Kubica: Moving in the right direction

Kubica has spent the last two-and-a-half months at the Pietra Ligure hospital in Italy following an horrific accident whilst competing in the Ronde di Andora rally on February 6.

The Pole was forced to undergo four separate surgical procedures after sustaining multiple fractures to an arm and leg, as well as a severed right hand.

After being taken off the critical list, Renault driver Kubica has since been undergoing extensive rehabilitation, and is now at last approaching a position where he can continue away from hospital.

A further programme will follow under the supervision of Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli, who runs the Italian sports clinic 'Formula Medicine' and is a consultant with Renault.

"I am starting to feel a lot better now," said Kubica.

"My recovery is moving in the right direction. My strength and weight are increasing day on day and as a result I will leave the hospital very soon.

"I don't have a precise date as yet, but I hope to be able to leave within the next 10 days."

Of primary concern has long been the condition of Kubica's right hand, the mobility of which he has admitted "is limited."

However, he added: "This is pretty normal in this kind of situation because the connected arm muscles are still very weak due to the long period of immobility.

"Things are definitely improving day by day.

"As soon as I leave hospital, I'll head to my home in Monaco for a short period of rest.

"Then I'll move to Dr Ceccarelli's facilities where I will start a deep rehabilitation program and a preliminary soft training programme.

"The two programmes will gradually cross over based on the speed of my recovery."

Despite his situation, Kubica has been following the season so far, with Renault making a strong start with podium finishes for Vitaly Petrov and replacement Nick Heidfeld in Australia and Malaysia respectively.

Asked if he had stayed in touch with the team, Kubica said: "Yes, of course.

"Especially since the season started, I've been liaising with my engineers on what's been going on over race weekends.

"They are sending me the race reports so I can remain up to date and fully informed, as if I were there at the tracks.

"(Team principal) Eric Boullier is also in constant contact, keeping up to date with my general condition.

"I've also watched the races, and there is no doubt it's been a strong start to the season.

"The potential of the car, which I already noticed in the February Valencia test, seems to be confirmed.

"As usual, it's now important the development continues to produce consistent updates for maintaining this level of performance.

"The guys did a great job with this car and I'm sure they'll continue to improve.

"From my side, I'll try to use my difficult experience to come back as strong as I possibly can."

Getting a Buzz Out of ‘Boring’ Golf

By Chris Lehourites

London - PowerPlay is a golf game fit for a Formula One fan.

Hoping to change the face of a sport often considered to be staid and boring, organizers of the PowerPlay Golf series are looking to bring in new fans by offering a faster pace and more excitement with two pins per green and only nine holes in a round.

“Stand by for something very special,” Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie said on Wednesday in a statement. “Golf around the world is about to discover a new dimension.”

Montgomerie will be joined by US Open champion Graeme McDowell in a 12-player field that includes former major winners Gary Player, John Daly and Ian Woosnam in a PowerPlay tournament in May at Celtic Manor in Wales.

In PowerPlay golf, players can score different point totals depending on which of the two cups they go for on each green. The game is scored using a nine-hole “variation on golf’s Stableford points scoring system,” PowerPlay Golf said on its Web site.

Each player will get a limited amount of opportunities to putt to the black flag, which would be placed in a more difficult part of the green. If a player makes a birdie into that hole, more points are awarded.

On the final hole, all players can go for the black flag, where organizers said a “birdie wins points galore, and possibly the tournament … but failure to make par spells disaster.”

Player, a nine-time major winner, described the game’s appeal by thinking back to his days at the Masters, a tournament he won three times.

“You are standing in the middle of the 18th fairway at Augusta National tied for the lead. What do you do?” Player said. “Risk versus reward — one of the toughest decisions a champion has to make.”

The event at Celtic Manor on May 30 is the inaugural tournament in a three-event series, and the list of participants is likely to draw fans of the traditional game.

The field also includes Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Paula Creamer and Helen Alfredsson.

