UpdatedJul 3, 2012 11:53 AM ET

Baseball had much to celebrate Sunday: Fan voting for the All-Star Game reached a new high, with an astounding 40.2 million ballots cast. Texas Rangers hero Josh Hamilton set a new single-season record with 11 million votes. Mike Trout, the Los Angeles Angels rookie sensation, will make the first of what should be many All-Star appearances.

Yet the most-talked-about person in baseball was a 67-year-old with a .199 career batting average who is no longer an active player, coach or manager.

Really, though, who expected Tony La Russa to stay in the background?

However you interpreted his snubs of Johnny Cueto and Brandon Phillips I, for one, believe spite was part of the motivation they underscored the enduring romance of La Russas career: Tony loves the spotlight, and the spotlight loves Tony.

La Russa is at once the most successful and conspicuous manager of our lifetime. He won 2,728 games and three World Series titles because he has hard-boiled ideas about how baseball ought to be played. And he will take every opportunity to remind us of that, before and during what could be his final meaningful appearance in uniform.

Lets be clear: La Russa has every right to do so. He will manage the National League during the All-Star Game on July 10 (MLB on FOX, 7:30 p.m. ET). He earned the assignment because his St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series last year. Thats how the system works. In this context, it hardly matters that La Russa announced his retirement shortly after the parade.

La Russa may have only one game on his 2012 schedule, but already hes in midseason form. Hes been known to teach (and occasionally preach) the games finer points. This time, Cueto and Phillips were the unwitting pupils.

You may remember the history: Two years ago, in advance of an August showdown between the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, Phillips referred to the Cardinals as little bitches in an interview with Hall of Fame writer Hal McCoy. A benches-clearing brawl erupted during the series. Cueto kicked Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue in the head during the melee; LaRue sustained a concussion and never played in the major leagues again.

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Were All-Star snubs innocent or personal?

A person who worked for Mitt Romney at the consulting firm Bain and Co. in 1977 remembers him with mixed feelings. Mitt was a really wonderful boss, the former employee says. He was nice, he was fair, he was logical, he said what he wanted he was really encouraging. But Bain and Co., the person recalls, pushed employees to find out secret revenue and sales data on its clients competitors. Romney, the person says, suggested falsifying who they were to get such information, by pretending to be a graduate student working on a project at Harvard. (The person, in fact, was a Harvard student, at Bain for the summer, but not working on any such projects.) Mitt said to me something like We wont ask you to lie. I am not going to tell you to do this, but [it is] a really good way to get the information. I would not have had anything in my analysis if I had not pretended.

It was a strange atmosphere. It did leave a bad taste in your mouth, the former employee recalls.

This unsettling account suggests the young Romneyat that point only two years out of Harvard Business Schoolwas willing to push into gray areas when it came to business. More than three decades later, as he tried to nail down the Republican nomination for president of the United States, Romneys gray areas were again an issue when he repeatedly resisted calls to release more details of his net worth, his tax returns, and the large investments and assets held by him and his wife, Ann. Finally the other Republican candidates forced him to do so, but only highly selective disclosures were forthcoming.

Even so, these provided a lavish smorgasbord for Romneys critics. Particularly jarring were the Romneys many offshore accounts. As Newt Gingrich put it during the primary season, I dont know of any American president who has had a Swiss bank account. But Romney has, as well as other interests in such tax havens as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

To give but one example, there is a Bermuda-based entity called Sankaty High Yield Asset Investors Ltd., which has been described in securities filings as a Bermuda corporation wholly owned by W. Mitt Romney. It could be that Sankaty is an old vehicle with little importance, but Romney appears to have treated it rather carefully. He set it up in 1997, then transferred it to his wifes newly created blind trust on January 1, 2003, the day before he was inaugurated as Massachusettss governor. The director and president of this entity is R. Bradford Malt, the trustee of the blind trust and Romneys personal lawyer. Romney failed to list this entity on several financial disclosures, even though such a closely held entity would not qualify as an excepted investment fund that would not need to be on his disclosure forms. He finally included it on his 2010 tax return. Even after examining that return, we have no idea what is in this company, but it could be valuable, meaning that it is possible Romneys wealth is even greater than previous estimates. While the Romneys spokespeople insist that the couple has paid all the taxes required by law, investments in tax havens such as Bermuda raise many questions, because they are in jurisdictions where there is virtually no tax and virtually no compliance, as one Miami-based offshore lawyer put it.

Thats not the only money Romney has in tax havens. Because of his retirement deal with Bain Capital, his finances are still deeply entangled with the private-equity firm that he founded and spun off from Bain and Co. in 1984. Though he left the firm in 1999, Romney has continued to receive large payments from itin early June he revealed more than $2 million in new Bain income. The firm today has at least 138 funds organized in the Cayman Islands, and Romney himself has personal interests in at least 12, worth as much as $30 million, hidden behind controversial confidentiality disclaimers. Again, the Romney campaign insists he saves no tax by using them, but there is no way to check this.

