The attendees came to the first-ever Space Hacker Workshop on Saturday and Sunday (May 4 and 5) to learn about how they could build and fly experiments on a new generation of manned suborbital vehicles such as XCOR Aerospace's .

The event, which was sponsored by the Silicon Valley Space Center and Citizens in Space, attracted high-school and college students, university professors, space professionals, scientists, technology experts and others interested in this emerging field. []

New reusable vehicles slated to come online soon will provide affordable and repeated access to space for professional and amateur scientists and help to revolutionizeand science education, said Citizens in Space founder Ed Wright.

"With the suborbital vehicles being developed...there's going to be an opportunity to fly many thousands of small payloads on suborbital vehicles every year," Wright said.

Citizen space scientists

Citizens in Space is a program run by Wright's Texas-based organization, the U.S. Rocket Academy, which has purchased 10 flights aboard the two-seat Lynx just for research. Ten lucky citizen scientists will get to fly in the passenger seat of the vehicle and operate the experiments that they have designed and built. Five of those slots already have been filled.

So, just how cheap will it be to fly experiments in space? Wright said that while a typical tinymight cost between $3,000 and $5,000 to build and another $100,000 or more to launch into orbit, developing and flying scientific payloads aboard the Lynx will be many orders of magnitude cheaper.

"At the base level, you're going to have people who are able to build an experiment for $200 or less and have an opportunity to fly in space through programs such as Citizens in Space, and I think this is just going to change everything," Wright said.

"We may reach the point in five or 10 years where every high school science major will have the opportunity to build and fly a payload in space during the course of his academic career before he graduates, he added.

The development of suborbital vehicles such as the Lynx andis coming at a time when maker spaces are popping up all over the country. Wright said these joint work spaces are perfect places for people to build the types of do-it-yourself science experiments that Citizens in Space wants to fly.

Wright's academy is developing the Lynx Cub Payload Carrier, a unit that can hold up to a dozen small experiments in a space behind the pilot's seat. The carrier will give XCOR the ability to flyin the passenger's seat while also carrying scientific experiments as secondary payloads.

A seat on Lynx costs $95,000, while a ticket to fly on SpaceShipTwo which last week made its will set you back $200,000 at the moment. (Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson said recently that ticket prices would soon temporarily rise to $250,000.) []

A range of experiments

Four XCOR employees traveled 300 miles (500 kilometers) north from the town of Mojave, where they are building the first Lynx, to address the Space Hacker audience and answer questions.

Khaki Rodway, XCOR's director of payload sales and operations, gave an overview of Lynx's capabilities and a progress update on the assembly of the first vehicle, which could fly by the end of this year.

"We're doing it because there's lots of stuff to do," Rodway said of the emerging market for experiments.

During the two-day workshop, participants heard talks about the experiments that will be carried out in the microgravity environment and vacuum of space. These experiments will range across many different fields, including materials processing, fluid dynamics, life sciences, protein crystal growth and technology demonstrations.

NASA astronaut Yvonne Cagle talked about sending odd "water bears" into space. Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are tiny organisms that are virtually impervious to heat, radiation and vacuum conditions. Cagle believes that by studying water bears, scientists can learn a great deal about how to help humans adapt to space.

Jason Reimuller, president of the company Integrated Spaceflight Services, told the audience about his Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere (PoSSUM) campaign, which will use a Lynx to study the dynamics of clouds over the North Pole. The vehicle will operate out of a high-altitude spaceport in either Alaska or Sweden, Reimuller said.

Ryan Gillespie, an aerospace engineer from Sunnyvale, Calif., said he is interested in pursuing Citizens in Space's High Altitude Astrobiology Challenge, which is offering cash prizes of up to $10,000 for the development of a device that will collect micro-organisms living at the edge of space.

I'm not so much interested in the $10,000 it's more the fact that when you come up with anything, it needs a purpose," Gillespie said. "Here's something that actually has a purpose for mankind."

