text:
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP — The factory where Rosie the Riveter showed that a woman could do a "man's work" by building World War II-era bombers, making her an enduring symbol of American female empowerment, will be demolished if money can't be found to save it.
The Willow Run Bomber Plant, a 332-acre former Ford Motor Co. factory that churned out nearly 9,000 B-24 Liberator bombers during World War II, is slated to be torn down unless a group can raise $3.5 million by Thursday to convert at least some of the structure into a new, expanded home for the nearby Yankee Air Museum.
"The younger generation needs to know what people went through and be able to go and see what they did and how they did it for our country," Larry Doe, a 70-year-old Ypsilanti Township resident who has given to the cause, said recently before joining other donors for a trip on a B-17.
Although women performed what had been male-dominated roles in plants all over the country during the war, it was a Willow Run worker — one of an untold number of women in its 40,000-person workforce — who caught the eye of Hollywood producers casting a "riveter" for a government film about the war effort at home.
Rose Will Monroe, a Kentucky native who moved to Michigan during the war, starred as herself in the film and became one of the best-known figures of that era. She represented the thousands of Rosies who took factory jobs making munitions, weaponry and other things while the nation's men were off fighting in Europe and the Pacific.
Although many Rosies were let go once the war was over and the soldiers returned home, they had shown that women were capable of doing jobs that had traditionally been done by only men. An illustrated poster of a determined-looking Rosie the Riveter rolling up her sleeve with the slogan, "We can do it!," became an iconic symbol of female empowerment for American women.
The Willow Run factory went back to making automobiles after the war ended, and it did so for more than a half-century under the General Motors name before closing for good in 2010.
Now, Doe and other donors are hoping to save at least some of the massive structure to convert it into the new home of the Yankee Air Museum. The museum's original headquarters burned down in 2004, and it is currently housed at Willow Run Airport in Van Buren Township, which is near Ypsilanti Township, where the plant is located.
"We now have the opportunity to actually take a piece of this plant. It's due to be demolished over the next two or three years," said Dennis Norton, president of the Michigan Aerospace Foundation. "There's no further use for it. It's too big. It's too old to be used in modern-day manufacturing."
Organizers of the "Save the Willow Run Bomber Plant" campaign say they need $8 million to fund their "separation" plan. They want to acquire part of the 5 million-square-foot plant, secure it and re-establish utility services such as water, gas and electric.
They have raised $4.5 million of what they need and are hoping to entice major donors to come forward with six- and seven-figure commitments.
Detroit's historic bankruptcy filing two weeks ago isn't expected to have any effect on fundraising, said Dan Pierce, a spokesman for the effort.
"We have not heard this from any prospective donors and don't think we will," he said.
Yankee Air Museum backers are hoping to tap into some of that patented Rosie resolve in their efforts to transform Willow Run.
The hulking facility currently is in the hands of the RACER Trust, which took over sites around the country left behind in the bankruptcy of GM.
Much of the plant has fallen into disrepair, including the portion the Yankee Air Museum has its eye on. The factory floor is littered with debris that sits among rusted-out and busted-up equipment once used to make transmissions.
Norton and his colleagues hope to change that soon.
The millions left to raise represents "a significant amount of money," he said.
"However, if we didn't think we could do it, we wouldn't have started it in the first place."


text:
Home ⁄ Data Centers
Check your Domain Availability...
Free Domain Manager
Live Demo - lock option, edit Whois, edit name servers, custom DNS records, URL redirection, etc.
Data Centers
Sydney / Australia
With us, you can host your Australian-oriented website in a top-class data center situated in the Sydney CBD. The SISGroup datacenter facility offers superb website load speeds and a extensive peering network.
UK Servers / United Kingdom
We work with a first-rate data center found a few miles west of Coventry, which offers the highest degree of security for you website and will guarantee you a fast website loading speed.
Pori / Finland
By opting for our Finnish data center, you ensure that your visitors from Northern Europe and from the Russian Federation will enjoy fast web page loading times. The data center is located in a ex- military underground installation and offers superb connectivity.
Sofia / Bulgaria
The S3 data center provides great connectivity all accross Europe. It is situated in the country of Bulgaria, famous for having some of the fastest Internet access speed in the whole continent.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. Cancer is a disease in which cells grow in an abnormal way. Normally, new cells develop in a controlled manner to replace old or damaged cells. With lymphoma, white blood cells develop abnormally and grow at an abnormal rate.
The lymphatic system is part of the immune system that helps fight off infections and illnesses. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can make the body more vulnerable to other illnesses and infections.
