text: I know last year, it was such a warm winter, bees swarmed earlier... mine did on March 17th. This year we just started having temps in the lower 50's, upper 40's in the last 2 weeks. I am still seeing drones, and my bees are coming out feeding at 46 degrees....and drinking water out of the black bedliner of my truck. Now I have seen a few workers trying to throw some drones out a couple of weeks ago, but not lately. I know I have a mite problem, I have been seeing a few bees with deformed wings, workers tossing them out of the hive. I even found a few white larva that had been thrown out of the hive, the eye just starting to turn color. I thought the queen wouldn't be laying this time of year?


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"This is the kind of thing put into the tax code that, while it may be worthy, we have to start asking ourselves, 'Can we afford it, or not?'" said Harry Zeeve, a pet owner and field director for the conservative Concord Coalition, which normally briefs elected officials on the dangers of federal budget deficits.
"And the answer to that question is, 'not now,'" Zeeve said. With one-third to two-thirds of the U.S. population owning pets, "it's no small price tag," Zeeve said of the cost of the proposed tax cuts.
Advances in veterinary technology and the development of expensive new drugs can make pet ownership more costly now than ever before, Zeeve said.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Sorry for this but I only have questions where you are looking for answers. Hopefully you can help. I'm a step behind you in BM ownership and I'm looking for a red dot scope like your Simmons. As I read it, 1 MOA = 1 inch at 100 yards. So your Simmon scope at 4 MOA should print a dot of 1 inch at 25 yards. Am I wrong in my calculation? Also, would you recommend going straight to the scope and skipping the red dot step in my BM evolution. This is still just plinking for me. I've replaced my front sight with a fiber optic so far. I'm shooting about 3.5" to 4" groups off hand at 25 yards. Would the red dot help?


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Skip to Content
"Megan's laws" will be argued pro and con by teams of University of Colorado School of Law students participating in the annual Rothgerber Moot Court Competition on Feb. 12.
The final round in the annual competition that provides training in appellate advocacy will be at 3 p.m. in the Lindsley Memorial Courtroom of the School of Law. Seating is available on a first-come basis. Overflow seating with closed-circuit television will be provided in room 104.
The case in the "moot," or hypothetical, court revolves around recent laws requiring convicted sex offenders to register with local law enforcement officials and provide for varying levels of notification to the public. A number of legal issues will be brought into the debate by the two teams of law students, one arguing for and the other arguing against the petitioners in the case.
By participating in moot court, students receive practice in preparing a case and supporting it in oral arguments before a panel of judges that this year includes Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis of the Colorado Supreme Court, Judge Carlos Lucero of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and Boulder County District Attorney Alex Hunter.
Finalists on the student team representing the petitioners are Alison Cornell, Debra T. Trapp and Tom Ward, who will be opposed by a team including Michele Clark, Corey Cutter and Elizabeth Moulton. All team members have survived two previous rounds of competition to qualify as finalists.
The moot court was established in 1951 by the late Denver attorney Ira C. Rothgerber Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his father1s graduation from law school. The younger Rothgerber, also a CU law school graduate, served as acting director of development at CU and taught law in 1958 while on leave from his private practice.


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Gluten. A protein found in wheat, barley and rye, it lurks in everything, yet we never give it a thought. That is until your child is diagnosed with celiac disease, an auto-immune disorder that affects the small intestine. Suddenly, you're faced with a new way of life. Reading labels are important more than ever. At a time when you're teaching your child to share his toys, you must also let him know he can't share in his friend's snack or lunch. It can be confusing for both parent and child.
The good news is, you can still embrace your love of cooking and raise a healthy eater, as Shauna James Ahern, mom to a very active toddler, proves in her popular food blog, Gluten Free Girl. All it takes is research to know what ingredients are safe to eat and then you can get to work on stocking your pantry. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour is good for beginners. It's a ready-to-use blend of garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, whole grain sweet white sorghum flour, and fava bean flour, making it easier to create gluten free versions of your favorite recipes. And what better kid-favorite recipe to get you started than pizza?
Basic Gluten Free Pizza
Serves 3 to 4
We've left this one "plain" but don't let that stop you from adding your child's favorite veggies.
2 ¾ cups (12 ounces) gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) fine sea salt
1 1/4 teaspoons (5 grams) gluten free yeast (Red Star is gluten free)
2 teaspoons (8 grams) xantham gum
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
To Make the Pizza:
3/4 cup tomato sauce
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
- Add 8.5 ounces of gluten free flour, salt, yeast and xanthum gum to a deep bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour in the water and olive oil. Stir together with a wooden spoon until it forms a wet, tacky dough.
- Sprinkle the remaining flour on a clean counter or surface. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Leave any remaining flour on the counter for when you're ready to roll out the dough.
- Place the dough in an oiled glass or metal bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a cool, dry place to rise until it has risen about 1/4 in volume.
- Preheat oven to 450º. Coat a round pizza pan with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil. Turn dough out onto floured surface and, using a rolling pin, shape it into a 16-inch circle for a thin crust pizza.
- Place crust on the prepared pan. Spoon sauce on top, and spread it almost to the edges. Top with the sliced mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden and the crust nicely browned.
For more information on celiac disease visit the Children's Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation.


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Marriage in Texas
Texas Court will generally recognize a formal marriage between husband and wife conducted according to the law of any state or foreign country. In Texas, the marital relationship can be established between a man and a woman by a formal ceremony or by common law.
A ceremonial marriage requires a marriage license issued by the county clerk. You must complete a sworn application that establishes the facts required to show that you are legally eligible to enter into the marital relationship. Persons under 18 years of age required parental consent or a court order. You cannot be currently married. You cannot marry a person with a blood relationship of first cousin or closer. You cannot marry a current or former step-parent or step-child.
The marriage ceremony must be conducted within 31 days of the day the license is issued by the county clerk. The ceremony generally must not be conducted within 72 hours of the issuance of the license. Any Judge, Justice, Justice of the Peace, Minister, Priest, Rabbi or other authorized officer of a religious organization may perform the ceremony. It is unlawful to refuse to perform the marriage ceremony between two persons eligible to marry because of race, religion or national origin.
A common law marriage can be created by any two persons of opposite gender over 18 years of age otherwise eligible to enter into a marital relationship. The common law marriage can be established by the husband and wife filing a Declaration of Marriage provided by the county clerk. A Texas court will recognize a common law marriage without a Declaration of Marriage if the man and woman 1) agreed to be married; 2) live together as man and wife; and, 3) hold themselves out to others as husband and wife.
Community Property State
Each spouse has a duty to provide financial support for the other spouse. Any property acquired by either husband or wife during the marriage, other than separate property defined by statute, is considered community property with each spouse owning 50%. All property acquired during the marriage is presumed to be community property. A person claiming separate property acquired during the marriage must establish their claim by clear and convincing evidence.
Separate property is defined as: Property owned prior to marriage; Property acquired by gift or inheritance during marriage; Personal injury damages for other than lost wages.