Driving technology forward

Richard Mains of Mains Associates, who works with the NASA Flight Opportunities Program that funds experiments on , said these new spaceships are driving technology development at a much faster rate than traditional NASA programs tend to do.

"I think what's actually going on here with these reusable suborbital launch vehicles is kind of a whole new paradigm where you're not putting a payload up onfor six months," Mains said. "And these vehicles aren't that big. But they are flying very often, So these payloads now have to be small, smart, autonomous very very easy to kind of activate and deactivate, reprogram, get data out of."

"I see all of that driving technology in a very, very interesting fashion," Mains added, mentioning the emergence of open-source platforms as another powerful driver. "So I'm very excited about what I've heard here."

Silicon Valley was a perfect location to hold the workshop given that it's at the leading edge of technology development, Mains said.

Wright said he was extremely pleased with the workshop, which sold all of its 95 tickets and had a waiting list on Saturday morning.

"I think it's gone very well," Wright said. "It's really been a great turnout. It's been very exciting for everyone here. The people from the NASA Flight Opportunities program were very excited about this. XCOR was very excited about this."

Wright says he hopes to conduct five or six additional workshops in cities across the country over the next year.

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ASPEN, Colo. (AP) -- The image was chilling: Snowmobile rider Caleb Moore, launched over his handlebars on a backflip gone wrong, rolled down the landing hill with his 450-pound machine somersaulting behind him.

Run over by his sled, Moore lay on the snow for several minutes before being helped off the course. As of Wednesday, he was hospitalized in critical condition because of bleeding around his heart and a complication involving his brain.

Moore's was the worst accident at the Winter X Games, which wrapped up Sunday night after four days of competition, but it wasn't the only harrowing moment. The wipeouts included a runaway snowmobile that sent spectators scrambling.

Even the highlights were hardly tame. Snowboarding star Shaun White soared a competition record 24 feet into the air during the superpipe competition, and fellow boarder Elena Hight showed off a difficult trick called a"double alley-oop backside rodeo" that involved a couple of backflips and a 180-degree rotation. It had never been seen in a competition.

All that, plus Moore's crash, has some wondering whether dialing up the difficulty each year improves action sports or has simply made them too dangerous.

"Should we be asking these questions? We absolutely should be," said Dan Lebowitz, the executive director of Sport in Society at Northeastern University, which examines the role of sports to promote healthy development and social responsibility.

The people performing these superhuman feats "really are just human," he said. "How do we maintain safety in that progression when that progression sometimes pushes every envelope to some amazingly extreme point?"

Moore's injuries underscore the dangers at Winter X, which was filled with numerous cover-your-eyes crashes.

Halldor Helgason of Iceland over-rotated on a flip in the snowboard big air competition and had to be taken off on a sled with a concussion. Rose Battersby of New Zealand sustained a lumbar spine fracture in a wipeout during practice before the skiing slopestyle competition, which will be an Olympic sport next winter at the Sochi Games.

Then there was this: Summer X Games motocross champion turned snowmobile newcomer Jackson Strong tumbled off his machine during the best trick competition, the throttle sticking and the sled swerving toward fans as they scurried away. The machine came to a rest when it got tangled in some netting and no one was seriously hurt.

Such a scenario had already crossed the mind of Levi LaVallee, a snowmobiler who captured two gold medals only to be sidelined for the final two competitions after tearing a muscle in his back.

"I've always thought about, 'What happens if the thing tips over and the throttle sticks?'" LaVallee said. "It was good, though, because it showed that X Games has a good setup with the fencing."

Whether action sports are too dangerous is an issue that's been raised before.

When freestyle skier Sarah Burke died in a training accident a little more than a year ago in Park City, Utah, there were questions about the halfpipe. Before that, the sport was examined when snowboarder Kevin Pearce suffered a severe brain injury in a fall in the same pipe as Burke two years earlier. Pearce has recovered and served as an analyst at Winter X.

But in general, the athletes accept the risks and defend their disciplines.