Cancer Cell Growth |
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Normal Anatomy and the Development of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
All blood cells start as stem cells in the bone marrow. Stem cells then mature into a variety of different blood cell types that have specific functions in the body. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is an abnormality with a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte. There are different types of lymphocytes, but the main types are:
- B-cell —Makes antibodies that help the body identify foreign substances in the body. The sooner the substance is identified, the sooner the immune system can work on eliminating it.
- T-cell —T-cells have a number of jobs including destroying invading bacteria and viruses, stimulating an immune response, or slowing an immune response.
- Natural killer (NK) —NK cells defend the body against invading viruses and cancer cells.
The lymphatic system is a network of fluid, vessels, organs, and lymph nodes throughout the body that carry fluids and immune cells throughout the body. Lymphoid tissues and organs include:
- Lymph fluid —Clear fluid made up of plasma (a blood component that comes from general circulation), lymphocytes, cellular by-products, and proteins.
- Lymph vessels —Fluid from spaces between the cells and other bodily structures is collected by lymph capillaries (microscopic vessels) and moved into larger lymph vessels. Lymph is moved toward the heart by lymphatic and muscular contractions. The lymph is filtered through lymph nodes and eventually returned to the blood supply by draining into large veins near the collarbone.
- Lymph nodes —Lymphoid tissue that contains lymphocytes and other immune system cells. Lymph nodes are scattered throughout the body in clusters. Lymph vessels pass through lymph nodes. As lymph passes through, it is filtered for foreign bodies, including cancer cells. Lymph nodes can become swollen or painful when the body is fighting an infection.
- Bone marrow —All blood cells start as stem cells and are formed in bone marrow. Stem cells can mature into a variety of different blood cell types that have specific functions in the body.
- Spleen —Located under the rib cage on the left side of the body. The spleen helps the body fight infection by making lymphocytes and other immune system cells. It filters out cellular by-products from circulation. The spleen also removes and destroys old, damaged red blood cells.
- Thymus —Located behind the breastbone in the middle of the chest. The thymus makes T-cell lymphocytes where they stay until they are matured.
- Adenoids and tonsils —Located in the back of the throat. Tonsils make lymphocytes. They offer protection against foreign bodies that are inhaled or swallowed.
Lymphatic tissue can also be found throughout the body in the digestive tract, nervous system, and skin.
Lymphatic Tissue and Organs |
Copyright © 2002 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. |
With non-Hodgkin lymphoma, there is an excessive development abnormal lymphocytes. The cancerous cells are not able to carry out their normal function. The abnormal lymphocytes can also crowd out healthy cells in the lymph nodes decreasing the number of effective cells and weakening the immune system. Cancerous blood cells also circulate in the blood and lymph systems and can gather in organs like the spleen, bone marrow, lungs, and liver.
Types of Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer of a type of blood cell called white blood cells. Nearly all non-Hodgkin lymphomas develop in a type of white blood cell known as the B-cell lymphocytes. Other types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma arise from other white blood cells known as T-cell lymphocytes and NK cells. There are approximately another 60 subtypes of lymphomas that are determined by how the cancer cells appear under a microscope, the type of cell the cancer starts in, the presence of specific proteins, and its DNA make-up. These characteristics will help determine treatment steps and prognosis.
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are also described by the rate of disease progression:
- Indolent —Slow-growing, often without symptoms. Indolent lymphomas can be managed, but are generally not curable.
- Aggressive —Fast-growing, often with symptoms (sometimes severe). Aggressive lymphomas can be treated and are generally curable.
Lymphomas grow and develop differently, which affects the choice and course of treatment.
Adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment (PDQ)—patient version. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/lymphoma/patient/adult-nhl-treatment-pdq. Accessed January 28, 2021.
NHL subtypes. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society website. Available at: http://www.lls.org/lymphoma/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/diagnosis/nhl-subtypes. Accessed January 28, 2021.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116014/Non-Hodgkin-lymphoma-NHL . Accessed January 28, 2021.
Types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/about/types-of-non-hodgkin-lymphoma.html. Accessed January 28, 2021.
What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma? American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/about/what-is-non-hodgkin-lymphoma.html. Accessed January 28, 2021.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP
- Review Date: 12/2020
- Update Date: 01/28/2021


text:
Fluoresbrite® YO Carboxylate Microspheres 0.05µm
£465.50 Price ex. VAT
Quantity: 10 ml
Fluoresbrite® carboxylate microspheres are fluorescent monodispersed polystyrene microspheres that have carboxylate groups on their surfaces which can be activated for the covalent coupling of proteins. Polysciences' Fluoresbrite® particles are used worldwide in phagocytosis and neural retrograde transport studies, and as markers for cell bound antigens. These microspheres are packaged as 2.5% aqueous suspensions. YO has limited water solubility, and some leaching may occur with rigorous washing.
