Archive for the ‘Personal Performance’ Category
High Performance Edge Track Walk – Video
Posted: June 7, 2012 at 12:17 pm
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High Performance Edge Track Walk - Video
(RRW) Athletics: Coburn Raises Her Game In Bid for First Olympic Berth
Posted: at 12:17 pm
(07-Jun) -- With her 9:25.28 personal best performance at last Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., University of Colorado redshirt senior Emma Coburn joined an elite club. Her mark made her America's fourth-fastest steeplechaser ever --just the fifth to break 9:30-- and cemented her status as the favorite to win the USA Olympic Trials on the same Hayward Field track later this month.
"My PR prior to this was only 9:37," a delighted Coburn told reporters after her race. She continued: "To run 9:25, I was really pleased with that. I felt really relaxed the whole time, too, so I'm confident that I can repeat that performance again in a couple of weeks."
Coburn, 21, the 2011 NCAA and USA open champion, is skipping her 2012 collegiate track season, both indoors and out, to focus on preparing for the Trials and the Olympic Games under coach Mark Wetmore. She is taking a similar path to Colorado alum Jenny Simpson who won the Olympic Trials in 2008 while she was still competing for her college team. Simpson, however, won the NCAA title the same year before going on to win the Trials, and finishing ninth in the Beijing Olympic final in a then American record 9:22.26.
When asked by a reporter last Saturday, Simpson agreed that her Prefontaine performance had moved her into a different category as an athlete: someone who could hope to make an impact on the world stage in the next few years.
"I think so," Coburn replied. "This spring has gone well so far. I'm redshirting the collegiate season to try and get ready for the Trials. It's the first time in college I've been able to put a good base of training in, because in the summer we're racing and I don't have a good base for cross country. Then cross country racing, indoor racing and outdoor racing. So, I've been really happy with how my training has gone thus far."
Coburn, from Crested Butte, Colo., had an exhausting year in 2011. At this point last year she had already raced ten times before winning both the NCAA and USA open titles last June. To stay sharp, she also raced twice in Europe before competing in the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, where she finished 13th in the final. With just a short time to recover, she competed for Colorado during the cross country season where she finished 20th in the NCAA Championships last November.
This season, Coburn is running on fresh legs with just two races in the books so far. She opened her season at the USATF High Performance Meet at Occidental College last month, running a personal best 4:09.42.
"At Oxy I ran 4:09, and I felt that got me at a new level with my 1500 time, so I'm pleased that my steeple time equates to my 1500 time," Coburn said. "Now I feel like I have two respectable times, maybe not on a world scale but on a U.S. scale. I'm jumping two levels, so I'm happy with that. There's still room for improvement to be able to run 9:15 with the top women in the world, or 9:05 with the top women in the world. That's still a few years in the making, but this is a good step and me and my coaches are really pleased."
America's other best steeplechase pros --Bridget Franek, Delilah Dicrescenzo, Sara Hall, and Stephanie Garcia-- are not running at Coburn's level. Franek, last year's runner-up at the national championships and a good bet to make the Olympic team, has only broken 9:35 once, and Dicrescenzo has never broken 9:40. Hall, last year's Pan Am Games gold medalist who competed in the same Prefontaine race as Coburn, finished 28 seconds behind her. Garcia's best time this season is 9:49.64.
But Coburn feels that her University of Colorado teammate, Shalaya Kipp, who has run 9:43.09 this season, should not be overlooked for an Olympic team berth.
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(RRW) Athletics: Coburn Raises Her Game In Bid for First Olympic Berth
NIH, EPA Announce Competition to Develop Personal Air Pollution and Health Sensors
Posted: June 6, 2012 at 9:23 pm
Challenge will spur collaboration between health researchers and technologists
Newswise A competition to create a personal sensor system that measures air pollution and a persons physiological response to it will offer cash awards to finalists, federal officials announced today. The goal is to help researchers, communities, and physicians better understand the connection between air quality and health.
The My Air, My Health Challenge is sponsored by the National Institutes of Healths National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Details of the competition, developed in conjunction with crowdsourcing firm InnoCentive, are available at http://www.challenge.gov.
Competitors will propose designs for sensors that can be easily worn or carried. In addition to gathering data on chemical and/or particulate air pollutants, these sensors will measure health parameters, such as heart rate and breathing. The proposals should also address how to make a wide array of collected data available to a broad spectrum of researchers, public health institutions, and other interested parties.
Up to four finalists will each receive $15,000 and will be invited to develop their proposals into working prototypes, to demonstrate how their systems can be integrated for practical use by people, and health and environmental agencies. One finalist will be awarded $100,000 for the most effective solution for integrating physiological and air quality data that is usable and meaningful to long-term health outcomes.