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These two illustrated lectures will provide an in depth look into works recently acquired by the museum, which are currently a part of the Recent Acquisitions exhibition (on view through March 10). Important American modernists, Marguerite Zorach, William Zorach, and Georgia O'Keeffe, were all born in 1880s and became significant artistic figures in the twentieth century—inspired as they were by nature and by the feminine.
Lecture Two—The Early Drawings of Georgia O'Keeffe
Wednesday, March 6, 2 p.m.
O'Keeffe's famed career began in 1917 when she first showed a series of drawings and watercolors at Alfred Stieglitz's 291 Gallery in New York City. By focusing on two recent acquisitions of her early work, this lecture examines the importance of drawing and watercolors in her art practice and in the critical reception of her ground-breaking imagery. Susan Danly, former Senior Curator at the Portland Museum of Art and author of Georgia O'Keeffe and the Camera: The Art of Identity will discuss how these two facets of O'Keeffe's life became so intertwined.
Lecture One—Marguerite & William Zorach
Wednesday, February 27, 2 p.m.
Painter and textile artist Marguerite Thompson Zorach and painter and sculptor William Zorach were a well-known couple within early 20th century modernist circles, and throughout their careers. Both artists incorporated elements of the environment they knew best: their family, friends and surroundings. Identical motifs appear from time to time in a range of works by both artists, including the works on view in the exhibition: a block print by Marguerite Zorach and two works, an art deco linocut and a watercolor by William Zorach. Assistant Curator Jane Bianco will discuss the distinctive and sometimes similar viewpoints conveyed by these and other works by the Zorachs.
Location: Farnsworth auditorium
Cost: Series reservation(s)—Farnsworth members $20, $26 nonmembers; Individual lectures are available—$ 12 members, $16 nonmembers—by calling the Education Department at 207-596-0949.
Please note that there are no hard copy tickets that will be given to you in advance. Your name will be added to a reservation list and we will check you in at the door prior to each lecture or program.


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Inventory of the Eldred J. Simkins Collection, 1842-1977
Inventory of the Eldred J. Simkins Collection, 1842-1977The Huntington Library
San Marino, California
- Manuscripts Department
- The Huntington Library
- 1151 Oxford Road
- San Marino, California 91108
- Phone: (626) 405-2203
- Fax: (626) 449-5720
- Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- URL: http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary.aspx?id=554
- Processed by:
- The Huntington Library staff
- Date Completed:
- April 1982
Correspondence and documents
Persons represented by 3 or more pieces
Beckett, George W. 1925-1930
Bythewood, Elizabeth L. 1864-1928
Bythewood, Sarah (Fickling) 1864-1873?
Christensen Realty Company 1928-1929
Dandridge, Charles G. 1872-1874
Fickling, Anna Trezevant 1863-1927
Fickling, Sarah (Bythewood) 1876-1877?
Iglesias, Frances Earle (Simkins) Rousseau 1898-1929
Lee, Thomas S. 1862
Mays, Richard 1903-1928
Rodgers, S. H. 1906
Simkins, Benjamin B. 1900-1930
Simkins, Eldred J. 1860-1901
Simkins, Eliza Josephine (Trescot) 1860-1917?
Simkins, Joseph Stewart 1904-1929?, 1968
Simkins, Martha c.1900-c.1940
Simkins, William Stewart (1842-1929) 1896- 1922
Trescot, Anne Maria (Bythewood) 1874?-1902
Trescot, E. Bocquet 1912-1937
Trescot, Edward Henry 1849-1885
Trescot, Sarah McCrady 1915-1929
Interesting or Important Items
SIM 89 Lee, Thomas S. To Anne Maria (Bythewood) Trescot. 1862, Jan. 7. Sketch of Charleston, S.C., and its defenses after invasion scare.
The following letters from Eldred J. Simkins to Eliza Josephine (Trescot) Simkins:
SIM 134 1862, Dec. 19. Confederate troops' food and clothing; skirmish at Dumfries, Va.
SIM 138 1863, July 9. Defenses at Charleston harbor; chances of Federal forces taking Charleston.
SIM 142 1863, Aug. 19-20. Yankees firing parrot gun at Fort Sumter, description and sketch of Yankee mortar boats and monitors.
SIM 143 1863, Aug. 25-26. Yankee attacks on Battery Wagner and Fort Sumter; defenses at Charleston harbor.
SIM 145 1863, Sep. 7. Abandonment of Battery Wagner and Morris Island by Confederates; description of Charleston and of U.S.S. Ironsides.
SIM 151 1863, Nov. 2-4. Jefferson Davis reviews Confederate troops at Charleston harbor.
SIM 172 1864, July 9. Simkins ordered to James Island, where he and his company are mixed up in Yankee lines; relative strengths of Confederate Charleston harbor positions.
SIM 173 1864, July 10. Yankee assault on James Island and engagement at Battery Pringle, Charleston harbor.
SIM 177 1864, Aug. 8-9. Blockade runners at Charleston harbor.
SIM 181 1864, Sep. 5. Fears for Confederacy after Hood's Atlanta defeat; Yankees at Charleston harbor place Confederate prisoners on their batteries.
SIM 191 1864, Oct. 21. Confederate soldiers salvaging wrecked blockade runners in Charleston harbor.
SIM 197 1864, Dec. 18. Description of Savannah lines; Yankee prisoner battalion.
SIM 204 1865, Mar. 21. Retreat from Charleston; Yankee looting in Charleston and Columbia.
SIM 206 1865, Apr. 6. March of Simkins' brigade to North Carolina and losses sustained.
SIM 422 Trescot, Edward Henry. To Anne Maria (Bythewood) Trescot. 1849, Aug. 16. Long letter of gold seeker, describing his voyage from Charleston, S.C., to Panama, aboard the ship "Thomas Bennet" and his experiences in Panama.


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The challenge when looking for a research article to present on will likely be picking from the wide variety of options. To help you I've selected some great, science-centric news sites for you to look at first. News articles from these sites report largely on published research. Browse the sites for research that interests you.
These news articles also usually include the citation for the published research article that they report on. Use the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the citation in our Citation Lookup Tool to find the article in question in our library subscriptions. If we don't have a subscription, use our InterLibrary Loan Document Delivery service (accessible using the long request link in the Citation Lookup Tool) to get an electronic copy for free.
Remember that these news article are not suitable for your presentation, they are popular press articles, not primary research that your project requires. If you have trouble finding the research article referred to in a news article, contact Robin.
You can also search the Article Databases below for a research article on a particular topic but be sure to check that any article is new enough and conforms to the project guidelines.