Nominal Reference Values:
- 0.05µm particles packaged as 2.5% aqueous suspension.
- 3.64 x 1014 particles/ml
- Diameter Coefficient of Variation (CV) = 15%
- Excitation max. = 529nm
- Emission max. = 546nm
- Hazards: Harmless-use normal precautions
- Handling: Exercise normal care
- Storage: Store at 4 degrees celsius;Do not permit to freeze


text:
After you go to Colonial Farms, you may want to freeze, can or preserve the fruit or vegetables you get there. See these pages below for detailed, illustrated, step-by-step instructions that make it easy!
Water bath canner with a jar rack
Electric pressure canner
Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt
Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)
Ball Blue book (most recent version)
8oz canning jars for jams
Regular canning lids
Wide mouth canning lids
Get themost recent version ofthe Ball Blue Book
Get themost recent version ofthe Ball Blue Book of Home Canning


text:
Greenpeace got its start protesting nuclear weapons testing back in 1971. We've been fighting against nuclear weapons and nuclear power ever since.
High profile disasters in Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986 and Fukushima, Japan in 2011 have raised public awareness of the dangers of nuclear power. Consequently, zeal for nuclear energy has fizzled. The catastrophic risks of nuclear energy — like the meltdowns of nuclear reactors in Japan or Ukraine — far outweigh the potential benefits.
New nuclear plants are more expensive and take longer to build than renewable energy sources like wind or solar. If we are to avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change, we need solutions that are fast and affordable. Nuclear power is neither.
We can do better than trading off one disaster for another. The nuclear age is over and the age of renewables has begun.
The Dangers of Nuclear Energy
Meltdowns like the ones in Fukushima or Chernobyl released enormous amounts of radiation into the surrounding communities, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. Many of them may never come back. If the industry's current track record is any indication, we can expect a major meltdown about once per decade.
The possibility of a catastrophic accident at a U.S. nuclear plant can not be dismissed.
There is still no safe, reliable solution for dealing with the radioactive waste produced by nuclear plants. Every waste dump in the U.S. leaks radiation into the environment, and nuclear plants themselves are running out of ways to store highly radioactive waste on site. The site selected to store the U.S.'s radioactive waste — Yucca Mountain in Nevada — is both volcanically and seismically active.
Beyond the risks associated with nuclear power and radioactive waste, the threat of nuclear weapons looms large. The spread of nuclear technology and nuclear weapons is a threat for national security and the safety of the entire planet.
Nuclear Energy's True Costs
Nuclear energy isn't just bad for the environment, it's bad for our economy.
Nuclear power plants are expensive to build, prompting Wall Street to call new nuclear a "bet the farm" risk. Every nuclear plant under construction in the United States is well behind schedule and at least $1 billion over budget.
This is even before taking into account the astounding cleanup and health costs caused by radioactive waste pollution and nuclear meltdowns. Cleaning up Fukushima, if ever possible, will cost at least $100 billion and could be more than double that.
Why invest money in a dangerous, unsustainable form of energy when we can have clean, renewable energy for less?
What We Need: No New Nukes
Nuclear energy is diverting attention and investment from the sustainable energy solutions we need. It's time to stop building new nuclear facilities, phase out the ones that exist, and focus on clean energy for the future.


text:
Home » Sound Art - Radio Art » PANHUYSEN, PAUL: Le jeu & les règles
PANHUYSEN, PAUL: Le jeu & les règles
The first monograph on this pioneering artist-curator who moved between sound, performance, installation and event art and ran the legendary Apollohuis throughout the 1980s and '90s, home to an amazing variety of sound art, experimental music and performances. Best known for his long-string instruments, Panhuysen, as this lavishly illustrated book shows, was busy with paintings and large-scale installations of some variety. 7 essay texts (by Panhuysen, Jaap Bremer, Yvan Etienne, Michel Giroud, Rahma Khazam, Paul Kuypers, Helga de la Motte-Haber, Rene van Peer, Rolf Sachsse & Louis Ucciani) cover the various aspects of his work, with copious photographs, illustrations and documents in colour. There is also a full chronology of exhibitions, installations, performances and concerts. Bilingual (English &French) this is a large soft-cover 320 page book (22,5 x 24,5 cm) which comes also with a CD 'Small Samples with Many Pieces' containing extracts from works composed, improvised, acoustic, amplified and electronic that employ and explore sounds made by musicians, animals and objects.