Bain Capital is the heart of Romneys fortune: it was the financial engine that created it. The mantra of his campaign is that he was a businessman who created tens of thousands of jobs, and Bain certainly did bring useful operational skills to many companies it bought. But his critics point to several cases where Bain bought companies, loaded them with debt, and paid itself extravagant fees, thereby bankrupting the companies and destroying tens of thousands of jobs.

Come August, Romney, with an estimated net worth as high as $250 million (he wont reveal the exact amount), will be one of the richest people ever to be nominated for president. Given his reticence to discuss his wealth, its only natural to wonder how he got it, how he invests it, and if he pays all his taxes on it.

Ironically, it was Mitts father, George Romney, who released 12 years of tax returns, in November 1967, just ahead of his presidential campaign, thereby setting a precedent that nearly every presidential candidate since has either willingly or unwillingly been subject to. George, then the governor of Michigan, explained why he was releasing so many years worth, saying, One year could be a fluke, perhaps done for show.

But his son declined to release any returns through one unsuccessful race for the U.S. Senate, in 1994, one successful run for Massachusetts governor, in 2002, and an aborted bid for the Republican Party presidential nomination, in 2008. Just before the Iowa caucus last December, Mitt told MSNBC, I dont intend to release the tax returns. I dont, but finally, on January 24, 2012after intense goading by fellow Republican candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perryhe released his 2010 tax return and an estimate for 2011.

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The Murky World of Mitt Romney's Personal Finances

Businesses missing opportunity to increase loyalty as less than 40 per cent see expectations met

TORONTO, July 3, 2012 /CNW/ - The vast majority of Canadians (73%) say that when they give a company personal information, such as their age, email address, income or birth date, they expect the company to tailor offerings and deals in return. Unfortunately, only 37 per cent of those who reveal personal information say they get more personalized marketing as a result. These are just some of the findings of a SAS/Leger Marketing survey of 1,511 Canadians conducted earlier this spring.

"Canadians expect organizations to be relevant in how they talk to them. It's a give and get. If I provide you with some key personal information, use what I give you to send me offers which align to my interests, and serve me in a way that makes sense. When companies don't do that they lose the privilege of having that customer and our communications are relegated to "junk mail," and we don't get share of mind, never mind wallet," said Lori Bieda, Executive Lead for Customer Intelligence, SAS Americas. "Analyzing customer purchasing habits and matching promotional offerings to their needs is one of the best ways to increase customer loyalty."

Not meeting customer expectations can be risky business for Canadian companies. Half of those surveyed say they have actually stopped doing business with a company because of a bad marketing experience, men being more unforgiving than women (55 per cent versus 49 per cent.)

Regardless, the desire is there to engage more deeply with businesses of choice. Sixty per cent of Canadians say they would like to receive more personalized marketing material and half of Canadians say they would be more likely to buy from a company that personalizes their marketing. In addition, 46 per cent say they would be willing to give up personal information in return for more personalized offerings.

If a company does decide to personalize its marketing, it should be aware that Canadians are acutely aware of the efforts being made. Two thirds say they can tell when a company has done their research and tailored their marketing to them.

"It is essential that companies not only understand their customer expectations regarding the use of personal information, but also how best to communicate with each individual to offer tailored deals," Bieda said.

When asked how their favourite companies communicated with them, email was the top choice (73 per cent), followed by mail (47 per cent) and social channels (13 per cent.) The latter, perhaps not surprisingly, was much higher for 18-34 year olds (25 per cent), but it should be noted that even among that demographic, of which 93 per cent say they use social media, email was still the preferred means of communication.

Canadians not having their marketing expectations met may also be impacting the degree to which we divulge personal information: 18 per cent said they give away more personal information than they did five years ago, while 27 per cent said they now give away less. 93 per cent of Canadians say they have divulged personal information to companies.

Some additional stats

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Three in four Canadians expect customized offers in return for their personal information

NEW YORK, July 2,2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0923003/US-High-Performance-Composites-Market.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Synthetic_Material

US demand to grow 15% annually through 2016

US demand for high performance composites -- polymer materials containing advanced fiber reinforcements -- is forecast to grow 15 percent per year to $10.3 billion in 2016. Advances will represent a considerable improvement over the pedestrian growth of the 2006- 2011 period, during which time composite demand was hampered by a weak aerospace market and declines in military applications. Going forward, high performance composite demand will be aided by strong growth in the commercial airliner market, as well as emerging opportunities in applications such as wind turbines and pressure vessels. However, the high cost and labor-intensive production of advanced composites compared to competitive materials will prevent these materials from penetrating more highvolume and price-sensitive applications. High performance composites are high strength, high stiffness materials that feature lighter weight and better durability than aluminum and other metals. Historically, these composites have been confined to military uses and high-end sporting goods due to their much higher prices compared to conventional glassfiber composites and metals. However, better production processes, the development of lower-cost carbon fibers, and a greater focus on lighter-weight components have allowed advanced composites to attract more widespread attention.