"To lose Sarah was such a blow to this entire industry," said snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, who didn't compete this year as she recovers from a serious eye injury she suffered in training. "This sport brings so much joy, happiness and balance to my life and that far outweighs what could happen. You can't ever live your life with what could happen."

In a statement, X Games officials said they've paid close attention to safety issues over the event's 18-year history: "We've worked closely with athletes, risk management specialists, sport organizers and event managers to present the best possible experience for athletes and spectators. Further measures are constantly being evaluated."

Athletes say they prepare as best they can by trying out new tricks into foam pits and air bags set up at the bottom of courses. But even all the caution in the world can't prevent the fact that sometimes well-practiced maneuvers can go wrong in the air.

"You don't want to live your life in fear because of a situation," LaVallee said. "Look, I'm driving down the road right now and the worst-case scenario is a car could swerve over into my lane and run over me there it is, end of the road.

"That's kind of the same thing we think when we're competing. Hopefully, the preparation and countless hours of training and practicing will prevent the worst-case scenario from happening."

Tucker Hibbert the Shaun White of snowmobiling after winning his sixth straight SnoCross title just hopes casual fans understand that what they see on television is not true snowmobiling.

"You're seeing the most extreme side of what we do," Hibbert said. "That's a lot different than what the average person does on a snowmobile."

Hibbert doesn't participate in events such as best trick because, "I just wasn't born with those skills. I sit back and watch those guys, enjoy what they do."

He paused.

"You just hate to see anyone crash, anyone get hurt," Hibbert said.

Moore was in the middle of an impressive run in the freestyle event when he caught the top of the hill that was serving as a landing area. He initially walked away with help and went to a hospital with a concussion.

Moore later developed bleeding around his heart and had surgery. His family said that Moore, of Krum, Texas, also had a complication involving his brain.

Colten Moore, Caleb's younger brother and defending champion in the event, separated his pelvis in a crash later that same night.

LaVallee is no stranger to horrific wipeouts.

While training for the "Red Bull: New Year. No Limits" daredevil series two years ago in Southern California, LaVallee lost control of his snowmobile high in the air and landed violently on his side, bouncing down the landing ramp. He broke ribs, cracked his pelvis, collapsed one lung and punctured the other.

But he returned the next year and jumped a record 412 feet, 6 inches.

"We're passionate about the sport that we're in," LaVallee said.

"Anyone who competes has that drive to succeed, to go bigger than the next person or be the first one to do it."

The mentality is similar throughout action sports, even if the bar keeps getting raised.

"There are going to be benchmarks set and people trying to exceed that benchmark," Lebowitz said. "That's just the essence of our society and our social culture."

Brigade spokesman Ali el-Abed says his unit had been delivering army vehicles from Tripoli to the southern city of Sabha when they came under attack by unidentified gunmen around 100 kilometers (62 miles) from their destination.

A military official in Sabha, where the unit is based, says three assailants were also killed in the fighting Friday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

Abed says wounded from both sides have been transferred to hospitals in the capital Tripoli. The ambush occurred in the town of Kira, once a Moammar Gadhafi stronghold.

Moments later, he offered a brief plea amid growing safety questions about Leffler's death at a dirt-track race earlier this week.

"I'd be grateful if you guys would understand that what happened this week wasn't because somebody didn't do something right with the race track. It was an accident. Just like if you go out and there's a car crash. It's an accident," Stewart said Friday at Michigan. "Nobody as a track owner wants to go through what happened this week, but it's not due to a lack of effort on their part to try to make their facilities as safe as possible under the conditions they have."

Leffler died Wednesday night from injuries suffered in a sprint car crash at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, N.J. The Delaware County (Pa.) medical examiner determined Leffler died from a blunt force neck injury. He was 37 and is survived by a 5-year-old son.

Stewart knows all about the challenges facing track owners. He owns Eldora Speedway in Ohio, a dirt track that will host a NASCAR Truck Series race next month. He's one of a handful of big names who will show up to race at small, local tracks from time to time, but Leffler's death brought renewed attention to the safety of those races and not everyone is optimistic.