Sorry we have to add Postage (heavy) £ 5.15 UK, £ 8.79 Europe, £ 17.26 Rest of the world.
Sorry we have to add Postage (heavy) £ 5.15 UK, £ 8.79 Europe, £ 17.26 Rest of the world.
Code: panhuysenRegles
Price: £32.00


text:
Low-income mothers in New Haven who can't afford enough diapers to keep their babies clean and dry are more likely to report trouble coping with stress, depression or trauma, according to a study published today in the journal Pediatrics.
The survey of 877 New Haven mothers found that nearly 30 percent said they didn't have enough diapers to change their children as often as they would like, and the problem was more common among Hispanic women and caregivers over age 45, usually grandmothers. Women who reported diaper need were nearly twice as likely to experience mental health issues, although the nature of the link is unclear.
The authors hypothesize that the link could be direct, or it could be part of more complex interaction between mental health and poverty.
"It could be that moms who have more mental health difficulties have trouble obtaining diapers," said the lead author, Megan Smith, an assistant professor of psychiatry, child study and public health at Yale University. "We're not assuming causality."
A total of 73 percent of the women surveyed had used food stamps in the previous year, and 89 percent were receiving support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), but neither of these resources can be used to buy diapers or other hygiene or cleaning supplies. And since most childcare centers require parents to provide disposable diapers, women who can't afford an adequate supply may be less able to work or go to school.
"It shouldn't be considered an extra for children to have clean, dry diapers," said Joanne Goldblum, a co-author of the study and executive director of the New Haven-based National Diaper Bank Network, which helps community-based agencies across the country provide diapers to needy families. "It's so basic that nobody thinks about it."
Babies who aren't changed regularly are more likely to have trouble sleeping, and to get urinary tract infections or severe diaper rash, she said. They may also be at greater risk of abuse. "We don't have the scientific evidence that shows that dirty diapers lead to abuse," said Goldblum. "But we have evidence that dirty diapers lead to crying, and that crying lead to abuse."
Mothers may experience more parenting stress and less confidence in their parenting ability if they can't provide their babies and toddlers with such a basic need, Smith said. "And if your baby is irritable and fussy, then bonding and attachment are much more difficult," she added.
An adequate supply of disposable diapers costs about $18 per week, the authors report. For a parent working full time at the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, that represents 6 percent of gross income.
"Mothers described to us not being able to pay their utility bills, for example, because they needed to buy a case of diapers," said Smith. "So they were definitely skimping and cutting back on other areas for their families in order to provide diapers."
Some women borrowed diapers or money from friends or family when supplies ran low, some obtained diapers from agencies, and 8 percent reported stretching their diaper supply. Often that means removing a diaper, emptying out the solids, and putting the diaper back on the child.
While cloth diapers may be less expensive than disposables, most childcare centers require disposable diapers. In addition, cloth diapers may not be a practical option, especially for families that don't have a washer and dryer. Some laundromats don't permit washing diapers, and washing them by hand takes time, hot water, space for drying—and detergent, which can't be bought using WIC or food stamps.
"The most important thing from my perspective is that small things impact big things," Goldblum said. "We can't address the bigger issues of poverty and child development if we don't address the most basic issues, like diapers."
The authors said that to their knowledge, this is the first peer-reviewed study to quantify diaper need. They hope that by defining the issue and providing a framework for measuring diaper need, the study will encourage more children's health care and social service providers to start asking some of the same questions.
In future, Smith said, they hope to investigate how diaper need hinders access to quality day care, and whether providing diapers might be a useful incentive to participation in various services. She also hopes to study the higher-risk sub-populations they have identified, such as older caregivers and Hispanics, both groups who may be less connected to available services.
The study is part of the New Haven Mental Health Outreach for MotherS (MOMS) Partnership, a community-academic collaboration between Yale University and seven local and state agencies. Smith said she first learned about diaper need from mothers participating in the partnership.
"I assumed that diapers were covered by things like food stamps and WIC," she said. "This is really how you operationalize poverty for low-income mothers. We talk a lot about food and housing, but not a lot about other specific, tangible, basic needs."


text:
Report: W.Va. Fails To Enforce New Regs Designed To Prevent Mine Explosions
Ken Ward at The Charleston Gazette has a story worth reading about West Virginia's failure to enforce new coal mine dust standards prompted by the deadly explosion three years ago at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine.
Ward used the state's Freedom of Information Act to obtain and review mine safety inspections conducted by the Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training.
"But despite finding hundreds of instances over the last 18 months where mining operations didn't comply with the new standards," Ward reports, the state agency "has not issued even a single citation for violating the dust standards..."
