as perfect as it can be."
A Formula One driver cannot be a champion without a great car and a great team of people to service and maintain it. He also needs the help of expert strategists like Ross Brawn, the master mind behind many of his victories.
There were tears in the Ferrari garage as they contemplated the end of Schumacher's racing career but not every one in motor sport was tearful. As you might expect, the rivals of Ferrari were not shedding any tears at his departure!
The head of the Renault opposition - Flavio Briatore - was asked how much he would miss Schumacher. His reply was brief and to the point:
"I won't miss him at all!"
Recently, on a website dedicated to persuading Schumacher to stay, a dissenting voice managed to escape the censors:
"Go now, and take that useless brother with you."
Some of his fellow drivers felt that his desire to win sometimes took him over the edge of fairness. Brawn admits that but feels that being willing to go over the edge is what makes him a world champion.
Schumacher has several enemies but few can deny his talent and, possibly, genius. Martin Brundle was his racing team mate for several years:
"I am in awe of his driving skill He still has his speed and fitness but it is better to stop a year too early than a year too late. He is a good all rounder and one of the greats of all time."
What lessons can we learn from Michael Schumacher's Formula One career?
Decide on your priorities and stick to them until you succeed and feel ready to move on to other things.
Work very hard at developing all the skills, including fitness, which are necessary to achieve excellence in your chosen career. It helps if you choose a career you have talent for. Sometimes, however, hard work can create talent where it did not appear to exist before. It can even turn talent into genius.
Recognize the importance of teamwork and show your appreciation of the people that support you in your career.
Ignore the comments and lack of respect shown you by rivals or enemies and, if you can't ignore them, at least don't let them discourage you from pursuing your chosen course.
Retire when you are at the top of your game.
According to the record books, Michael is the greatest driver of all time in Formula One. However, some feel that the controversial incidents in his career place him below the great Ayrton Senna who died in 1994 at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Maybe a new, younger driver like Alonso or Jensen Button will overtake them both
1,103 .
Saturday, March 17, 2012
What's Special About The 1969 Porsche 912 - Origins
What's Special About The 1969 Porsche 912 - Origins
The Porsche 912 began as the Porsche 901, introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963. Porsche's new Model 901 for 1964 was a sensation to some and viewed with skepticism by others. In addition to a slightly larger and distinctly attractive new body, the 901 featured Porsche's new 6 cylinder, air cooled, race-derived, double overhead cam engine.
In what seems to have been a rare mistake, Porsche gave their new passenger car the 901 model designation. However, a French company had an existing copyright on all European passenger car model designations with a zero in the middle position.
Porsche adjusted quickly and introduced the new 1965 Model 911 the year after the Frankfurt Auto Show. (Porsche could, and did, use the center zero on race car models, including the stunning fiberglass bodied 904, the 907 and 908.)
Early sales of the then-revolutionary 911 were slow. Many Porsche owners who might have been early 911 buyers may have been unsure of the new 6 cylinder engine.
Thousands of owners, though, were very happy with the legendary 4 cylinder pushrod engine that had served them faithfully since the early 1950s.
The Porsche factory had a supply of the Model 356 engines on hand, so it didn't take long for the new 912 to be introduced with the more familiar engine in 1965.
The 1965 "painted dash" and later 912s were well received. The 912 actually outsold the much faster (and more expensive) 911 by about two to one in the 1965 model year.
And for good reason; the Porsche 912 featured a slightly de-tuned version of the well-known Model 356 Super 90 engine and a snappy new design. Beneath the exquisite new Porsche body were the 911's independent 4 wheel torsion bar suspension and race-proven chassis features.
The 912 was roomier than the Model 356. It also had better driver visibility and boasted almost perfect 45/55 front/rear weight distribution. The 912 cost less and weighed less than the 911.
The 912 was easier (and less expensive) to maintain. The 912's economical, durable, and race-proven engine traced its roots back through the successful "giant killer" Porsche Model 356 variants and directly to Dr. Porsche's Volkswagen of the late 1930s.
Porsche reportedly manufactured 31,270 912s during the 1965 to 1969 model years.
In the final 1969 model year, a reported 4,679 912s rolled off Porsche assembly line into the garages of eager buyers all over the world.
Mine is pictured above, in British Columbia after having been driven on U.S. Route 95 without incident from the Mexican border at San Luis, Arizona to Eastport Idaho at the Canadian border. The car has its original 1969 yellow on black California license plates and new (2006) Grand Prix White paint.
It was built as a Light Ivory 4-speed Coupe with tinted windows, front and rear bumper horns and a Blaupunkt AM/FM/SW radio. It rolled off the Porsche assembly line on May 13, 1969.
For many, including this Writer, the 1969 912 was, and is, the perfect sports car for the common man or woman.
It also happens to be an ideal high performance ride for enjoying America's current and former U.S. highways in classic style.
The Porsche 912 began as the Porsche 901, introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963. Porsche's new Model 901 for 1964 was a sensation to some and viewed with skepticism by others. In addition to a slightly larger and distinctly attractive new body, the 901 featured Porsche's new 6 cylinder, air cooled, race-derived, double overhead cam engine.
In what seems to have been a rare mistake, Porsche gave their new passenger car the 901 model designation. However, a French company had an existing copyright on all European passenger car model designations with a zero in the middle position.