The game is meant to “increase golf’s appeal to a wider sporting TV audience,” PowerPlay Golf said. The winner of the first tournament at Celtic Manor will receive 100,000 pounds ($163,000).

PowerPlay Golf has likened itself to Twenty20 cricket. The traditional sport of cricket is played over five days, while a one-day version lasts about eight hours. With the introduction of Twenty20 cricket in 2003, the game was reduced to about four hours.

“Creating a three-hour risk-and-reward shootout live for TV is a great idea,” McDowell said, “and I am sure we will all be going full-on to win.”

Associated Press

Hype Machine for Southeast Asian Games Ready to Go Into Overdrive

The promotional campaign for the Southeast Asian Games can now go full blast, after organizers said on Monday that they had secured state funds for that purpose.

The Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc) said it would begin ramping up publicity for the Nov. 11-20 event in line with the 200-day countdown to the Games, which starts next Monday.

The country is hosting the Games for the first time since 1997, but there has been little hype about the region’s biggest multisport event coming to town.

In Jakarta, the only sign promoting the Games can be found at the Bung Karno Sports Complex where a medium-sized billboard has been put up.

Tubagus Ade Lukman, head of the Inasoc marketing department, said all that was about to change. The kickoff of the 200-day countdown will be marked at the Jakabaring Sports Complex in Palembang, South Sumatra, and at Teater Tanah Airku in Jakarta.

“We’ll schedule the release of publicity materials to keep the hype up, then make sure it peaks when the Games begin,” said Ade, who declined to reveal the budget allocated by the government.

He said the committee would concentrate its promotional activities at airports, office buildings and commercial centers.

Several companies that are sponsors of the Games will work with Inasoc on the marketing efforts, he said.

According to Ade, flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has agreed to use in-flight media to promote the Games. The airline will also begin selling Games merchandise during flights.

Electronics company Panasonic Gobel Indonesia and Indofood Sukses Makmur, Indonesia’s biggest instant-noodle maker, are also expected to be involved in promoting the Games.

Panasonic reportedly signed a Rp 100 billion ($11.5 million) sponsorship deal with Inasoc, while Indofood is scheduled to sign a memorandum of agreement with organizers this week.

“One thing is sure, there will be more sponsors coming,” said Ginung Pratidina, Inasoc deputy secretary general.

He said they were also waiting for state-owned firms to come through on a promise of support.

During a meeting with the Coordinating Ministry for People’s Welfare last week, the State Enterprises Ministry pledged its support for the Games.

“We’re just waiting for word from these companies. Hopefully, they can deliver,” Ginung said. (Ami Afriatni)

Honda CBX 250 TWister (2001)

Technical Specifications
Honda CBX 250 TWister (2001)
Engine
Engine type
Bore x Stroke
Displacement
Valves
Compression ratio
Max Power
Max Torque
Fuel system
Transmission
Final drive
Clutch
Ignition type
Starting system
Lubrication
Exhaust
Spark plug
Battery
Gear ratios

Oil cooled, single cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC
73.0 x 59.5 mm
249cc
4 valves per cylinder
9.3:1
24 hp (17.9 kW) @ 8000 rpm
24 Nm (17.7 ft. lbs) @ 6000 rpm
Carburetors
6-speed
Chain

Transistorized with electronic advance
Electric starter
Wet sump




Dimensions
Frame type
Castor
Overall length
Overall width
Overall height
Wheelbase
Seat height
Ground clearance
Dry weight
Fuel capacity
Colors
Suspension (front)
Suspension (rear)
Tyre (front)
Tyre (rear)
Brake (front)
Brake (rear)



2031 mm (80 inches)
746 mm (29.4 inches)
1057 mm (41.6 inches)
1369 mm (53.9 inches)
782 mm (30.8 inches)
162 mm (6.4 inches)
135 kg
16.5 litres

Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped
Swinging arm, coil spring, oil damped, spring pre-load
100/80-R17
130/70-R17
Single disc 276 mm with 4-piston calipers
Drum 130 mm