Coal dust explodes when ignited and acts as an accelerant, causing explosions to grow and spread underground. Excessive coal dust was cited as a major factor in the Upper Big Branch explosion, which killed 29 coal miners.
Davitt McAteer, a former federal mine safety chief, conducted an independent investigation of the explosion.
"This dust issue was absolutely the most critical failure" at the mine, McAteer told Ward. "And three years later, there's still not a prevention measure in place to keep it from occurring again."
Ward sat with Eugene White, the director of W.Va.'s mine safety agency, as he scrolled through a spreadsheet describing hundreds of coal dust samples.
As Ward reports, "...there were plenty of mines where the samples were marked as having 'failed' the state's standards. The state's data, though, included no information about citations, enforcement orders or fines."
Ward quotes White saying, "This is still a work in progress. We're working on it."
Two weeks ago, the Gazette reported that state regulators had yet to write rules requiring automatic shutdown of mining machines when sensors detect dangerous levels of methane gas, a natural element in coal mines that is also explosive.
Investigators concluded that the Upper Big Branch explosion began with an ignition of methane gas at a longwall mining machine.
The W.Va. legislature enacted a law nearly a year ago containing the methane shutdown requirement.
Federal mine safety law already includes a similar requirement but the W.Va. measure is tougher, forcing mining machine shutdowns at lower concentrations of methane gas.
Since the 2010 tragedy, federal regulators have conducted monthly surprise inspections of mines with habitual safety problems. They've also called for tougher coal dust standards that more strictly limit the concentrations of dust permitted underground. Coal mine dust also causes the deadly miners disease called black lung.
Mining companies can control coal dust by regular cleaning of mining areas, the use of water sprays on mining machines, ventilation that provides robust airflow, and spreading crushed limestone.


text:
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Tornado Tom ... Indeed
A Belgian King of the Classics. Yes, he's supposed to drive a Porsche. And yes, he's supposed to get stopped for speeding; he's a bike racer! But cocaine? That rock star comment was supposed to be metaphoric. Oops.
The situation seems no different than when Jan Ullrich was caught for taking ecstasy. It seems likely it was a "just this once" sort of mistake. Only Boonen had Ullrich's example to show what can go wrong. Imagine yourself in a club and you're the most popular guy there. I know, but try to imagine it. You're going to be offered everything in that club. Everything. There are at least a few of those things to which, as one of the world's great bike racers, you need to have the cojones to say , "No."
The problem here is that cycling is in such a tenuous state of credibility that the only way this situation could be worse was if Boonen had been riding for a team such as High Road, CSC or Slipstream that has taken great public steps to demonstrate it's riders are clean.
Drunk driving would be understandable; irresponsible, but understandable. Alcohol is an acceptable (at minimum) part of a meal. A fourth (or fifth) glass of wine or beer before getting in the car is a mistake that some folks make. But cocaine comes with the taint of party boy, which implies a different sort of recklessness. And because cocaine is a stimulant par excellence, if you didn't think, "Boy, I could make my bike go a million kilometers per hour on this stuff," we'd have to question your sanity, not your judgement. And there's the rub. For the bike racer, anything that can be construed as a drug ought to be seen as off-limits.
Perhaps Tom didn't get the memo. The memo came from the viewing audience. It was brief. It said, "Don't embarrass our sport anymore."
Under other circumstances, his apology would have been acceptable, applaudable even. He said, "Lately, my name has appeared several times in the news in a negative manner. I realise that with this I have hurt my family, my friends, my team and my fans. I wish to apologise for that. But I am not perfect. I will accept the consequences. You will understand that in spite of everything that has been written, rightfully or wrongly, I am not here to defend my conduct."
That wasn't good enough. Frankly, it smacks of Johann Museeuw's apology for not being "100 percent honest" during his days as a racer. Now, more than ever, we need someone caught red-handed to step up and say, "Yes, I did (insert name of drug here), and I apologize. I don't know what I was thinking."
Don't let the fact that his team is standing behind him obscure the gravity of the situation. Lefevre can be credibly accused of being one of the better architects of systemic doping in the peloton. To expect exemplary leadership from him is like asking a fifth grader to teach calculus; it's not fair because he just doesn't get it.
Which, is exactly Tornado Tom's problem. He can't possibly be seeing the issue through our eyes, otherwise such a gaff would never have occurred. And now that we have a clear illustration that his view of the "doping problem" isn't our view of the "doping problem" it calls into question his judgement as a whole. It hurts, because he's one of the last guys in the peloton we wanted this from.
Now we are faced with the ugly question of wondering what else Boonen may find acceptable on a "just this once" basis.
