Boing Boing

In a world where contact sports like football and soccer seem to rule supreme, it’s surprising that so many people become transfixed by competitive figure skating. On the surface, the sport may seem pretty girly. After all, competitors routinely wear tights, spangled leotard costumes and enough stage makeup to keep L’Oreal in business. The reality is that these athletes have devoted their young lives to projecting an image of effortless grace, when in fact it takes strength, balance, flexibility and even pain to pull off an excellent program.

When ice skating took shape in its earliest form, it was for transportation purposes rather than fun. Skeletons dating back to 10,000 B.C. found in the Netherlands had animal bones tied to their feet — crude skating blades. Though ice skating surfaced in other parts of the world, figure skating really began to take shape with the creation of the Edinburgh Skating Club in 1742. At this point, however, the pastime was closed off to women.

In 1772, a British figure skater named Robert Jones penned “A Treatise on Skating,” which conveyed his belief that successful skaters must have artistic and athletic abilities. He also encouraged women to become involved with the sport. Although much of the credit for the development of competitive figure skating is given to Jones, an American ballet dancer named Jackson Haines is considered by many to be largely responsible for morphing it into the sport we know today. Prior to Haines’ influence, figure skating was stiff and less creative than it is now. In the 1860s, Haines began to incorporate dance movements into skating routines. His style was so well-liked that it became known as the international method of figure skating, which prevails today.

So what does it take to become a competitor in the sport of figure skating? And what notorious scandals have been associated with the pastime? Next, find out about the tests skaters must pass to compete.

If this were a list of the human race’s greatest fears, public
speaking would be right at the top. Whether it’s forgetting your lines
or realizing you have a tail of toilet paper hanging out of your pants,
fear of public speaking really boils down to fear of being ridiculed,
rejected, and publicly humiliated. But don’t worry — with the
following tips, you’ll be fine!

So relax and check out the first tip to get started.

Mobile Phones

Mention Sonim and what comes to your mind? Chances are those who are more well versed in the world of cellphones would be able to relate that brand name to a handset which is well known for its ruggedness. Well, Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, was the platform where Sonim decided to announce the availability of their brand new XP2 Spirit which will hit Europe. This rugged 3G-capable cellphone might be rugged, but at least it sports a pretty face to debunk myths that everything tough and rugged will need to compromise in terms of design. Being the latest handset in the Xtreme Performance series, the Sonim XP2 Spirit is also the company’s maiden 3G cellphone, so if you pick this up, who knows – it could be a valuable artifact a few generations down. Let us take a closer look at what the Sonim XP2 Spirit can offer right after the jump.

Among the key Features of the Sonim XP2 Spirit include :-

• Stylish look and unique octagonal shape to better withstand drops
• 3-megapixel camera with LED flash for higher quality pictures and video
• A suite of Java applications and a multimedia player
• 2″ high resolution display, protected by 1.5mm of scratch resistant Gorilla Glass
• High quality magnesium core
• Waterproof outer shell made from hardened rubber, fiberglass and nylon
• GORE-TEX covered speaker for waterproofing

Targeting folks who work and play in extreme environments, this next generation Sonim XP2 cellphone offers the highest level of ruggedness and a fresh new look. It is good looking enough to be used outside of the workplace in more relaxed, social settings, and what we are more interested in would be the unconditional three year guarantee. That is something unheard of this day, and we are pretty impressed that Sonim is willing to put money where their mouth is, hopefully nobody would abuse the clause of this unconditional guarantee during their use of the XP2 Spirit. For the more technical folks, the XP2 Spirit is certified military standard MIL 810G, allowing it to shrug off thermal shock, extreme temperatures, transport shock, solar radiation and salt water. Expect it to hit Europe from next month onwards for a yet undisclosed price.

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