Picture: http://minasgerais.inetgiant.com.br/AdDetails/CBX-250CC-TWISTER/2873274

Asus Transformer TF101

Specifications
Asus Transformer TF101
Network2G
3G

SizeDimensions
Weight
Display
271 x 171 x 13 mm (10.67 x 6.73 x 0.51 in)
680 gram
LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen
1280 x 800 pixels (~149 ppi pixel density)
MemoryPhonebook
Call records
Internal
Card slot


16/32 GB, 1 GB RAM
microSD, up to 32 GB
DataGPRS
EDGE
3G
WLAN
Bluetooth
Infrared port
USB



Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
v2.1 with A2DP, EDR

v2.0
FeaturesOS
CPU
Messaging
Ringtones
Browser
Radio
GPS
Games
Camera
Video
Colors
Java
Android OS, v3.0 (Honeycomb), v3.2, upgradable to v4.0 (ICS)
Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9; Nvidia Tegra 2 T20
Email, Push Email, IM
Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
HTML, Adobe Flash

Yes
Yes
5 MP, 2592 Ñ… 1944 pixels, autofocus
Yes
Black
via Java MIDP emulator
- ASUS Waveshare UI
- Multitouch
- Scratch-resistant glass (protection)
- Geo-tagging
- Loudspeaker with stereo speakers
- 3.5mm jack
- SRS audio
- Accelerometer, gyro, compass (sensors)
- mini HDMI port
- MP3/MP4 player
- Polaris Office 3.0 editor
- Organizer
- Predictive text input
- Calendar
- Alarm
Battery
Stand-by
Talk time
Non-removable Li-Po battery (24.4 Wh)
Up to
Up to 9 h 30 min (multimedia)

Image: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_transformer_tf101-pictures-3936.php

Govt to consider advice to stop financing football clubs

Jakarta - Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo said here on Tuesday the government would consider the advice of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to stop the use of state budget funds to finance professional football clubs in the regions.

"If the KPK has indeed made the recommendation in writing, then we will study it. We are the state so we cannot just stop the financial aid abruptly but will consider the KPK`s advice," Minister Martowardoyo said.

He added his ministry had not received any official letter from the KPK on the request to stop disbursement of regional state budget funds for financing professional football in the regions.

Martowardoyo said that Ministry of Finance has been allocating budgets related to sports development through the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) as the holding organization for all branches of sports.

KONI subsequently will channel the funds downwards to the respective sports organizations. Therefore, the government will talk first with KONI on the matter, the finance minister said.

The KPK has previously advised the government to halt the use of state budgets at the regional levels for financing professional football organizations under the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) starting 2012.

"Based on a result of KPK study, we advise the Home Affairs Minister to stop the use of regional budgets for professional football clubs," said KPK deputy chairman M. Jasin to the press last week.

Jasin added that the advice on halting the use of regional budgets based on the indications that there had been breaching of the regulation on the utilization of the funds allocated to professional football clubs.

In addition, there have also been findings on conflict of interests on the use of the regional budgets for financing professional football clubs as there are many head of the regions having double positions as also the chiefs of football clubs.(*)

Source: http://www.antaranews.com

Some 70 pct of tickets for title fight of Chris John sold out

Semarang, C Java - Seventy percent of the tickets for the title fight between Chris John, WBA Super Champions and his contender Daud "Cino" Yordan in Kemayoran, Jakarta, on April 17, 2011, have already sold out.

Head of the Media and Promotion of the fight Fathan Rangkuti said here Monday that 70 pct of the VIP tickets each priced Rp 3 million had been sold out.

He said the organizers had issued 640 VIP tickets.

And 69 percent of the seats at the stand which carried a price of Rp200 thousand each, he said, and been sold out.

He said the organizers had issued 2,800 tickets for the stand.

He also said that the two fighters have already arrived in Jakarta. (*)

Source: http://www.antaranews.com

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