World’s top sailing event under

 cloudy skies in San Francisco

THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS yacht race on earth – the America’s Cup – begins its finals today on San Francisco Bay.

Larry Ellison’s Team Oracle USA AC 72 makes a stunning portrait with the San Francisco skyline as the backdrop. Click image to enlarge.

But, instead of pristine blue skies and the famous backdrop of the (formerly) TransAmerica Pyramid skyscraper, the race begins under cloudy skies, thanks to overreach and the enormous ego of the second richest man alive.
Here are some rarely seen images that reveal the reasons  why the race is clouded by controversy and danger.

LED BY SQUARE, COMPETITORS ARE POPPING UP EVERYWHERE
There’s a quiet revolution under way in how we pay for goods and services, one that brings the cashless society a lot closer than ever.
It is the tiny card readers now available to businesses that attach to a smartphone, iPad or tablet computer and, in a jiffy, process payments over a wireless connection to the internet.
There is a growing number of companies selling mobile payments system, but the leader is Square, a start-up founded by Jack Dorsey who made his fortune as a founder of Twitter.
Whoever comes out on top this will be a major innovation in commerce. It is already being adopted by millions, and moves us all one more step along the path to a totally cashless society.
Get In the (K)now … here, now

WITH 2 DONATED LUNGS, DAD MAKES IT TO SHORE
In 2008, San Francisco-area resident Gavin Maitland underwent a life-saving double lung transplant.
On May 12, he joined a group of about 10 others (including his two children) and swam the 1 1/2 miles from Alcatraz Island prison to mainland San Francisco.
Read his inspiring story and watch the video here, now!

AMERICA’S CUP MAY NOT BE ALL IT COULD BE
With the finals of the America’s Cup set to begin in less than five weeks – on Sept. 7 – uncertainty surrounds the world’s premier sailing race, being held for the first time in San Francisco.
The America’s Cup 2013 edition has been bedeviled with problems. Many blame Oracle mogul Larry Ellison personally, saying hiss ego got away with him.
I am disappointed to be missing the opportunity of a lifetime to see a world famous event in a sport about which I am passionate.
Get In the (K)now … here, now

The America’s Cup sailing race, being primarily arranged by multibillionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is beset by problems – not the least of which was the fatal accident which claimed the life of a crewman in May.
Will the show go on as scheduled later in the summer?
A leading expert, who has covered all the preparations for the race in great detail for Wired Magazine, is emphatic.
“There is zero chance that it will be canceled,” said Wired Reporter Adam Fisher in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.