The announcement was made by NIEHS Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., and EPA Science Advisor Glenn Paulson, Ph.D. It was one of several competitions unveiled during this weeks Health Data Initiative Forum. The Health Data Initiative is a public-private collaboration, launched by HHS and the Institute of Medicine, which encourages innovators to utilize health data to develop applications that raise awareness of health system performance and spark community action to improve health.
Were all different, and our bodies react in different ways to pollution and other harmful toxins in our environment, said Birnbaum. We believe pairing health researchers with technology innovators will help us get the tools we need for a more complete picture of what people are breathing and how it might affect their health.
Paulson said, This competition provides an opportunity to tap into the ingenuity of Americans to build technology to improve health. In the future, these types of personalized devices will enable people to make better informed choices about their own health and their environment.
Those interested can learn more about the competition during a webinar, which will take place June 19 at 4 p.m. EDT. For additional information about the webinar and the My Air, My Health Challenge, visit http://www.challenge.gov.
The NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.
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NIH, EPA Announce Competition to Develop Personal Air Pollution and Health Sensors
New AMD E-Series APUs Set the High Bar for Essential Notebook Battery Life
Posted: at 11:15 am
TAIPEI, TAIWAN--(Marketwire -06/05/12)- -- COMPUTEX TAIPEI -- AMD (AMD) today announced the launch of its latest AMD E-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) platform. Designed for essential notebook and desktop personal computers which meet basic performance needs at accessible price points, the 2012 AMD E-Series APU enables long battery life and a best-in-class entertainment and media experience, while striking a balance between energy efficiency and unique innovations for brilliant high definition (HD) entertainment.
"In 2011, we showed the industry you could get discrete-level GPU power in a notebook without added power consumption or cost, resulting in the most successful notebook platform in AMD's history," said Chris Cloran, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Client Business Unit. "Today we raise the bar even higher with our latest APU offering. Our 2012 AMD E-Series APU gives consumers a visually superior choice for everyday performance with the latest graphics technology and nearly three hours more battery life than the competition."
Formerly codenamed "Brazos 2.0," the 2012 AMD E-Series APU is the feature-rich update to the most successful AMD notebook processor platform ever. Unique benefits of the new platform include:
Accelerated Experience Thanks to the compute capabilities in AMD Radeon HD graphics, major Web browsers such as Internet Explorer 9, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome offer an accelerated Web experience on the new AMD E-Series APUs. AMD has collaborated with Microsoft to optimize the new AMD E-Series APUs for key features in Microsoft Windows 8 to help improve the overall experience. Optimizations for HTML5 and full support for the new Metro user interface will help accelerate new Metro-based apps developed for Microsoft's newest operating system.
Availability and Technical DetailsAMD expects global OEMs such as Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba to offer AMD E-Series APU-based systems.
Developer Community EngagementFor developers who want to engage in the industry's move toward heterogeneous computing and GPU compute, the upcoming AMD Fusion12 Developer Summit will offer them a unique opportunity to enhance their knowledge base. More information on AFDS 12 can be found here.
Supporting Resources
About AMD AMD (AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its groundbreaking AMD Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) that power a wide range of computing devices. AMD's server computing products are focused on driving industry-leading cloud computing and virtualization environments. AMD's superior graphics technologies are found in a variety of solutions ranging from game consoles, PCs to supercomputers. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Radeon and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
(1) Based on testing performed by AMD Performance Labs. All battery life calculations are based on a 62.5 Whr battery pack at 98% utilization. System power testing shows a calculated battery life for the AMD E1-1200 in a Windows idle state to reach 674 minutes. Test configuration: "Renmore" Reference Design with an AMD E1-1200 APU, 2 x 2G DDR3 1333 MHz memory, 250 GB Hitachi HDD and Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, 62.5 Whr battery pack. BR-I27
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New AMD E-Series APUs Set the High Bar for Essential Notebook Battery Life
New untippable motorcycle balances performance, safety
Posted: June 5, 2012 at 2:13 pm
LOS ANGELES Lit Motors calls it the C-1, but the San Francisco start-ups untippable motorcycle seems nothing short of magic. It uses gyroscopes to stay balanced in a straight line and in turns in which drivers can, in theory, roll down their windows and drag their knuckles on the ground.
Is it a motorcycle? A car? Neither. Its an entirely new form of personal transportation, presuming it gets off the ground.