Photo courtesy John Pierce, Photosport International
48 comments:
- steevo said...
No longer tornado tom.
Now blizzard tom - June 13, 2008 at 7:56:00 AM CDT
- Chris said...
another solid post. i'm really torn on this one.
out of competition test, cycling hero in a cycling crazed country, immense pressure to not just do well but win, cry for help risky behavior
the greater context of doping within the sport, held to a higher standard because of his status as a star within the sport, has he used illicit substances at other times even within competition, possibly inadequate apology - June 13, 2008 at 8:47:00 AM CDT
- Our Juicy Life said...
don't forget the 17 year old girlfriend (is she 17 yet?)
so lame... - June 13, 2008 at 8:55:00 AM CDT
i am not a fan of boonen.
but i think that this post is a symbol for what doping has done to this sport.(on the fan side)
certainly, cocaine is bad, but it is part of society, and cycling is part of society too.
we should' t be hypocrites. boonen has got more than a fair punition.
every sport which hasn't any "scandals" like this is a sport where these things are hidden.
i, on my side, am happy that this sport is not yet as "marketed" as many others. - June 13, 2008 at 9:57:00 AM CDT
To be fair to Boonen regarding his statement, I suspect he's been advised to be vague in public so that he does not incriminate himself should the authorities charge him with cocaine possession.
- June 13, 2008 at 10:15:00 AM CDT
does anyone else see a bit of irony in the timing of this announcement and the timing of the incident in question?
flanders was the beginning of april, so the night in question was almost 2 months ago. we are about a month from the start of TDF. test results in this day and age can be made available within 24 hours of being administered--as we have seen with riders being sent home during competition after giving a positive sample in the previous days tests.
so why release an out of competition test result that won't affect a riders ability to compete now?
this would be a perfect time to release some dirt on the 2007 green jersey winner and "clean" up the peleton in france so we have no riders in the race defending a points jersey--the yellow jersey hasn't been defended by its past years winner since lance rode off into the texas sunset in 05'--in this years edition of the race.
does anyone else wonder if the ASO is taking extreme measures to ensure that they can run event on their terms that has been so embarrassing to these organizers the past few years?
boonen has just been made a sacrificial lamb that is being offered up as an example scare the rest of the riding community, that riders aren't just expected to ride clean but also live clean.
if its out of competition then it doesn't carry sanctions, that much is black and white--this was a poorly executed campaign to create a headline and allow the ASO to run cycling for their non cycling interests and not for the riders and teams.
this is not a let boonen ride campaign. - June 13, 2008 at 10:17:00 AM CDT
- Brooke Hoyer said...
You've pretty much hit my opinion dead on. The first thing that crossed my mind when I heard about it was the notion of the boys club of elite US athletes. Those guys who learn early on that not all the rules apply to them.
Shoot, we're fresh off the Tom Vannoppen firing and retirement for the same thing.
Boonen has to understand that drugs and cycling can't be linked. Saying no to the blow protects his paycheck and his health (need I mention Len Bias?).
I can think of many ways Tom can flaunt the playboy image without doing lines. - June 13, 2008 at 10:46:00 AM CDT
i have to say that the first thing i thought of when i read this was voet's book-the combination of the recreational drug use and the performance-enhancing drug use.
that, and the fact that cocaine is an ingredient in pot belge(right?)
-patrick - June 13, 2008 at 10:47:00 AM CDT
- Tarik Saleh said...
Good post there Padraig. The just-an-out-of-competition-recreational-drug excuse is pretty lame. I think a mandatory firing from Quickstep with a short suspension would have been pretty appropriate. What the hell is the point of the code of conduct if they say, eh, no biggie. The rest of my thoughts are here
- June 13, 2008 at 11:48:00 AM CDT
Good writing. Hard times for the cycling sport, hard times for Boonen as well.
It leaves me with a lot of mixed feelings.
The news did not come as a real surprise, knowing how popular coke is these days and knowing the party people in the Mol area. Boonen being known as a party boy,...it adds up to occasional recreational drug use.
But then I read in the newspaper that during interrogation by the police he said that he has been 'set up' by someone.
Why denying when the outcome of the tests is so clear. - June 13, 2008 at 12:49:00 PM CDT
To be fair to Tom... Ullrich drove his car and landed it in of all places a rack full of bicycles. As stupid as it was to do, it only seems fair to nab the alcoholics and pot smokers as well...
- June 13, 2008 at 1:18:00 PM CDT
Tomke needs to blame it on the dentist and spin it into a dental awareness program for Belgian kids.