Aerospace, wind turbine markets to see best growth

Aerospace markets will remain the leading outlet for high performance composites in 2016, and will be by far the fastest-growing market. While composites have long been used in military aircraft and helicopters, they are beginning to penetrate the commercial airliner segment on a large scale as well. In particular, the production ramp up of the Boeing 787 DREAMLINER, which has more than 50 percent composite content, will stimulate the bulk of gains in high performance composite demand. Rising production of other composite-intensive aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and A350 XWB, will also benefit demand. Outside of the aerospace applications, a strong area of growth for high performance composites is the burgeoning wind energy market. In wind energy, advances will be fueled by rising wind turbine installations as states seek to meet renewable energy generation standards, as well as increased use of carbon fiber composites. Much slower growth is expected for defense and safety applications -- due to reduction of combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and the highly mature sporting goods market. The motor vehicle market, which holds perhaps the greatest potential for high performance composites, will see only moderate gains in demand, as widescale, large-volume use of automotive composites will continue to be restrained by high cost and slow production speeds.

Carbon fiber composites to remain dominant

Among product types, carbon fiber composites will continue to account for the largest portion of demand, totaling 84 percent of the high performance market in 2016. Carbon fiber composites will benefit from robust growth in the aerospace market, as well as their versatility, good balance of mechanical properties, and moderate cost compared with other high performance composites. S-glass fiber composites -- the lowest-priced of all advanced composites -- will also see double-digit gains in demand, fueled by opportunities in aerospace, wind energy, and pressure vessel markets. More moderate gains are forecast for composites based on aramid and other fibers, restrained by the slower-growing defense and safety composites market.

Study coverage

This upcoming industry study, High Performance Composites, presents historical demand data (2001, 2006, 2011) plus forecasts for 2016 and 2021 by fiber, market and resin. The study also considers market environment factors, assesses industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles US industry competitors.

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US High Performance Composites Market

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7StdJug2U8

27-06-2012 22:06 ***This Video is available for licensing*** The viewing of this clip by website visitors is only permissible for personal use; copying, commercial use, distribution, broadcast, download, additional use or transfer is expressly prohibited. Embedding the video into your website or blog with proper credits for is permitted. For Licensing info contact: Justin Bieber surprise street performance for fans leaving the Tonight show with Jay Leno at NBC Studios on Wednesday June 27, 2012 in Burbank, California,United Sates. Justin is full of surprises as he treated the lucky fans in Burbank California to a free street concert as he sang his hit song "Boyfriend" and the fans sang along with him. The Canadian superstar was indeed in great spirits!

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Justin Bieber surprise street performance for fans leaving 'Tonight show with Jay Leno' - Video

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29-06-2012 06:54 Not a great round in terms of my personal performance but it shows off the new game mode quite well i think but i have only played it twice

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TF2 Gameplay Commentary Medic on Doomsday - Video

By Chris Mitchell BBC Sport in Houston

Great Britain were beaten by Russia 76-54 in their fourth warm-up game at their training camp in Texas, their fourth defeat in a row.

Centre Joel Freeland put in another good personal performance, scoring a game-high 18 points, grabbing five rebounds and four assists.

Britain forward Dan Clark added 10 points in Houston.

"We had a great first half. I think we just lost our legs in the second half," Freeland told BBC Sport.

"I think that's down to a bit of fatigue, early days in the training camp. I think, going on, we're going to get a lot better.''

Russia are former European champions and ranked 11th in the world but it was GB who started start strongly, with Freeland and Clark combining for 13 points as they took a three-point lead.

The first half was very tough and I think it shows the potential of the Great Britain team. They can play basketball, good quality basketball

Russia, playing all their stars, had a poor first half. Former NBA star Andrei Kirilenko's shooting was off target as he threw up two airballs, and the rest of his side struggled to find their rhythm.

GB's shooting was also poor but, after the second quarter which Russia won 12-11, GB still led by two points - 28-26.

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Russia inflict another loss on GB

THE gloves have come off in the battle for control of Fairfax Media with major shareholder Gina Rinehart and the company exchanging increasingly personal salvos about their differences, and the future of the company.