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NYC Cab Drivers Push for Fare Hike Ahead of TLC Vote
(New York, NY - WNYC) Cab drivers from throughout the city came out in force on Monday to push the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to approve the proposed 17 percent fare hike.
The increase, if approved later this week, would increase charge per mile but the $2.50 base rate would stay the same. The flat fare to and from JFK Airport would also jump from $45 to $52.
Speaking to a room mostly of fare-hike backers during a hearing Monday, TLC Commissioner David Yassky said he supports the measure, which would be the first time in six years that fares have increased.
"The price of a loaf of bread has gone up. A gallon of milk has gone up. Certainly, the price of a gallon of gasoline has gone way up, and I think that taxi passengers understand they have to pay for some of that," Yassky said.
But approval of the plan isn't a done deal. Just two of the commission's nine TLC commissioners appeared at the hearing, and medallion owners have been angling behind the scenes.
At least one borough Commissioner, Frank Carone of Brooklyn, has said he'd vote against the proposal as it stands now because the increase doesn't meet the guidelines for rules that govern fare increases.
But the head of the Taxi Worker Alliance, Bhairavi Desai, said the wait has been too long.
"The idea that hard-working people are earning 25 percent less today than what they earned in 2006 is absolutely unacceptable," Desai said. "After 12 long hours behind a wheel, collectively serving over a half a million people, there's no question taxi drivers deserve to make a livable income."
Fleet owners complained the fare proposal leaves them out. The TLC isn't considering increasing the amount garages can charge drivers for renting the taxi and medallion—otherwise known as lease caps.
Michael Woloz, spokesman for the fleet group the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, urged the commission to consider their rising costs too. He said the price of maintaining a garage is expensive.
"(To) have tow truck operators, gas stations and mechanics that work 24 hours a day to make sure New Yorkers' taxi service is that best in the world—that costs money" Woloz said.
He said a 19 percent increase to both fares and lease caps would be more equitable.
But, according to TLC figures, fleets can make about $48,650 per medallion, meaning a 200-cab fleet could make more than $9 million a year, which the TLC doesn't consider a hardship.
The TLC is scheduled to vote on the plan this Thursday.


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To the Editors:
In "The Rarest Snail in the World" (November–December), Pat Shipman describes her search for the Caymanian land snail Cerion nana (sometimes known as C. nanus). Although the species' restricted range surely qualifies it for red listing, thousands of land-snail species are known from fewer specimens than C. nana and many have similar risk of extinction. C. nana isn't even the rarest snail in the Cayman Islands. Geomelania alemon, for example, has only one published collecting report, resulting from the Oxford University Biological Expedition of 1938. Last time I looked, there was a warehouse on G. alemon's type locality on Grand Cayman.
At least eight museums (not just four) hold specimens of C. nana. In the context of my institution's collection, C. nana was not historically rare: It's represented by 29 specimens, well above our median of 7 specimens per land-snail species. When Maynard named C. nana, he reported examining 2,000 individuals, and he later sold specimens for 10 cents apiece. Although high population density does not assure a species' well-being, it does make it more likely that a subsequent decline will be noticed.
I appreciate Shipman's article for highlighting the many aspects of rarity and the difficulty of determining the conservation status of species. Unfortunately, the current rarity and critically endangered status of C. nana is not unique. Rather, it reflects, and I hope will serve to publicize, the precarious state of the world's terrestrial mollusks, which have among the highest modern extinction rates documented for any group of organisms.
Gary Rosenberg, President American Malacological Society
Dr. Shipman responds:
The phrase "rarest snail in the world" was used by Mike Hounsome to describe C. nanus (or C. nana for those who prefer it) in his chapter on terrestrial invertebrates in The Cayman Islands: Natural History and Biogeography (1994). Not being a malacologist, I wouldn't presume to make such an assessment myself, but it made a great title. Sadly, the type locality for C. nanus has also been built upon and cleared. I'm not sure if the number of specimens in museums is the best criterion for rarity; maybe the number of living specimens is a better measure. I hope the content of my article was at least as thought provoking as the title, which seems to have bothered quite a few people.
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"I use Lucky minutes through ComFi after trying others, and since I have used this card through ComFi, I have seen no reason to shop for another. The service is always good, the people helpful if I have any questions, and the connection always clear and solid.
"I really am very happy with the Cardinal phone card. I got it for my Mom and it's easy and a great price. I've told several people about it so one of these days they will get one for themselves."


text:
Events and Programs
Museum Trip
Day Trip- Simon Pearce Glass & Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
September 12, 2013
Includes transportation, admissions and tours, sit down luncheon at Simon Pearce Restaurant, and driver's gratuity. Optional: Annual Quilt Exhibition at the Billings Farm & Museum. Hyde members $112, all others $137. Optional add-on $7 for Billings Farm & Museum. Reservations open to members only until July 25, all reservations must be received by August 22.


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2012 has been a great year for Rush Soccer! To countdown to the new year, Rushsoccer.com will count down the 5 most read articles posted on this website over the past 360 some odd days ending with the most read story on 12/31.
And the most read story on Rushsoccer.com in 2012.....
As if there were any doubt what the top story of the year would be. When the club decided to switch from Nike, a brand partnered with the club for the past 15 years, for adidas, people both within and outside of Rush Nation were bound to take notice!
"It really makes perfect sense to partner with the leader in the world of soccer and the company that invests so much in player development in the USA," commented Rush Soccer Chairman Jérôme de Bontin.
The partnership begins officially on January 1, 2013. New year, new brand, same expectations....To someday beat Barcelona and the best teams in the world! 2013 is going to be a big year for the RUSH!!!
Happy New Year everyone!


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What is UCDS?
If you type "find the error, its impossible" into a google search, you get a ton of results. We've pretty much identified all of the issues. My 1718 is an additional issue, perhaps added accidentally in the typing.
And it could be as simple as saying "it isn't impossible". The error is 1718 or it's anything else we came up with.
Where does the semicolon go? In front of the trailercolon? No. Really. Where?
Mark Berninghausen
The error was me opening this thread thinking there would be something about bees here!
The error was me opening this thread thinking there would be something about bees here!
Mike Forbes
Red Dirt Apiaries
Alright now, the 1718 is how it was typed in the email i received. I figured out that when someone gets beeks trying to figure out a riddle, it gets funny. Didn't take long for someone to get the answer.
There is no INTELLIGENT life on any other planet, they're probably like us!!!!
Yer an awful tease. But thanks.
Mark Berninghausen


text: I just got done rebuilding my 5.3 out of the 2007 Trailblazer. Now I've got it all put back together and I've got codes 171 and 172 and that is all I have, I think its the cord to my 02 Sensor wire for bank one. Can it be anything else? I did notice that it looked like the wire got squished not the connector but just the wire itself that is on the harness not the sensor. Its 171 which is bank one lean and 172 bank one rich Thanks for the help!