The all-electric vehicle is fully enclosed and uses a steering wheel and floor pedals like a car. But it weighs just 800 pounds and balances on two wheels even when stopped, making it more efficient than hauling around a 2-ton four-wheeler and safer than an accident- prone bike.
Most people dont drive motorcycles because theyre dangerous, said Lit Motors founder and C-1 creator Daniel Kim, 32.
Were bringing safety to motorcycles with car-like controls that everyones familiar with, Kim said of his self-stabilizing two wheeler.
If it goes into production in early 2014 as planned, it will be made with a steel uni-body and glass windows to protect drivers from the weather and objects that might crash into them, leaving enough room behind the drivers seat to carry a passenger, groceries or suitcase.
Two years away from production, there are currently two versions of the C-1: a sleek, Swedish-influenced model to demonstrate its curb appeal, and a rudimentary, drivable mock-up that can travel 10 miles per hour and withstand a swift kick to its side and remain standing.
The C-1, or Concept 1, uses the same type of electronically controlled gyroscopes as the Hubble Space Telescope. Two counter-rotating gyroscopes are mounted into the floor of the vehicle, working together to maintain balance in a turn, a straight line or at rest.
The C-1 is a more user-friendly version of the X-Prizewinning E-tracer, a $100,000 electric cabin motorcycle controlled with handlebars, a throttle and outriggers to keep it upright at slow speeds and when stopped.
The C-1 isnt the first vehicle to use gyroscopes. Mechanically controlled gyro cars have been around for almost a century. While the Segway personal transporter is the most modern and mainstream example of gyroscopic technology working to balance an otherwise teetering two-wheeler, whats different about the C-1 is the configuration of the wheels and the number, size and speed of the gyros, which are as big as dinner plates piled with pancakes, their centers spinning up to 12,000 revolutions per minute.
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New untippable motorcycle balances performance, safety
Bell Leadership Launches New Peak Performance Survey
Posted: at 2:13 pm
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Bell Leadership Institute today announced that it is launching the Bell Peak Performance Profile, a new survey to evaluate an individuals effectiveness, happiness, and success in the seven major domains of life. The survey will be used for the first time during the July 17-19 Peak Performance & Complex Lives seminar in Chapel Hill.
The Peak Performance & Complex Lives seminar, now expanded to a three-day format, is recommended for individuals wanting to maximize their personal and professional performance. Designed and delivered by Dr. Gerald D. Bell, founder and CEO of Bell Leadership Institute, the seminar offers advanced strategies for peak performance. Its methods have been used by thousands of top leaders to achieve more significant and lasting contributions, deeper and more meaningful relationships, greater wealth, and true enjoyment in their lives.
Using the data provided by the 360-degree online survey, participants receive an accurate reading on how they are currently operating on the Bell Peak Performance Curve. These insights are compiled into a comprehensive, confidential report to help each participant build an action plan for achieving and maintaining a high level of performance and productivity. The world is designed to suck you into the trivia. Dont let yourself become nickel-and-dimed by the small things because youll miss out on life and success, said Dr. Bell.
The content and the presentation of the material were fantastic. The pre-course work was amazing in building relationships and opening up conversations at a very deep level, said past seminar participant, Diane Mueller, Heartland Dental Care. This was by far the best course I have ever attended and it will have a profound effect on my life.
Couples often attend this seminar together. Working on a joint life plan and understanding your partners strengths and weaknesses leads to improved partnerships. This class is truly a life changing experience. Dr. Bell is excellent at bringing into focus what makes life truly meaningful, said Mark Ritchie, former President, Carolina Beverage Corporation.
Bell Leadership Institute (www.bellleadership.com) is a recognized leader in executive education and development. Since 1972, Bell Leadership has helped organizations develop leadership mastery through its programs and services. Its training programs have been used by more than 500,000 leaders in more than 4,700 organizations in over 30 countries.
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Bell Leadership Launches New Peak Performance Survey
Virident Systems and Colfax International Deliver Customized Server Solutions Tuned for High Performance
Posted: at 2:13 pm
MILPITAS, CA and SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwire -06/05/12)- Virident Systems, a performance leader in flash-based storage class memory (SCM) solutions, and Colfax International, a leading provider of innovative and expertly engineered workstations, servers, clusters, storage, and personal supercomputing solutions, today announced a strategic partnership and the availability of custom-designed high-performance server solutions for enterprise customers. The custom-designed servers will feature high-performance processing from Colfax's extensive line of server solutions, and Virident's FlashMAX high capacity PCIe storage class memory solutions delivering unconditional performance.