- June 13, 2008 at 1:55:00 PM CDT
i have seen some pro's train without helmets.
they should be suspended for 2 years
at least - June 13, 2008 at 2:00:00 PM CDT
I dont think what he has done matters. He wasnt taking performance enhancing drugs, he took something illegal, now he has to deal with it. It is really none of our business.
- June 13, 2008 at 2:40:00 PM CDT
- erikv said...
Amen, anonymous. Let it be. Not our concern. Nothing to see here, move on.
- June 13, 2008 at 2:51:00 PM CDT
- jza said...
A millionaire athlete gets in a little trouble for partying a little too hard? Whoops.
Can't see how the word "incomprehensible" would apply here.
Maybe "unfortunate timing" with the tour around the corner.
It was too bad that Ullrich got a year out for doing the same thing.
For the best of the best, cycling isn't all suffering and sacrifice. It's "hey we're genetic freaks who can ride our bikes really far really quickly. Let's go get rich and have some fun."
And really, coke isn't going to improve cycling in any way. It makes you way too jittery. Even the good stuff. - June 13, 2008 at 3:26:00 PM CDT
- brettok said...
If he had any class he would've drove his Porsche into a bike rack while his 17yo girlfriend snorted a line off his pecker...
- June 13, 2008 at 3:27:00 PM CDT
should read his lambo - June 13, 2008 at 3:48:00 PM CDT
fabian on coke would've blown his doors off at roubaix
- June 13, 2008 at 5:09:00 PM CDT
- Unknown said...
coke woulda dehydrated the shit outta most anyone at roubaix
- June 13, 2008 at 5:21:00 PM CDT
just thot that might help ignore the crmps, joe
- June 13, 2008 at 5:29:00 PM CDT
- Unknown said...
and now I have accidentally commented about cocaine and bike racing from my work gmail. Whoops.
hope the filter took the day off - June 13, 2008 at 5:55:00 PM CDT
- Roman Holiday said...
Coke adds life.
- June 13, 2008 at 6:28:00 PM CDT
- Old Fonzie said...
Just to clear up some confusion, this out of competition testing took place before the Tour of Belgium not Flanders, a 5 day stage race not to be confused with the one day grand classic.
The test was conducted on May 25th and the timing seems plausible with the time it takes to do the B-sample, etc. It's a bit slow, but nicer that it didn't explode from a leak of the A-sample before the athlete in question was notified. That the allegations were made public, as noted by other posters, remains questionable.
Also, the ASO had nothing to do with the testing and can't be blamed for any sort of timing coincidence.
It does seem dubious that he would be caught the "one" time he did coke considering how quickly the drug is flushed from the system after use. However it is reasonable to believe he was under the impression he would not be tested out of competition for the drug as this is the stated policy of WADA and the UCI.
Cocaine is not a banned substance by either WADA or the UCI when used out of competition so why this info was made public is unclear. It seems an affront to the athlete. It is as improper as if they were to announce they discovered a female athlete to be pregnant from an out of competition urine test.
We have to remember that while we idolize athletes, they are still basically young kids frequently doing dumb kid stuff even though they sacrificed their childhoods to pursue sport.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for an effort to curb doping in sport. I am relieved to finally believe that race organizers and teams are no longer encouraging doping (and loved the line about a five year old teaching calc). Still there needs to be a line between ensuring clean sport and intrusion into private matters that may lead to a backlash.
Maybe it's the American in me that thinks they should be requiring treatment for drug abuse, not just some questionable public shaming. Even the lame NFL anti-drug program requires this much. To me it seems like the guy is on a bender and needs to be straightened out before he becomes a VH1 documentary cliche.
Finally, as a rider who has lost too many companions to drunk drivers, I am more disturbed by his drunk driving and the general dismissal of this transgression than his partying. Out of respect for my fallen comrades, I will not get behind the wheel after even one drink. I see drunk driving on my part as a graven insult to their memory not just an honest mistake. - June 13, 2008 at 6:55:00 PM CDT
- RMM said...
I don't agree with you at all. The use of performance enhancing drug has tainted the sport, not recreational drugs.
If Tom uses an illegal, recreational drug on his own time (while not training, racing or attending team events) it is his business. If that usage happens to be illegal in the nation where he uses it, he should suffer the legal consequences if caught. vft
As far as his cycling career is concerned, it is a non issue. The TdF has every right to exclude him from racing, but for you to condemn him is overly harsh.
Many of us have made the same mistake as Tom (I am in no way condoning illegal drug usage) and have not lost our jobs or been excluded from the profession that we have trained long and hard for.