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An unconventional tactic might one day ease concerns that spent fuel could be used to make a bomb
Mujid Kazimi
In light of the potential advantages for reducing the quantity of nuclear waste and preventing the dissemination of bomb-making materials, it is not surprising that interest in thorium-based fuels has recently undergone something of a renaissance. The U.S. Department of Energy has been particularly eager to foster research activities in this area. In addition to funding Radkowsky's company and its partners in their tests with Russian reactors, the DOE has lent support to three other recent efforts. One involves a consortium made up of two national labs (the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory), two private companies in the business of fabricating nuclear fuels (Framatome Technologies and Westinghouse) and three universities (the University of Florida, Purdue University and my own institution, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). The goal has been to come up with a scheme for using thorium in reactors without the added complication of dealing with separate types of fuel arrays (from the seed and blanket units), as is required in Radkowsky's design.
In another program that brought investigators at Brookhaven National Laboratory together with the Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems (CANES) at MIT, the objective is to look at practical ways to simplify the design of the separated seed and blanket units. This could be done by assigning entire fuel assemblies to be either seeds or blankets. Although the terminology of "seeds" and "blankets" has been kept (we name this arrangement the whole-assembly seed-and-blanket core), the metaphor is less applicable in this case, which calls for these assemblies to be arranged, more or less, in a checkerboard array within the core of a reactor.
In a third research thrust, nuclear engineers at Brookhaven and Purdue University examined the use of plutonium-primed thorium as fuel for boiling-water reactors: These designs are distinct from the more common pressurized-water variety, which keep the cooling water under high pressure so that it always remains a liquid. The idea behind this program is that it may provide an economical means to consume surplus weapons plutonium—without producing yet another generation of plutonium waste, as would happen with the leading plan currently being contemplated, something known as the mixed oxide option. In this respect, the Brookhaven-Purdue research on plutonium-seeded thorium fuel is similar to some of the work that Thorium Power and its Russian partners are hoping soon to engage in.
My CANES colleagues and I have devoted considerable effort over the past few years to evaluating the details of various designs, including ways of combining uranium and thorium within individual fuel rods. As might be expected, our conclusions about the technical and economic feasibility vary depending on the particular design under consideration. Here I would like to describe just a few of our results for the seed-and-blanket arrangements, the strategy that in my view has the best chances of commercial success.
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This does not sound good for the almonds or the pollinators. Has anyone experienced any fallout from water being cut off to almonds?
Now farmers are relying on dwindling groundwater supplies and keeping their fingers crossed for 10 percent of their water allotments. Last week a coalition of farmers and urban water users filed a lawsuit claiming that state officials overstepped their authority by approving another round of potential cuts.
The valley produces 80 percent of the world's almonds. But grower Shawn Coburn has held off spending $350,000 to fertilize his 1,000 acres this month because he fears he will not have enough water for a 2009 crop.
"If you like foreign oil, you're going to love foreign food," he scoffed.
This month, the government could further restrict water deliveries during the drought and that would mean crop loans would be harder to get.