Customers in the defense, aerospace, energy, government, education, finance, manufacturing, digital media, Web 2.0 and scientific research industries will benefit from the high-performance processing and storage performance of the server solutions. For example, a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) application will return stress, fluid, or material analysis results much quicker than before possible, and create time for additional queries. Any applications running on Oracle, MySQL, or SQL Server will run faster with custom-configured server solutions from Colfax featuring Virident FlashMAX SCM solutions, which are able to support the ever-increasing capabilities and speeds of multi-core processors, the influx of big data, and demands for application performance.
"Virident's and Colfax International's customers fit a similar profile," said Kumar Ganapathy, CEO of Virident. "We both cater to large enterprises where unconditional, peak performance is critical to their business. Our joint solutions are ideal for high-performance applications based on Oracle, MySQL, and SQL Server databases."
"Colfax International chose Virident because of the unconditional performance characteristics of FlashMAX for high-performance applications," said Gautam Shah, CEO of Colfax International. "We are confident that Virident FlashMAX will be an excellent complement to our product portfolio because our customers rate top performance as their measurement for success."
Virident FlashMAX, a PCIe storage class memory solution, ensures that application performance is 10 times faster than hard disk drive systems at one-third of the total cost of ownership. FlashMAX offers the industry's highest storage capacity in the smallest footprint while delivering twice the performance of competing solutions. FlashMAX SCM has been designed from the ground up to fully exploit today's computer architectures which leverage many fast CPU cores and the PCI Express interconnect bus to deliver maximum application performance.
High-performance server solutions are available in a wide variety of custom configurations from Colfax International and Virident. For more information contact Virident at sales@virident.com or (408) 503-0100; contact Colfax International at sales@colfax-intl.com or (408) 730-2275.
About Colfax InternationalColfax International is a global provider of customized workstations, servers, clusters, storage and personal supercomputing solutions. Founded in 1987, Colfax International is based in Sunnyvale, California and is privately held. For more information, please visit http://www.colfax-intl.com.
About Virident SystemsVirident Systems enterprise-class Storage Class Memory (SCM) solutions deliver unconditional, consistent performance that supports the most data-intensive content and applications. The inherent advantage associated with this disruptive technology revolutionizes computing by speeding application response time and optimizing datacenter efficiency for new levels of ROI. Virident Systems is backed by strategic investors, Intel, Cisco Systems and a leading storage hardware and software solutions provider, as well as venture investors Globespan Capital Partners, Sequoia Capital, and Artiman Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.virident.com.
Virident, Virident FlashMAX, vFAS and the Virident logo are trademarks of Virident Systems. All other products and services listed herein are trademarks of their respective companies.
Personal Technology Experts(R) at Support.com Discuss Seven Great Features That Make Windows(R) 8 PCs Deliver Improved …
Posted: at 2:13 pm
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 4, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Microsoft has pulled back the curtains on Windows 8 by making the Consumer Preview freely available. According to Microsoft, the new operating system will "change the way you interact with your PC, with improved functionality, speed and performance." The Personal Technology Experts at Support.com (Nasdaq:SPRT - News), a provider of technology support services and software for consumers and small business, have been testing the preview edition and have identified seven features that deliver on that promise:
1.
The new "Metro" User Interface: the "Start" button and desktop shortcuts have been replaced with Windows Phone Metro-style tiles that both launch common applications and display notifications (like received email). You can "pin" any application to the Start screen to create a tile or group common applications into a single tile by dragging them together.
2.
New Authentication Methods: there are now four authentication methods, three of which are new: PIN, Windows Live(R) ID, Picture Password, and the traditional User ID and Password. If you choose a Windows Live ID you have an option to sync your settings between multiple devices running Windows 8. Additionally, with SkyDrive(R) you can easily share files between all of your devices.
3.
Faster Boot Times: Microsoft has introduced a hybrid shutdown and boot process that will take less than 10 seconds for a Windows 8 PC with a SSD (solid-state drive) to go from powered down to the start screen, which is 30% to 70% faster than Windows 7.
4.
Refresh and Reset: reinstalling the OS or returning the PC to its original state is easier than ever. Microsoft has introduced an easy-to-use, step-by-step wizard to 'Reset' and 'Refresh' PC configurations. The 'Reset' feature helps users go back to the original state (default install) of their PC, which removes all data and apps while the 'Refresh' feature will restore default settings without losing any data or applications.
5.