"I don't run those races for a reason. I have teams, yes, certainly. There are a handful of drivers that run at the local level. I don't very often," said Brad Keselowski, the defending Sprint Cup champion. "I don't know what happened to Jason, and maybe it was completely unrelated, and I don't want that to be confused, but still, the safety standards at local short tracks they're out of control. They're dismal."

Sprint car races can be more dangerous for drivers and spectators because many facilities lack the SAFER barriers that are standard in NASCAR and IndyCar, and the cars aren't always adequately protected. Bridgeport Speedway does not have SAFER Barriers, energy-absorbing walls cost about $500 a foot for installation. Most local short tracks cannot afford them.

Stewart said safety is improving, though.

"Most of them have safety teams at each facility. ... That's probably the one thing I've seen the most of is having adequate safety teams there and making sure they can respond to the problem pretty quick," Stewart said. "I think things are the best they've ever been at this point. There's facilities that need some work and there's facilities that put a lot of effort into it."

Tom Deery is president of World Racing Group, which sanctions dirt track racing in the United States and Canada. He said there have been advancements in seat and seat-belt technology, and lot of safety improvements can filter down from the Sprint Cup level.

Not fast enough for Keselowski.

"They don't have the safety standards that we have here in NASCAR. That's not to say that all tracks in NASCAR have it right, either. ... but it's even 100 times worse at the local level," Keselowski said. "It's funny, because I talked to my dad, who raced local short tracks, and every once in a while, we'll talk about some track that he went to with my brother or whatever situation, and I'll ask him how it was. And he'll tell me, 'Well, it hasn't changed since 1975 when I was last there.' I'm pretty sure safety has taken some pretty big leaps forward since 1970-something."

Deery took exception to that comment, and said owners of these small tracks likely would, too, especially since so many have a personal stake in the venue's safety.

"Probably more often than not, they either have a family member that participates or they participate there themselves," Deery said.

Leffler was remembered by drivers for his love of racing and his willingness to get behind the wheel in so many different formats. Keselowski raced with Leffler on the Nationwide Series. Like many NASCAR and IndyCar teams this weekend, he has a #LEFturn decal on his No. 2 Ford in Leffler's honor.

In a sport that may never be 100 percent safe, drivers will return to these smaller, off-the-beaten-path tracks. The passion for racing helps overcome any fear of danger and some of NASCAR's top drivers still view sprint car racing as an enjoyable getaway.

Stewart started his career on dirt tracks in Indiana, and he makes select appearances at dirt tracks in addition to his Sprint Cup schedule.

"It's just something different. I get to race with the best stock car drivers in the world every weekend here for three days a week," Stewart said. "In the evenings I get to go do something that's the polar opposite end of the spectrum, and it's a challenge because it's the opposite end of the spectrum for us. They're 910 horsepower cars that weigh 1,400 pounds. It's probably the best power-to-weight ratio other than a motorcycle."

Kasey Kahne came through the sprint car ranks, still races when he can and fields several cars through Kasey Kahne Racing.

"As far as our teams go, I talked to all of them yesterday. We do as much as we can with sprint cars, with the safety, with trying to have the best seats just to contain you left, right, shoulders," he said.

Kahne flew last weekend with Leffler to Pocono Raceway, where Leffler made his only start of the Sprint Cup season. Kahne has said this week how excited Leffler was to have plans to race on multiple nights this week.

"Things still happen. It's racing," Kahne said. "It's basically anything we do, any one of us does each day, it can happen. I just feel for his family and his son."

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Tom Hanks is reteaming with his "Cloud Atlas" director Tom Tykwer on a feature adaptation of Dave Eggers' novel "A Hologram For the King," TheWrap has learned.

Tykwer adapted the book and will direct the indie movie, for which CAA is in the process of securing financing. "A Hologram For the King" was a finalist for the National Book Award when it was published by McSweeney's last year.

Hanks will play a struggling businessman who heads to Saudi Arabia in a last-ditch attempt to stave off foreclosure and do something memorable with his life.