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Armstrong to USADA: You're long on stale allegations and short on evidence
posted at 6:01 pm on June 24, 2012 by Erika Johnsen
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To any readers who might follow me on the Twitters (@erikajohnsen, hint hint!), I feel the need to issue fair warning and apologize in advance: I am a huge cycling fan, and the Tour de France is just around the corner. Really, I am just absolutely nuts about cycling — it is the one sport I have followed almost religiously year-round since I was a teenager. So, while I usually try to restrict my tweets to at least generally political topics, cycling's greatest race starts in less than a week, and I just might not be able to contain myself.
There are occasional instances, however, when the realms of politics and cycling intersect, affording me the perfect excuse to blog about it — and to a lot of us tifosi, this relentless persecution of Lance Armstrong is about as annoying as it gets.
I'm no Lance Armstrong devotee myself (although, that's nothing against him, more just that I always found it irksome when the English cycling coverage often turned into the Tour de Lance instead of focusing on the many great cyclists out there), but the continued inquisition has got to stop. Some people just can't stand a champion, and Armstrong has been the target of especially high-profile attention ever since his first Tour de France victory — even though he's never once failed a doping test.
After a two-year, multi-continent, federal grand jury criminal investigation failed to convict Armstrong earlier this year, you'd think they'd finally just let it go and let the man enjoy his retirement, but alas:
Lance Armstrong filed a scathing response Friday to the latest doping allegations against him, accusing the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency of violating its own rules and possibly breaking federal law during its investigation.
The agency said Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs and other improper methods to win cycling's premiere event, the Tour de France, from 1999-2005. Friday was the deadline for Armstrong to respond to USADA's warning that charges were pending before his case moves to the next stage. …
The letter said USADA's case is "long on stale allegations disproved long ago and short on evidence" and "offensive to any notions of due process." …
Armstrong's attorneys say they believe USADA investigators coerced false testimony from witnesses by promising not to charge them with doping; they argue this could violate bribery laws. …
Armstrong's letter also challenged the 2009-2010 blood tests, which were taken during his two-year comeback from retirement. Armstrong passed all his drug tests during that period and posted his testing results on his website, Livestrong.com, and no charges were brought, the letter said.
While everybody would love it if the greatest sport in the history of sports (in my humble opinion) were perfectly clean, and of course the responsible organizations need to conduct thorough investigations in order to deter doping — enough already. A lot of people have had it out for Lance Armstrong for years, and maybe he deserves the extra scrutiny, but they've failed to incriminate him every single time.
These extended witch hunts get the media to only focus on the negative aspects of cycling, and don't do much to bring in new fans. Please, it's time to let it go and move on. Lay off Lance and focus on the active members of the sport, instead of continually dredging up old news and wasting resources — the USADA is mostly funded by your tax dollars, by the way.
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Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
joana on June 24, 2012 at 7:13 PM
Proof positive that every single racer that never failed a blood test is guilty. Let's string 'em up.
applebutter on June 24, 2012 at 10:24 PM
One has to laugh at the "he was just focusing harder than anyone else". And "he just trains harder". And "it's the cadence".
Everybody at the top of the peloton back then was cheating. Armstrong is enough of a psycho to, unlike all of his rivals (few of them actually tested positive), try to keep the fable going.
joana on June 24, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Lance Armstrong is a huge liberal… and a huge fraud.
ninjapirate on June 24, 2012 at 6:23 PM
You have proof to back up your assertions, yes? If not, pound sand up your azzeses.
chewmeister on June 24, 2012 at 10:27 PM
It takes a gigantic leap of faith to believe that everybody else was cheating except Armstrong – and that he could still win and often with ease. And to believe the USADA is actually coercing witnesses.
joana on June 24, 2012 at 7:13 PM
It's a gigantic leap to accuse someone that is innocent.
And heaven's that a government agency would coerce any one, why it's just unbelievable that any government agency would do such a thing.
Honey, along with politics, you have proven you know nothing about sports.
Take a look at Dara Torres, she has been hounded for years…competed in the Olympics for the U.S. in swimming at the age of 41—41 (and a record 5 Olympics) unheard of, obviously she has been using drugs by your standards.
Winning a silver, she could still win (setting an American record)often and with ease…a sure sign by you of a drug induced, drug enhanced, athlete…good grief.
right2bright on June 24, 2012 at 11:05 PM
Someone named "moo" knows a guy who knows a guy.
Well, that settles it then.
Chriscom on June 24, 2012 at 11:07 PM
So, why comment? 'Cause I cannot stand all those bicyclists on narrow country roads, dressed in those weird spandex outfits..
Always a topic for heated debate. While I agree that beginner bikers riding 2 and 3 wide are highly annoying, there's nothing I can do about them when I'm not in their group. When alone, I hug the white line and pray that the gas-pedal-heroes will allow me the 3ft that is mandatory by law (in OK).
Often that does not happen, and I am subjected to a 1-3 ton weapon capable of taking my life. I've been hit by a teen running a stop sign and whacked on the shoulder by a wide mirror on a pickup. Again, all while riding by myself and hugging the side of the road. Is it really worth someone's life to be that impatient?
On the weird spandex comment, go ride a bike for 75-100 miles and see what a pair of gym shorts and a floppy t-shirt will do for your skin.
Let's all share the road.
8thAirForce on June 24, 2012 at 11:11 PM
One has to laugh at the "he was just focusing harder than anyone else". And "he just trains harder". And "it's the cadence".
joana on June 24, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Yes of course, no one works harder or focuses more, why it just "happens"…like I stated, you know less about sports than you do politics.
Jerry West (he is the logo for the NBA) must have been a real druggie, everyone who knows his story doesn't believe the amount of work he committed to as a youth.
Drugs, it had to be drugs…
right2bright on June 24, 2012 at 11:15 PM
The French did find something illegal in his room once, soap, deodorant and toothpaste!
flytier on June 24, 2012 at 11:17 PM
..good luck 8th AF. I thought you could just go out to the crits and enter an open race or automatically start our as a CAT 5. Lord, things have changes. Keep us posted.
And Laurent Fignon's death last year was devastating. The guy lost a heart breaker to Le Mond but was always the pinnacle of grace and comportment. The sight of him breaking down after that last stage TT loss made me a fan of his for life.
The War Planner
You can just hop in as a 5, but those guys scare me to death with their bike handling (please, no offense to you great Cat5 handlers). The last race I did was as a Cat 3, and the skill level was head and shoulders above the 4s. I've got til next year and I'm training pretty hard right now.
So agree about poor Fignon. What a sad ending for his career and life. At the time, my inner immature "Amurrican" was so glad Greg beat him in the '89 TDF and then the worlds just weeks later. Looking back and watching those races now, your heart just breaks for Larent.
Checkout Youtube channel "CHICKASMITH" he has hundreds of cycling videos up. For those of you that cannot imagine watching cycling, Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin are the best commentator duo in the history of sport, fact.
8thAirForce on June 24, 2012 at 11:19 PM
According to these standards, Justin Verlander must take drugs because he was throwing harder in the 9th inning today than he was in the first. Nobody can throw 100 mph in the 9th inning right?
flytier on June 24, 2012 at 11:19 PM
Chime in Cycloservatives.
8thAirForce on June 24, 2012 at 9:00 PM
Amen, fellow Cycloservatives! Huge cycling fan and rider, both road and triathlon. We currently have the opportunity to watch the grand tours in person – saw Contador take the lead on one of the mountain stages during last year's Giro. With luck, we'll see the Vuelta this year and the 2013 Tour.
To Erika – I *knew* there was something I liked about you!
To the guys whining about cyclists on 'public roads' – please, take a moment think about what it is that makes you think those cyclists don't pay road taxes just like you. How much road tax do you pay anyway and is it really worth all the mental agony you're putting yourself and the cyclists through? Do you think that's going to be a good line when you have to explain to a cyclist's family why? Finally, when you're in the comfort of your several-thousand-pound metal-encased frame on four wheels, speeding past the guy on the 18-pound bike, imagine just for a moment roles were reversed – I think you'd want that three feet of space too. We currently live in Italy – and there is no safer place to be on an Italian road than on a bike – until an American comes along in their car (trust me, I live near a lot of them). American drivers drive like every move made by someone else on the road is a personal affront and a conspiracy to make them late – and Heaven help the impeding cyclists out to improve their fitness. Please, for the sake of your families and ours, take a deep breath and relax about the small stuff. Or jump on a bike and try it yourself!