In a flurry of heated exchanges yesterday afternoon, prompted by this week's Fairfax rejection of Mrs Rinehart's board tilt, the Perth-based mining magnate called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a ''performance milestone'' of returning the company's share price to 87 and reversing ''the five-year decline in paid circulation and revenue''. In a letter to Mr Corbett, she said he should resign if he failed to achieve the goals by November.

But Fairfax rejected the ultimatum. Instead, it called on her to launch a takeover for the company.

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''If Mrs Rinehart wants control of Fairfax Media she must make a bid. Mrs Rinehart's letter today has once and for all unmasked her motives for her continual attacks on the company and its board,'' adding that the company's readers would abandon the group's mastheads ''if Mrs Rinehart succeeds in this personal crusade''.

Later in the evening, one of Mrs Rinehart key executives, John Klepec, took issue with the Fairfax response, saying: ''Mrs Rinehart has repeatedly advised that she would not use the publications to promote her private interests only. It is hence incorrect for Fairfax to endeavour to allege that this has been a 'personal crusade'."

Mrs Rinehart had ''never sought control of Fairfax,'' he added.

Earlier, Mrs Rinehart dismissed the board's assertion that editorial independence was the main sticking point. ''Where we have differed most profoundly is not over the charter of editorial independence, contrary to much Fairfax reporting, but over how to save a business that is reportedly in danger of dying.''

But the company - owner of this newspaper - disagreed: ''Contrary to Mrs Rinehart's repeated assertions that this isn't about editorial control - it is. It is also about her obtaining control of the company and not paying a premium.''

Mrs Rinehart said the performance of Fairfax over the past five years had been ''distressing for shareholders''.

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Fairfax Media, Rinehart board stoush gets personal

VIENNA, VA--(Marketwire -06/29/12)- Eloqua, the leading provider of on-demand Revenue Performance Management solutions, today released the Grande Guide to Personal Branding, the latest in its series of award-winning eBooks. Written by Dave Cutler, who employed personal branding strategies to raise his visibility, credibility and ultimately secure a prominent social media position, the guide contains practical tips derived from Cutler's personal story of how he went from losing his job to establishing himself as a thought leader in his particular industry.

The Grande Guide to Personal Branding breaks down this emerging new practice through how-to's, resources, tools and graphics. Cutler shows, step-by-step, how he went from being laid off, to becoming an influencer, to making headlines in major media outlets like The Boston Globe.

"Many marketers feel like personal branding involves some kind of obscure jiu jitsu," said Dave Cutler. "But my personal experience clearly shows that there's no mystery to becoming influential in your space. That's why I was thrilled to share my story, along with the methods and tools that can help others start building out their personal brand today."

"When I read Cutler's remarkable story in The Boston Globe I thought, 'Every marketer can learn something from him,' so we invited him to contribute to our Grande Guide series," said Joe Chernov, VP of Content Marketing at Eloqua. "He and our managing editor, Jesse Noyes, have a veritable how-to manual for professional reinvention."

The Grande Guide to Personal Branding is available for free today along with other installments in the award-winning series of eBooks, including the Grande Guide to Social Demand Generation and the Grande Guide to B2B Content Marketing.

About EloquaEloqua provides solutions to help its customers accelerate revenue growth through Revenue Performance Management. Eloqua provides powerful business insight to inform marketing and sales decisions today that drive revenue growth tomorrow. The company's mission is to make its customers the fastest growing companies on Earth. More than 1,000 clients rely on the marketing automation power of Eloqua to improve demand generation and lead management while driving more qualified leads. Eloqua's customers include Adobe, AON, Dow Jones, ADP, Fidelity, Polycom, and National Instruments. The company is headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, with offices in Cambridge, San Francisco, Austin, Toronto, London, Brussels, Frankfurt and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.eloqua.com, subscribe to the It's All About Revenue blog, call 866-327-8764, or email demand@eloqua.com.

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Eloqua Publishes Guide to Personal Branding

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Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone".

Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone" of returning the company's share price to 87 cents and reverse "the five-year decline in paid circulation and revenue".

In a letter to Mr Corbett, released to this website, Mrs Rinehart said the performance of Fairfax over the past five years had been "distressing for shareholders".

The letter, in the form of an ultimatum, came after the Fairfax board on Wednesday announced it would not be able to give Mrs Rinehart a board seat citing disagreements over editorial independence.

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Open letter ... Gina Rinehart. Photo: Jim Rice

In a statement late today, Fairfax returned fire, disputing her statement that the differences with the board were not about editorial control and calling on Mrs Rinehart to bid for the company if she wants control.

"Contrary to Mrs Rineharts repeated assertions that this isnt about editorial control - it is. It is also about her obtaining control of the company and not paying a premium.

Cutting the loss

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The battle gets personal