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By M.L. Lyke The Washington Post Thu., May 24, 2018 I’d been warned about the stink. It hit me the instant I stepped off the plane in Rotorua: a mix of bad egg and warm sewer gas that has earned this city on New Zealand’s North Island the nickname “Sulphur City” — or, less kindly, “Rotten-Rua.” I sucked in a deep breath and smiled. That subterranean scent meant I would soon be soaking in curative hot springs, smothering my body in primeval goo and exploring a land of burping mud pots, prismatic pools, boiling rivers and shooting geysers. The Rotorua region, one of the world’s most geothermally active areas, is the Southern Hemisphere’s take on Yellowstone — minus bison, bears and backed-up crowds. Gases and steam hiss out of everywhere: In pastures, in backyards, in the middle of the city’s huffing lakeside park, where visitors find free thermal foot baths and cautionary danger signs. Modern-day … [Read more...] about This region of New Zealand is the Southern Hemisphere’s take on Yellowstone
Battle of bull run
Motor racing: Red Bull and Ferrari are prising open the Mercedes grip
LONDON: It may be premature to call the end of an era of Mercedes domination but Daniel Ricciardo's thrilling win for Red Bull in Shanghai on Sunday marks a clear shift in the Formula One landscape.Even if Mercedes were back on top of the constructors' standings, the world champions were beaten for the third race in a row at the Chinese Grand Prix - a first for the V6 turbo hybrid era that started in 2014."It's inevitable in all sports that at some point, the winning becomes harder or stops," commented Christian Horner, Ricciardo's team boss, as the celebrations continued."Mercedes still have a quick car. It's incredible that after three races they haven't won a Grand Prix yet," added the Briton, whose team won four successive double titles between 2010 and 2013.The sheer depth of talent and resources at Mercedes' disposal, and the fact that there are 18 races still to run in this gruelling 21-round season, means it is too early to trumpet a changing of the guard.Gloomy pre-season … [Read more...] about Motor racing: Red Bull and Ferrari are prising open the Mercedes grip
Opportunistic Vettel steals victory from Hamilton
Sport Sebastian Vettel won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for Ferrari at Albert Park on Sunday. 25 Mar 2018 02:55PM (Updated: 25 Mar 2018 04:55PM) Bookmark MELBOURNE: Sebastian Vettel made full use of the virtual safety car to sneak in front of Lewis Hamilton and hold off the frustrated champion to win Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.The Mercedes engine's infamous 'party mode' that delivered Hamilton a blistering pole lap on Saturday could do little once Ferrari's Vettel nosed ahead when re-entering from pit-lane midway through the race at Albert Park.Pole-sitter Hamilton had appeared set to coast to victory with a clear pace advantage but the race turned on its head with the safety car, which was called after Romain Grosjean's Haas failed and rolled to a stop at turn two.In another bonus for Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen finished third, fending off Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and leaving the unlucky Australian still searching for a first … [Read more...] about Opportunistic Vettel steals victory from Hamilton
Fear is your friend – ‘Winds of Change’ TEDx UWCT
by Darren Scherbain Who am I to share my story? I’m nothing but an ex-snowblower, who can still wrestle with that voice that says it’s so much easier to sit down and fit in then it is to stand in your strength and expose your raw nakedness. Life and the race course do not respect past results. All those Ironman finishers’ t-shirts stuffed in the closet and the yearly recovery chips stashed in my desk; doesn’t mean that I’m immune to self doubt and fear. The Finish Line isn’t a magical line in the sand that exonerates me from being anymore human. It’s so much easier to sit down and fit in. Fitting in is not security. You didn’t think you were the only one with the voice of fear and self doubt? We human beings are funny creatures. Why is it that our fears can get the absolute best of us? It’s not the fear, but the chaos I create in my mind that accompanies the fear. My mind does a fantastic job of taking liberty with the … [Read more...] about Fear is your friend – ‘Winds of Change’ TEDx UWCT
Wizards hold off revamped Cavs, Sixers edge out Bulls
LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Cavaliers returned from the NBA All-Star break with a thud Thursday (Friday in Manila), falling 110-103 to the Washington Wizards despite 32 points from LeBron James. The Cavs had not lost since trading half a dozen players and receiving four at the February 8 trade deadline, winning four straight heading into the All-Star break. James, who earned his third All-Star Most Valuable Player award on Sunday in his 14th straight start in the mid-season exhibition, connected on 13 of 18 shots from the floor, pulled down nine rebounds and handed out eight assists. He became the seventh player in NBA history with 11,000 career baskets, scoring Cleveland’s last 14 points in defeat. “We got some really, really good looks,” James said. “We played hard. I think the legs, being off for nine days kind of got to us, especially after the first quarter.” The Cavs had led by 12 in the second period, but they finished just eight-of-35 from … [Read more...] about Wizards hold off revamped Cavs, Sixers edge out Bulls