Finally, to the USADA: Let. It. Go. We all realize you want a Barry Bonds moment in your quest for funding, but you clearly have nothing new in all the years you've been going after LA. Maybe he doped, I err on the side of thinking and hoping he didn't. That whole evidence thingy is what gets me. But if we're going to operate on innocent until proven guilty, you need to let him race until you have something definitive…like a judgment.
Right on June 24, 2012 at 11:29 PM
I always thought that he & Sheryl Crow broke up because she was so outspokenly liberal.
Cindy Munford on June 24, 2012 at 11:40 PM
"which hunts" ??? Which hunts are which hunts and which hunts are witch hunts?
starboardhelm on June 24, 2012 at 11:45 PM
Checkout Youtube channel "CHICKASMITH" he has hundreds of cycling videos up. For those of you that cannot imagine watching cycling, Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin are the best commentator duo in the history of sport, fact.
8thAirForce on June 24, 2012 at 11:19 PM
..8thAF, you have it nailed about CAT 5s. They're good people, but new guys don't hold their line too well and get really tense in a crowd.
I rode for a team in Long Beach, California (Velo Allegro) and they told me when I joined, all new riders had to go on at least three special training rides before they could go with the rest of the team. They drilled drafting, pacelines, lead outs and racing tactics into us. Then they recommended we go to a four week course at the CSUDH (7-11 Olympic) Velodrome and learn track cycling. That got me hooked on track cycling and I used to race there a number of Saturdays for a couple of seasons.
Nothing like a miss-and-out with a twenty racer pack centimeters from your handle bars, fixed gears, and no brakes to hone the skills.
I upgraded to III on experience, not points. I never won squat; I was just pack fodder — and used to get dropped like a bad habit.
Keep me posted on your progress and the best of luck!
The War Planner on June 24, 2012 at 11:49 PM
8thAirForce on June 24, 2012 at 11:19 PM
..oh yeah, I forgot: put in the big ring and don;t look back!
The War Planner on June 24, 2012 at 11:51 PM
He doesn't say he didn't dope. He just says that he never tested positive for illegal drugs. Whatever they were testing for at the time. But that's more than they have — which is 'gut feelings' and 'some guy with an ax to grind says'. Who testified against him? And who would get the trophies if they take them from Lance?
starboardhelm on June 24, 2012 at 11:52 PM
Meh. Maybe I'm just more of a Keith Bontrager type biker. Back in the day when I helped a couple of friends run a high-rnd bike shop, the consensus of most of the customers and the gang that hung out was "big freaking deal" about PEDs. And yes the shop sponsored racers.
If a drug is otherwise legal, why on earth the obsession with an athlete using everything at their disposal? "Purity" in sports, whether drugs or pro vs amateur, or even journalism, as in unbiased, is an Utopian farce.
With the USADA, here's another agency that needs to sink or swim without one cent from taxpayers.
AH_C on June 25, 2012 at 12:07 AM
Lance Armstrong is not a pleasant person. He admits as much. Raised without a biological father, suffered with an abusive step-father, angry at God and the rest of the world, he turned to riding a bike as fast as he could. None of that means a thing to the topic at hand, but it is background.
Literally hundreds of studies, articles and research papers have been done on the unusual, often referred to as "super-human", physiology of Lance. A heart considered to be approximately 35% larger than normal for his body type, a lung capacity similarly above the norm, and a metabolism which produces less lactic acid than over 90% of elite athletes, all combine to give him an instant and significant advantage over his competitors. Oxygen is the fuel of the muscle, and his body transfers oxygen unlike any other known to man, while suffering less pain for the same amount of effort. News flash, those benefits are precisely what the doping materials for endurance events are designed to accomplish.
After his cancer, part of the recovery regimen included the drug EPO, a banned substance for cycling and most other endurance sports. He had to stop using it long before he could return to competitive cycling, and since it was something he had been taking while hospitalized, of course the testers were looking for it.
They never found it. Or anything else. The only thing anyone has ever been able to point to is that all of his top rivals have been caught, leaving them with nothing but a question as evidence: "How could he beat them if they were doping and he wasn't?"
That is their proof. That's all of it. Sour grapes. Nobody could win like that against cheaters if he wasn't cheating also.
Of course, if his name hadn't been Armstrong, if he wasn't a Texan, an American, the responses would have been much different. The Euro crowd, starting with L'Equipe, just cannot stomach an American who destroyed Big Mig's record.
I don't care terribly much for Lance Armstrong the person. His politics are weirdly liberal, his personal life has been a nauseating roller-coaster, mostly of his own doing. But Lance Armstrong the cyclist was the purest competitor I've ever seen. Someone who holds those ideals for competition should be a conservative; liberals want everyone to win, which really means everyone loses.
Freelancer on June 25, 2012 at 12:26 AM
To the guys whining about cyclists on 'public roads' – please, take a moment think about what it is that makes you think those cyclists don't pay road taxes just like you. How much road tax do you pay anyway and is it really worth all the mental agony you're putting yourself and the cyclists through? Do you think that's going to be a good line when you have to explain to a cyclist's family why? Finally, when you're in the comfort of your several-thousand-pound metal-encased frame on four wheels, speeding past the guy on the 18-pound bike, imagine just for a moment roles were reversed – I think you'd want that three feet of space too. We currently live in Italy – and there is no safer place to be on an Italian road than on a bike – until an American comes along in their car (trust me, I live near a lot of them). American drivers drive like every move made by someone else on the road is a personal affront and a conspiracy to make them late – and Heaven help the impeding cyclists out to improve their fitness. Please, for the sake of your families and ours, take a deep breath and relax about the small stuff. Or jump on a bike and try it yourself!
Right on June 24, 2012 at 11:29 PM
You are exactly the kind of person I was talking about. Yeah, why should I sweat having to round a blind corner on a legally 45MPH road and encounter a bicyclist, or worse, two or three riding side by side at 20 MPH? Why, it's just my impatience to get where I want to go in a timely manner! Shame on me! I should be driving 25 MPH on that road just in case one of you is out enjoying your time off while I have to waste my time off going half the pace that I should be able to go. How selfish of me! You are absolutely right! I should realize that your free time is sooo much more valuable than mine and that you absolutely need to be riding on that narrow road, despite the fact that there are miles of bicycle paths or wider, safer roads that you could ride elsewhere.
As far as your comment about multi-thousand pound vehicle vs. 18 pound bike. That's exactly my point. Why in the world are you endangering yourself and the sanity of motorists around you when that is not necessary? I don't want to have to say to someone's family, "I'm sorry, he was being stupid, he and a friend were side by side on the blind curve, I came around, there was a semi in the other lane, I put on my brakes, but it was too late"
Really, is riding narrow roads that important that you want to take away the free time of other people while endangering your own life?
AZfederalist on June 25, 2012 at 12:37 AM
Wow, that was weird, got the quote and quotee all reversed.
AZfederalist on June 25, 2012 at 12:38 AM
Freelancer on June 25, 2012 at 12:26 AM
Sounds like he took a chance of a recurrence of his cancer for these jerks. Too bad about his childhood, probably why it turned out that Tiger Woods wasn't the saint people thought he was either.
Cindy Munford on June 25, 2012 at 12:43 AM
Shortly after the French elect a Socialist, the USADA re-re-re-visits Lance Armstrong, zee Aymayricain eengleesh speeking peegdog who zinks he von ze Tour de FWANCE ovehr pehrfectlee goood FWENCH reederz!
Coincidence? Mais non!
As for bicyclists being douchey on public roads, rolling down my windows and cranking Limbaugh makes the Austin, TX version want to turn down the nearest street for some reason….. >:)
Right on June 24, 2012 at 11:29 PM
Yeah, well what if I can't give you that 3 feet? What if it's impossible to give you 3 feet because the road is so damn narrow and I can't see around the corner? What if you're obstructing the flow of traffic? Look, I think the point that AZ and I are trying to make is that there are PLENTY of other roads that cyclists can ride on without causing traffic jams or putting themselves and drivers in danger. When they pick the roads that are narrow, winding and have no room for a bike, they're basically saying "DEAL WITH IT." And that pisses me off.