Porsche adjusted quickly and introduced the new 1965 Model 911 the year after the Frankfurt Auto Show. (Porsche could, and did, use the center zero on race car models, including the stunning fiberglass bodied 904, the 907 and 908.)
Early sales of the then-revolutionary 911 were slow. Many Porsche owners who might have been early 911 buyers may have been unsure of the new 6 cylinder engine.
Thousands of owners, though, were very happy with the legendary 4 cylinder pushrod engine that had served them faithfully since the early 1950s.
The Porsche factory had a supply of the Model 356 engines on hand, so it didn't take long for the new 912 to be introduced with the more familiar engine in 1965.
The 1965 "painted dash" and later 912s were well received. The 912 actually outsold the much faster (and more expensive) 911 by about two to one in the 1965 model year.
And for good reason; the Porsche 912 featured a slightly de-tuned version of the well-known Model 356 Super 90 engine and a snappy new design. Beneath the exquisite new Porsche body were the 911's independent 4 wheel torsion bar suspension and race-proven chassis features.
The 912 was roomier than the Model 356. It also had better driver visibility and boasted almost perfect 45/55 front/rear weight distribution. The 912 cost less and weighed less than the 911.
The 912 was easier (and less expensive) to maintain. The 912's economical, durable, and race-proven engine traced its roots back through the successful "giant killer" Porsche Model 356 variants and directly to Dr. Porsche's Volkswagen of the late 1930s.
Porsche reportedly manufactured 31,270 912s during the 1965 to 1969 model years.
In the final 1969 model year, a reported 4,679 912s rolled off Porsche assembly line into the garages of eager buyers all over the world.
Mine is pictured above, in British Columbia after having been driven on U.S. Route 95 without incident from the Mexican border at San Luis, Arizona to Eastport Idaho at the Canadian border. The car has its original 1969 yellow on black California license plates and new (2006) Grand Prix White paint.
It was built as a Light Ivory 4-speed Coupe with tinted windows, front and rear bumper horns and a Blaupunkt AM/FM/SW radio. It rolled off the Porsche assembly line on May 13, 1969.
For many, including this Writer, the 1969 912 was, and is, the perfect sports car for the common man or woman.
It also happens to be an ideal high performance ride for enjoying America's current and former U.S. highways in classic style.
Types of Racing Karts
Types of Racing Karts
There are many different racing karts around. In America and all over the world. They each have their own styles and ways they are used. I can't cover all of them here, because there is so many but I can cover the major ones you may encounter.
The Speedway Kart races primarily on pavement oval tracks. These are seen a lot in America mostly, as road course racing is more popular everywhere else in the world. The oval tracks can range in size from 1/6 of a mile to 1/4 of a mile.
This is kind of similar to the Speedway kart but these race on dirt. This is once again a mostly American thing with a lot of weekend dirt racers around that enjoy to race on dirt. Dirt tracks are almost always ovals, in fact I have never seen an official dirt road course track, but it is possible.
The Champ Kart is like the two kart types above but has a roll cage. A roll cage is basically a roof for it, but it's not really a roof, just some bars over your head to keep you away from anything if the kart flips over. This offers added protection onto an already safe form of racing. Plus some people just think it looks cooler to race one of these.
The Shifter Kart has a gearbox. A gearbox allows the people who race this type of kart to shift gears, which allows more speed and action to racing. These are almost always raced on road course tracks, and are popular everywhere. Most professional kart racers race these types of karts.
The superkart is the fastest type in the world. It has a gearbox like a shifter, and because of it's fast speeds, has a more aerodynamic body and a spoiler in most cases to keep the kart down while achieving these speeds. (up to 160mph!)
Other types of racing karts include the Rotax Kart, Sprint Kart, Kid Kart, Enduro Kart, Indoor Race Kart, Outlaw Sprint Kart, and the TaG Kart (touch and go).
There are many different racing karts around. In America and all over the world. They each have their own styles and ways they are used. I can't cover all of them here, because there is so many but I can cover the major ones you may encounter.
The Speedway Kart races primarily on pavement oval tracks. These are seen a lot in America mostly, as road course racing is more popular everywhere else in the world. The oval tracks can range in size from 1/6 of a mile to 1/4 of a mile.
This is kind of similar to the Speedway kart but these race on dirt. This is once again a mostly American thing with a lot of weekend dirt racers around that enjoy to race on dirt. Dirt tracks are almost always ovals, in fact I have never seen an official dirt road course track, but it is possible.
The Champ Kart is like the two kart types above but has a roll cage. A roll cage is basically a roof for it, but it's not really a roof, just some bars over your head to keep you away from anything if the kart flips over. This offers added protection onto an already safe form of racing. Plus some people just think it looks cooler to race one of these.
The Shifter Kart has a gearbox. A gearbox allows the people who race this type of kart to shift gears, which allows more speed and action to racing. These are almost always raced on road course tracks, and are popular everywhere. Most professional kart racers race these types of karts.
The superkart is the fastest type in the world. It has a gearbox like a shifter, and because of it's fast speeds, has a more aerodynamic body and a spoiler in most cases to keep the kart down while achieving these speeds. (up to 160mph!)
Other types of racing karts include the Rotax Kart, Sprint Kart, Kid Kart, Enduro Kart, Indoor Race Kart, Outlaw Sprint Kart, and the TaG Kart (touch and go).
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