“John Denver Off the Record” Show Will Play for a Small, Up Close and Personal Group on June 7th Before Red Rocks …
Posted: June 4, 2012 at 8:20 am
Morrison, Colorado (PRWEB) June 04, 2012
Steve Weisberg, former John Denver band member, is doing his part to keep the legendary name of John Denver uniquely personal with his John Denver Off the Record event on June 7th at the Marriott West. Steve was hand selected in 1973 by John Denver to play lead guitar, dobro, pedal steel and to write songs for John. Steve is a key contributor on 7 of Johns 9 multi-platinum albums, from the era John described as his biggest years. The John Denver Off the Record get-together is an exclusive, casual event for 12 lucky contestants to hear amazing music and fabulous stories; from spiritual to hysterical, and always genuine from the days when Steve toured with and hung out with John Denver. At just $100 per person, all 12 participants will be able to interact in this small, personal setting for a one-of-a-kind experience that takes place in Steves hotel room just hours before the 3rd Annual John Denver Tribute concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre!
The John Denver Off the Record event lets Steve recount the era when John Denver called Steve to be part of the band. Steve reveals very interesting insights from touring/performing with John Denver, what it was like when the band was first taking off, and many interesting behind-the-scene stories from being in the studio, on stage, on TV, and on the road with John Denver. Steve sings and plays, but its not a concert- its interactive. He will answer all fan questions, tell stories from the past, and of course, play guitar. From this event, Steve will head directly to the afternoon sound check at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in preparation for the 3rd Annual John Denver Tribute concert that evening.
John Denver became one of the worlds best-known performers and Colorados favorite transplant. His career spanned over 3 decades and 30 albums. As one of the top recording artists in sales history, John Denver sold more than 60 million albums worldwide which included 14 Gold, 8 Platinum and 7 Multi-platinum album awards. John first performed in Red Rocks Amphitheatre in June 1972. The upcoming 3rd Annual John Denver Tribute concert on June 7th celebrates the 40th anniversary of his first performance at the Red Rocks venue. The tribute stars Jim Curry and former John Denver band members including Steve Weisberg. It also features special guest Lee Holdridge.
Steve Weisberg is one of the last people that can recount the days of John Denvers peak years. Steve was with John during the best moments, during liftoff, and through the pinnacle. Be part of the experience today with Steves John Denver Off the Record concert on June 7th. All interested parties should contact Steve Weisberg through his contact form on his website at http://www.johndenverofftherecord.com. 12 fans will be selected for this small, interactive, and up-close-and-personal event. For more information, contact Steve today!
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“John Denver Off the Record” Show Will Play for a Small, Up Close and Personal Group on June 7th Before Red Rocks ...
MTV Trailblazer Emma Stone Pays Tribute To Personal Heroes
Posted: at 8:20 am
UNIVERSAL CITY, California Emma Stone became the first-ever MTV Trailblazer at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night (June 3).
"The Amazing Spider-Man" actress was on hand to accept for special Golden Popcorn, which celebrates her diverse rsum of films, including "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and "The Help." But before Stone even hit the stage, a few of her castmates Steve Carell, Anna Farris, Jim Carrey, Octavia Spencer, Mila Kunis and Jason Sudeikis recalled some of her best moments and joked about some of her worst qualities in a pre-taped video message.
While the clip had viewers laughing, Stone couldn't hold back the tears as she accepted her prize.
"Thank you, I'm a crier," she said. "So, I looked up the actual definition of trailblazer, and it means someone who blazes a trail to be followed by others. And that's an honor to hear you're being associated with a concept like that.
"But the only thing I can hope that an award inspires is originality," she added, "because the trailblazers I've looked up to and been inspired by are people like Gilda Radner and Bill Murray and John Candy and Charlie Chaplin and the Beatles and J.D. Salinger. Lorne Michaels, who reminds me the importance of comedy, and Cameron Crowe, whose work consistently reminds me of why I want to be an actor."
After thanking her icons, Stone offered some inspiration to others.
"Those people are my creative trailblazers, but I'm not following any of their paths, and what's incredible about them is they help make me want to be more myself because they're all originals," she said. "And I hope that you'll find your trailblazers. And, trust me, I do not need to be one of them. I probably shouldn't be one of them," she laughed. "But that you'll continue to harness your own originality and what makes you unique 'cause I know that when you're a teenager sometimes when you're an adult what sets you apart can sometimes feel like a burden and it's not. And a lot of the time, it's what makes you great. So I kind of sound like I live in a van down by the river right now.
"But I am deeply touched and grateful for this," she said in closing.
This is Stone's second MTV Movie Award. She previously won for Best Comedic Performance for her turn in "Easy A" at the 2011 telecast.
Jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, gut-busting moments galore. See what just happened at the 21st annual MTV Movie Awards!
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MTV Trailblazer Emma Stone Pays Tribute To Personal Heroes