BTW, well said AZ. I don't think these people can understand where we're coming from unless they were to see these places themselves.
Equality 7-2521 on June 25, 2012 at 1:01 AM
Sekhmet on June 25, 2012 at 12:50 AM
Hilarious. Thank you.
Equality 7-2521 on June 25, 2012 at 1:13 AM
I'm one of those Tucson bicyclists that you guys are calling "those people". I pay my vehicle registration and taxes and have just as much of a right to the road as you guys do. I hug the shoulder and pray to god every time someone whizzes by on my left that it's not the a-hole with an attitude that doesn't think that I belong on the same road as cars. Well, guess what, I do belong on the road. As for the attitude, I find a lot of drivers with attitude, even with me obeying every traffic law and staying as far to the right as possible. The only difference is that the guy in the 4000- pound car wins the argument every time. And the courts are woefully lax towards inatentive or angry drivers that mow cyclists down. Most often, there are no felonies and little jail time, even when the motorist kills the cyclist.
So tell me how you are inconvenienced having to be more careful going up Gates Pass or Mt Lemmon? Got a Doctor's appointment in Summerhaven? There are a lot of pedestrians out there as well, I'd hope you slow down and arrive at your destination a couple of seconds late.
If you see a cyclist disobeying the law, honk your horn and let them know just like you would any other user of our public roads system. Otherwise, I don't see what's up with all of the anti-cyclist hatred. If any of you lived in any other part of the world, you'd find that cyclists are much more prevalent and are afforded a lot more courtesy than here in the USA.
Hey, did you know that bikes were around before cars? Did you know that bike racing used to be the most popular sport in the USA? Did you know that the original African-American athlete to break through in a "white only" sport was a cyclist named Major Taylor, who won numerous championships before baseball was even invented?
Chuckie on June 25, 2012 at 1:31 AM
Soo, this guy beat all his rivals consistently, rivals who were doping … we know they were doping because they were caught or are dead .. yes cyclists die young from doping ….or admitted it, yet he didn't dope. Guy's superman.
I used to love cycling too, but I'm not interested in watching dopers.
Hope on June 25, 2012 at 1:41 AM
He doesn't say he didn't dope. He just says that he never tested positive for illegal drugs. Whatever they were testing for at the time. But that's more than they have — which is 'gut feelings' and 'some guy with an ax to grind says'. Who testified against him? And who would get the trophies if they take them from Lance?
starboardhelm on June 24, 2012 at 11:52 PM
The linked article plainly states that Armstrong denies doping.
I've never been a competitive cyclist, but I commuted on one all through college. Bicyclists have as much right to be on the roads as anyone else, spandex or not.
Of course, once they're on the road, they're subject to all the usual road rules: turn signals, stop signs, traffic lights, stay in a straight line. And basic courtesy, of course, such as staying to the right so faster traffic can pass on the left.
As a practical matter, bicyclists should always ride in as straight a line and be as predictable as possible. You don't want motorists to have to guess at what you'll do next. And you really don't want them to have to veer into another lane because they're not sure if you're about to wobble out into the middle of the lane.
And if it slows you down for a few seconds, that's just one of the hazards of slow moving traffic, which is always possible on a public road. Demanding not to be inconvenienced by slow-moving traffic is not reasonable.
All that said, sometimes cyclists annoy me too. Mostly those who insist on riding against traffic, not keeping to the side, and not following the rules of the road.
But drivers who drive badly are annoying, too.
There Goes The Neighborhood on June 25, 2012 at 2:16 AM
AZfederalist on June 25, 2012 at 12:37 AM
Equality 7-2521 on June 25, 2012 at 1:01 AM
Guys, here's the deal: Cyclists are going to be on the road with you, so it becomes a matter of common courtesy in every situation. You're right that there are roads cyclists would have to be suicidal to ride on…like freeways. In a lot of other locations, there may not be a whole lot of good options between A and B, in many cases, the road *is* the reason to ride there in the first place. Many mountain passes are this way because of the challenge involved.
Cycling is a lot like piloting a helicopter, with about a thousand different things operating in harmony to bring about your demise. Whether it's the road condition, the heat, the hills, the off-lead dog, the angry or inattentive driver, or even your own bike. So on a 45-mph descent with blind curves, even a minute road divot can make the difference – adding an impatient driver alongside just compounds the dynamic.
Large groups of cyclists are unlikely to ride in double or single file, what can I tell you, it's a social thing. Most European drivers recognize this and simply pass when safe, usually a matter of 30-45 seconds. That's what I do too (i.e., don't think for a minute you are unique in encountering cyclists when driving). Many larger rides will also have designated ride leaders to police errant cyclists. But there's no reason for a small group of riders to take up an entire lane – and personally speaking, I will correct that situation when I see it. I've seen my share of jack@$$es in both cyclists and motorists – and neither contributes a whole lot of positive to the situation, resulting in discussions like this (if not a ride of silence).
So there's a balance there – and it very much becomes a matter of safety. But there's absolutely no reason cyclists and motorists can not ride on many of the same roads. Somehow we've managed 'til now.
If you see a cyclist disobeying the law, honk your horn and let them know just like you would any other user of our public roads system….If any of you lived in any other part of the world, you'd find that cyclists are much more prevalent and are afforded a lot more courtesy than here in the USA. Chuckie on June 25, 2012 at 1:31 AM
But hey, at least we're talking about it!
Right on June 25, 2012 at 4:38 AM
Someone named "moo" knows a guy who knows a guy.
Well, that settles it then.
Chriscom on June 24, 2012 at 11:07 PM
The "guy" was Armstrong's teammate, roommate, and knew him well enough to be one of the very few who was in the room with him when he was "dying" of cancer and admitted to the use of steriods, HGH, amonst other PED's.
You sir are an ass…and you and most of the other commenters here clearly haven't spent more than a few minutes following the sport or have only paid attention to the soundbite statements of the Armstrong group.
How many cycling world champions do you know? How many Olympic champions? How many Tour riders?
I thought so. So before you make fun of people who do maybe you should spend a little time and really read everything that is out there. Of course you still won't have the entire story. Go have another beer.
moo on June 25, 2012 at 4:55 AM
Freelancer on June 25, 2012 at 12:26 AM
Great summary – thanks!
Right on June 25, 2012 at 5:17 AM
Really, I am just absolutely nuts about cycling — it is the one sport I have followed almost religiously year-round since I was a teenager.
While everybody would love it if the greatest sport in the history of sports (in my humble opinion) were perfectly clean…
Oh, my. You're sort of crazy, aren't you? Cycling's doping culture makes baseball's steroid culture look like a non-story. Cycling is a weirdly staged and corrupt sport, maybe uniquely corrupt. It is also uniquely boring.
Jaibones on June 25, 2012 at 6:33 AM
Being an ex-cyclist (cat 3 racer), I've been hearing stories about LA since long before he became a TdF champion. Back when Greg LeMond was the hero of the day, faint whispers were heard about this guy in Texas, who was an ex-triatlete, that had the most amazing VO2 max and couldn't be exhausted. Testing on him showed he could work at 95% max without tiring for hours and hours…everyone said that one day, he would be amazing…
Fast forward a couple of years, and every month you'd hear a story about how disappointing this Lance Armstrong was. He could win the single day races, even become a world champion…but, he just couldn't compete in the most prestigious tours. After LA won the a 3 race million dollar bonus, I first started hearing the rumors about him cheating and how the races were "fixed" just so that LA could win…but, he still fell out of the TdF with apparently no ability to keep up with the big boys…
Fast forward to the post-cancerous period. The initial take was that this guy would never return to pro level, but his trainer said something that *always* made me sit up and take notice…LA had retained his VO2 max (of course), lost a tiny bit of muscle mass due to lack of training (which he would gain back), and had lost over 23 lbs of tissue (mostly cancerous tissue mass). That combination would result in amazing performance gains, because 23 lbs, when going up a mountain or pulling yourself through the wind on a long time trial, would make more difference than any amount of training the other cyclists could do.
LA also did something no other cyclist did before him. He trained *exclusively* for the TdF. Every other cyclist in history had always trained to win every event they could, and trained to peak during the big tours (Spain, Italy, & France). LA instead, just trained for the TdF and took other victories (Suisse) if they came and paid his team by helping them to win every other event if they could.