Hanks and his Playtone partner Gary Goetzman will produce with Stefan Arndt, Uwe Schott and Tykwer of X Filme Creative Pool.

Hanks, who can currently be seen on Broadway in Nora Ephron's play "Funny Guy," will soon be seen in Sony's "Captain Phillips" and Disney's "Saving Mr. Banks," in which he plays Walt Disney. He's represented by CAA.

The news was first reported by Deadline.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico and Peru's popularity among foreign investors means they are among the emerging market economies most exposed to losses when the United States finally moves to take its foot off the monetary accelerator.

History shows that when U.S. interest rates jump - widely anticipated when the Federal Reserve begins reducing its $85 billion a month bond purchases - new foreign investment in Peruvian and Mexican financial assets drops by almost two-thirds.

In what many see as a dress rehearsal, worries that the Fed might slow buying later this year pushed Mexican 10-year yields up almost 100 basis points in May. The rise was twice the jump in U.S. Treasuries.

Bonds in Brazil, Colombia and Peru also sold off and major Latin American currencies fell on average 5.5 percent on the mere hint of a limit to the cheap cash that has pushed many emerging markets to record highs.

Sound fiscal policies and sensible economic management had turned Latin America from a basket case to a favored investment bet over the last decade, especially given low yields elsewhere.

Investors, who have plowed $400 billion into Latin American markets since 2008, said buying-in had peaked and that the market sell-off in May would likely be repeated when the Fed eased back.

"I think this was a preview," said Michael Gomez, co-head of emerging markets at bond investment giant PIMCO. "With the smaller size of some of the markets, those dynamics can tend to be self-reinforcing."

Latin America has outperformed other emerging markets in attracting foreign investment over the last two years and economists say countries with the highest inflows may see the strongest outflows when the wind turns.

Mexico, with its close ties to the United States, has been the biggest magnet for Latin American portfolio flows since 2009, with foreign ownership of local bonds close to 40 percent. Peru and Chile lead taking all foreign flows into account.

Reuters' analysis of data shows that a one percentage point rise in U.S. 10-year yields since 1995 is typically followed by a 63 percent drop in net, non-foreign direct investment inflows to Mexico. Taking inflows over the last 12 months, that would be equivalent to a $50 billion fall.

In Peru, where foreigners own a whopping 57 percent of local currency debt, a comparable rise precedes a 61 percent drop in inflows, while a 40-48 percent fall could be expected in Chile, Colombia and Brazil, which has just dropped a tax on foreign investment in domestic bonds to attract more capital.

DRESS REHEARSAL

The punishment inflicted on Mexico from a half a percentage point jump in U.S. 10-year yields seems to show history repeats.

Foreign holdings of longer-term bonds dropped 18.3 billion pesos ($1.4 billion) from a peak on May 10; 10-year yields rose 22 percent; the spread over Treasuries rose 65 basis points, although it remains near historic lows, and the peso fell more than 6 percent.

"Mexico is one of the most crowded trades, if not the most crowded trade. It's the most liquid currency in emerging markets, so it's going to suffer for those reasons," said Aberdeen Asset Management portfolio manager Kevin Daly, who expects another 40-50 basis point spike in U.S. yields if the Fed moves to exit in September.

Nomura analyst Benito Berber said that since Mexico's peso had only given up just over one-third of the last year's gains in May, it might have further to fall - along with Chile's.

In fixed income, only Colombian bonds fell more than Mexico's last month but PIMCO - which Thomson Reuters data show has $3.6 billion invested in Mexican bonds and another $1.2 billion in Colombia - said both were well-placed for turmoil.

"They have a number of policy levers they can utilize or balance sheet anchors that represent dry powder to withstand market volatility. So I am a little less worried about them," Gomez said.

Another potential cushion is Bank of Japan stimulus keeping global liquidity ample even if the Fed changes course, although it may not stop foreigners dropping local currency debt if exchange rate weakness cuts the value of their investments.

Peruvian Finance Minister Luis Castilla downplayed risks to his country from a Fed exit and welcomed the sol's easing from 16-year highs.

"We're a country that has been running fiscal surpluses," he told Reuters. "We are not a country that will need to be tapping markets such as other countries in the region. That gives us some comfort."

But Peru is also pressured by slower growth in China, undercutting the high commodity prices that have buoyed its economy. The minerals exporter has just posted its first quarterly trade deficit in more than four years and economists are trimming growth forecasts.

To some investors, the sell-off in May was a wake-up call to those who had preached that emerging markets were the new global safe haven amid ongoing weakness in developed economies.

"It seems to suggest Latin America is still the 'high beta' play on what's happening in the U.S.," said Frances Hudson, global thematic strategist at Standard Life Investments, referring to relative volatility.

"Investing in Peru or Brazil is not a risk-free option, and perhaps it was timely that people were reminded of that." ($1 = 12.7216 Mexican pesos)

(Additional reporting by Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Kieran Murray and Cynthia Osterman)

(This story is refiled to correct dollar amount in second paragraph to $85 billion)

I have asked Dad not to do it because it is inconsiderate of the other guests. I can see people are bothered by it, so now they make a beeline to the buffet so they can beat him to it.

Dad got offended when I talked to him about it, but he continues to do it. Mom refuses to get involved, and I have said all I can say. What to do? -- BURNED UP IN ILLINOIS

DEAR BURNED UP: A guest who grabs all the goodies at a dinner party is a hog. Because your father refuses to change his behavior, I will offer a few suggestions: The first is to alter your menu to avoid serving casserole dishes. If that's not possible, make your father his own separate casserole with his name on it, so he can have it all to himself. Or plate the food in the kitchen and stop serving it buffet-style.

DEAR ABBY: Over the past few years, as social media has become more popular, I have noticed a trend among many people. They now favor that form of communication over personal human interaction. This is especially true of my girlfriend of five years.

We have the normal relationship problems I feel could be addressed, but from the moment she gets home from work she's in front of the computer playing Facebook games, posting status updates or messaging "friends." She sits there for hours, lost in her virtual world. We rarely talk anymore, and when we do it turns into an argument because I'm trying to discuss what I see as a serious problem.

The Internet and social media are great tools for bringing worlds together, if they are not abused. But for many people, I think, social media is doing more harm than good. It has depersonalized human contact and has the potential to destroy relationships and isolate individuals.

I'm interested in your opinion and any advice you can give me on helping my girlfriend understand my concerns. -- ALONE IN THE REAL WORLD

DEAR ALONE: People cannot be two places at once. When relationships aren't nurtured, they wither. If this has been going on for an extended period, then it's time you give your girlfriend a wake-up call: You feel abandoned. By spending more time in the virtual world than in the real one, she is neglecting her relationship with you.

Ask her if she would be willing to work on a compromise so that she spends time with you. If she can't do that, and the Internet is giving her everything she needs, then you should find a lady who is willing to give you more of what you need, which is undivided attention.

DEAR ABBY: If a person compliments me on my hair, am I obliged to reveal that it isn't my natural color? I am a henna redhead, and it looks very natural, but my friend who is a natural redhead says I have to fess up. She will even tell people "for me" that my color is "fake." What should I do? -- HENNA REDHEAD IN NEW YORK

DEAR HENNA REDHEAD: Start spending more time with blondes and brunettes than with a redhead who doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. She is jealous of the attention you're getting.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

To receive a collection of Abby's most memorable -- and most frequently requested -- poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.

The International Cycling Union also asked the Italian cycling federation to proceed with a disciplinary case. He could be stripped of his victory in mountainous Stage 14 and his ninth-place finish overall.

''I can only say that I'm incredulous about what happened and I will ask for a 'B' test as soon as possible,'' Santambrogio told the ANSA news agency.

He tested positive in a urine sample May 4, the first stage of the three-week race, UCI said.

The 28-year-old cyclist joins Vini Fantini teammate and fellow Italian Danilo Di Luca in failing doping tests involving the banned blood-boosting hormone at their country's premier race.