LA is the single most drug tested athlete on the planet. No one has been under more scrutiny or been subjected to more rigorous testing than him. Never…failed…a single…test. I don't care how much Greg LeMond cries, I don't care how much other cyclists cut deals to get off from lifetime bans for their own drug abuses, LA is clean scientifically and the USADA needs to go find something else to do, hopefully on current athletes (yes, I know LA is competing in triathlons) in professional sports.
What are we going to do next, go back and subject Eddie Merckx to drug testing because he was "too good"?!?
Leave LA alone and get on with it already USASA!
Geministorm on June 25, 2012 at 7:58 AM
BTW, cycling is an exciting sport. I'm a huge fan and the stories of these athletes are very intriguing. To the novice, the team work involved is unapparent, but to those that watch, it is crazy to see. Every year, my wife groans whenever July nears, because she knows I'll be glued to the TV at night to watch the long version. But, without fail, she and my kids invariably find favorites that they cheer for and get just as involved as I do, it's hard not to cheer for the underdogs in a breakaway that just might make it to the end without getting caught by the peloton, or that lone mountain "goat" climbing away from all the rest and suffering from exhaustion…
I've never seen tougher athletes than cyclists. They compete on the edge of human endurance and can die from the efforts they put in to win a giant mountain stage. They are also nearly fearless, with no protection (yeah, that helmet means diddley squat to a rock at 40mph) and zooming along in rain, snow or down mountains at incredible speeds (if you ever rode a bike at 60mph down a winding road, it would scare the schnitzel out of you). While the sport has been rife with drugging scandals, the truth is most of the pros do not drug because they know they'll get caught. People notice (these teams are extremely competitive, and others are always looking to catch another team cheating) when their athletes perform abnormally, which is normally how these guys get caught. Cyclists are tested in labs, wind tunnels, monitored, and watched all the time. When they start doing things that aren't "normal" for them, people notice…
Geministorm on June 25, 2012 at 8:11 AM
Something that I always find annoying are folks who use Europe as an example. I do not give a crap what they do in Italy, France, Germany, or Great Britain. If i did, why heck, I just might move there. We are not Europeans! If you don't like it here, stay in Europe since they are so obviously superior to us rubes here in the states. Why golly, you can just take advantage of their superior health care, banking systems and early retirement age! According to the news that seems to be working out real well. I find the American tourist cliche to be particularly hilarious. I live in the D.C. area where we get thousands of foreign tourists, and I can assure you they are every bit as bad if not worse. They are rude, self centered, and most of them stink of B.O. and cigarettes. I am sure the rude American tourists who run down the poor Italian cyclists at least bothered to shower before they left there hotel.
Okay I'm done with my rant, when I see the superior European ways posts I just turn into a black frothy rage.
gator70 on June 25, 2012 at 8:29 AM
It is also uniquely boring.
Jaibones on June 25, 2012 at 6:33 AM
No, it really isn't.
ALL sports are boring to watch, particularly on television. Live and in person, yes, there is some excitement there, but even then it's rather like watching it on TV with a crowd of people. It's more about the social interaction than the game.
I was also a big cycling fan in my early 20's and even at the height of my obsession I couldn't stand more than 30 minutes of watching it on television. And that was during Lance's first major climb to Tour ascendency. (We are about the same age)
Frankly, I just don't understand most people's utter obsession with watching sports. I could understand wanting to play them, (exercise, having fun with friends, spirit of competition, etc.)or even wanting to go to live events (for the "social" aspect). But on TV or via the internet?
BORING. Zzzzzzzzzz.
Stop wasting your lives watching other people excel on television. Get off your duff and go DO SOMETHING INTERESTING. Even if it's just exercising, pursuing a hobby or going and playing with your kids (if you have them) almost ANYTHING is preferable to vegging out on the bark-a-lounger watching other people sweat.
They are rude, self centered, and most of them stink of B.O. and cigarettes.
gator70 on June 25, 2012 at 8:29 AM
Well, you've got the French tourists pegged!
yubley on June 25, 2012 at 10:51 AM
you'd think they'd finally just let it go and let the man enjoy his retirement
Botched investigations do not translate to innocence. Guys surrounding him, very close to him, have been found guilty of doping yet somehow he was Snow White? He is still cashing in on his wins and if he was cheating then it is only just he get punished at some point. Obviously it's my opinion that he is guilty (I wouldn't be surprised if the testicular cancer was related to his injection site), suspected him long before the fingers started being pointed in his direction and, frankly, was sick of his being constantly held up as Superman and Mr. Wonderful (ask his ex-wife if he is Mr. Wonderful) even before that. I stopped subscribing to Outside and Mens Health magazines because I was sick of seeing his face on the cover of either every other issue.
peacenprosperity on June 25, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Just so that the gas pedal warriors know that some cyclists are considerate, there is a 2-lane stretch of Route 66 here that was great to ride on but has been completely abandoned since an up and coming 16 year old racer had his career ended when he was struck from behind by a van.
I completely avoid all known car vs bike trouble spots.
8thAirForce on June 25, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Botched investigations do not translate to innocence. Guys surrounding him, very close to him, have been found guilty of doping yet somehow he was Snow White? He is still cashing in on his wins and if he was cheating then it is only just he get punished at some point.
Punished for what?
Guys surrounding him been found guilty so of course, he's guilty too?
Guilt by association, eh?
And I suppose your own friends are squeaky clean? How would you like to be punished for something one of your friends did that you had no part of.
As far as I'm concerned, until there is proof that he had been doping… and by proof, I mean actual evidence, not word of mouth… then he hasn't been doping.
Smoovious on June 25, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Hey y'all. Take a break from Lance bashing and chek out the Urban Downhill bike race in Valpariso, Chile:
The Valparaiso Cerro Abajo Race is a legendary urban bike race and is more extreme than skydiving out of an exploding F-18 piloted by Charlie Sheen – while chugging a 2 liter of Mountain Dew. The rider must brave jumps, stray dogs, and flights of stairs along the steep downhill path. The first person perspective provided by the excellent helmet cam lets us take in every glorious and frightening detail. Do yourself a favor and watch this one in full screen mode.
Checkit: http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/03/downhill-bike-race-in-chile-is-insanity-at-its-finest/
BigAlSouth on June 25, 2012 at 5:46 PM
For all you Lance bashers, I have one question. Where's the evidence?
Not anecdotal "well everyone else was so he must have". Not "it's impossible to have beaten the dopers without dope". Not some other guy you essentially bribed saying, "I saw him dope". None of which proves a damn thing. If the agency that's been looking for over a decade can't prove a damn thing I can't wait to see you turds expose this mountain of evidence you've stumbled upon.
Some of you people (yes you people) are disgusting that you would willingly stand by while some group funded with your tax dollars seeks to bring down someone with ZERO evidence. I hope you suffer the same crap you're implicating Lance in.
StompUDead on June 25, 2012 at 7:58 PM
Hey, moo. "The guy" (and his wife) helped to get that case tossed out of court without a judgement, because their testimony was found not to be credible. In a European court, supporting the World ADA case against LA, and it accomplished bupkis. Get used to it.
And by the way, steroids or HGH could easily be deadly to a survivor of the particular cancer which had infested Lance's body. No way he touched either, nor had a need to. He was already significantly more muscular than all but the sprinters, those drugs wouldn't do anything valuable for him, they would have been all risk, no reward. No, only an oxygen-transfer booster would be a useful enhancement in his case.
Freelancer on June 25, 2012 at 10:27 PM
AZfederalist on June 25, 2012 at 12:37 AM
Equality 7-2521 on June 25, 2012 at 1:01 AM
Hey if you guys are frequently encountering cyclists on narrow roads, around blind curves, then you need to adjust your driving for the possibility, just as you would for an area where deer frequently cross the road, or farm tractors are commonly on the road. If you can't stop within the distance you can see, you need to slow down.
You have just acknowledged that you are aware of the possibility, so adjust your driving to the conditions. If you knew that 4 months out of the year a shady spot often had icy on the road, you'd slow down. It is the prudent thing to do. Give other human beings a break.
MTinMN on June 26, 2012 at 3:22 PM
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