''At this point I should quit cycling because you really can't trust the riders,'' Vini Fantini team director Luca Scinto said from the Italian cycling federation, where he was attending a hearing on the Di Luca case. ''If I had (Santambrogio) within my hands now I would hit him. At this point we're all finished.''

''I had spoken to Santambrogio before the Giro and I told him that there were some rumors going around about him. A lot of people were saying he's riding too fast,'' he added. ''But he was explicit and guaranteed me he was clean and said that he was offended by my request for an explanation. 'Luca, it's just envy,' he told me. And I always defended him.''

Renato Di Rocco, president of the Italian cycling federation president, said word of another doping case on the team will ''prompt us to widen and deepen our inquiry.''

''Evidently some cyclists haven't understood and still hope to ruin things at the cost of everyone else,'' he said.

On May 18, Santambrogio rode through treacherous weather into Bardonecchia to beat eventual overall winner Vicenzo Nibali for the stage victory. It was the biggest success of Santambrogio's career.

Two days before Nibali completed his victory, 2007 Giro winner Di Luca was announced to have tested positive for EPO in a sample given days before the race. Di Luca was pulled from the Giro and fired by his team. The 37-year-old rider faces a lifetime ban for a third offense.

A third doping case at the Giro involved French rider Sylvain Georges. The rider for AG2R La Mondiale tested positive for the banned stimulant Heptaminol in a urine sample after the seventh stage.

"Obviously there's some mental problems there and she's not able to see that. We all are [able to see it]. No one is able to get to her. I'm actually really scared for her, and I hope someone is able to get to her to give her the help she needs," Lance said during the Las Vegas radio show interview.

Lance also r on Wednesday, writing, "Love and miss you! Here for you if you need me! Xoxo"

On Thursday, , writing, "I ignored Lance Bass on twitter and now he is saying I have a mental illness. Sorry you're an ugly ex boy band member w/ no talent or career."

Lance replied, "Ouch- The Amanda I know would never had said something like this to me- either this is a fake person or she really does have a mental illness. Way too sad. I reached out- all I can do."

Amanda then offered an explanation for why she launched a verbal attack on Lance.

"I haven't spoken to Lance Bass in 11 years. To say I have a mental illness out of nowhere makes me lash out!" she wrote. "You're making me crazy!"

Lance again responded, questioning if the Tweets were actually being written by Amanda herself, as he claims the pair have definitely spoken within the last decade (he produced her 2005 movie "Love Wrecked").

"Now I really don't think this is Amanda- we shot LoveWrecked together 7 years ago and she was just at my bday party 3 years ago," he Tweeted. "Hmmm 11?"

Copyright 2013 by . All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The International Herald Tribune fashion editor, a regular on the front row at catwalk shows of the world's top designers from Giorgio Armani to Diane von Furstenberg, will open bids for 80 lots of clothes on July 11 in the Christie's sale.

"I have never thrown anything out of my wardrobe since 1964," she said in a statement on Tuesday.

Menkes will sell coats, dresses, skirts, tops, jackets and accessories that she has laid in a "tomb of trunks" from designers such as Ossie Clark and Emilio Pucci, to Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix.

"They need to live again and this auction provides the opportunity for them to walk out in the sunshine, to dance the night away and to give someone else the joy that they gave to me," she said.

Estimates for individual lots start at 200 pounds ($300), with the majority on offer for under 1,000 pounds. The star lot of the sale is an Yves Saint Laurent cocktail jacket from his 1980 collection 'le soleil' estimated at up to 2,000 pounds.

Menkes follows in the footsteps of British designer Vivienne Westwood, fashion trendsetter Daphne Guinness, English model Erin O'Connor and Italian fashion writer Anna Piaggi by selling much of her collection via a single-owner auction at Christie's.

The New York Times Co, which owns the Herald Tribune said earlier this year that it would be rebranding the paper as the International New York Times.

($1 = 0.6651 British pounds)

(Reporting by Paul Casciato; Editing by Pravin Char)