No matter what you say, Tom Boonen is one of the fastest bicycle racers on earth and he should race his bicycle as long as he obeys the rules of the sport while training for and participating in the sport. - June 13, 2008 at 7:38:00 PM CDT
- Toast Ghost said...
gotta agree with the "live and let live" side of the coin on this one. he's enjoying the fruits of his riches (can't believe the anarchist in me let that one slip out!), especially the party-boy lifestyle that comes with being a young famous athlete. when i read the news, my first thought was "whew, just cocaine." the fact that it's a stimulant is pretty much a red herring, considering that it hasn't been used for serious performance-enhancing doping within the last thirty years, nor is it obtained through the same medical channels as EPO or whatever kids do these days. guy just went to the club and had fun, probably felt like shit the next day and maybe even stayed off the bike. can't begrudge him a little party powder on his off time.
- June 13, 2008 at 7:40:00 PM CDT
enough with the self-righteousness... he's a young guy in his twenties doing some stupid sh#t. i don't know that he ever claimed to be a pillar of virtue. and all the whining about what doping is doing to the sport! i hate to say it but you can't have it both ways. the big-name sponsors, the live television coverage, and the adoring fans all come with a price -- just like in every pursuit. all that said, if big tom would have thrown back one too many vodka tonics and buried the porsche in a blind corner in the french maritime alps it would probably have been more acceptable to many which seems kinda crazy... lamenting the poor choices of uneducated young athletes with newly acquired wealth and status seems pointless. look the bar is quite low: i'm just pleased as hell that he wasn't running a dog-fighting operation out of his basement.
- June 13, 2008 at 8:22:00 PM CDT
- Brian said...
Chill out self-righteous, sanctimonious, anti-doping crusaders! The man was just livin' it up a little and got caught. Ya'll just jealous you're not a young Belgian superstar.
6:55 pm, you're on the money.
I'm just glad that he's finding a way to enjoy himself, despite the fact that the sport is in the can. The cycling public doesn't need role models, it needs to pull its head out, think for itself, and get back to focusing on the ACTUAL RACING. Now let's all get back to the racing and quit worrying about what athletes do in their private lives.
Amen, 3:27pm. - June 13, 2008 at 8:30:00 PM CDT
- C said...
I agree with OldFonzie ,Brian, Rmckitr, etc...
This is personal matter. It has nothing to do with doping. Cocaine would probably be more detrimental to his performance than beneficial.
Although I doubt Boonen has a drug problem, the mention that there should be avenues for professional athletes to receive help with drug/alcohol issues is spot on. I mean, these guys have million dollar salaries and are treated like celebrities. It would be ridiculous to think that they aren't going to go to posh nightclubs and be exposed/do this kind of stuff.
It's not doping. It's not a big deal. Get over it. - June 13, 2008 at 8:57:00 PM CDT
There is no doping issue here and it is a matter he will have to contend with both personally and publicly through the Courts. I really hope it doesn't have too adverse an impact on his career. While I can't say I'm sorry for him, I can say that I am disappointed in him.
Aussie Joe. - June 13, 2008 at 9:14:00 PM CDT
First off, great post.
Brian and all the Boonan taint lickers, see if you can extract your heads from your asses for a moment. Boonen wasn't smoking a fatty, he was doing COCAINE! Seriously what a bunch of obtuse morons we have commenting on this saying it's no big deal. It is a big deal, and if you don't think so ask Marco Pantani, oh wait a minute, you can't because he's DEAD! Great rider, with snakes in head and died a base-head! Are you kidding me that some of these newbie-Fred-like cycling fans think that this is exceptable, just because he is a Cycling star and was out of competition? Get out of here with that weak BS.
I can, as every other rational and logical thinking, upright walking cycling fan appreciate Toms cycling abilities, but, COCAINE????? C'mon, he needs to take a break from his team and racing and get help, then come back and take the higher path. And don't give me this "he's a big star and under so much pressure" bullshit, that is some weak ass shit. Try doing a job where you might have to save or take a life in a split second and having have done both, I can tell you that that is some pressure!
And no it's not understandable to get in your car and drive while your cocked after 20 beers. Anyone who thinks that in this day and age (not that you guys at BKW think that) needs to sock their parents in the mouth for raising a complete tool! There is to much education out there today to not know any better.
And the issue about him and the 16 year old girl....WTF????? I saw that a while back and was in shock that Tom couldn't find a girl out of high school to date? I have a 16 year old daughter and if some jackass Boonen's age, Rockstar, sports star or man on the block was attempting to have relations with her??? That motherf&%ker would be a heavybag with eyes! I would loose my professional objectivity and plant that moe.
Boonen has much to contemplate, straight up admit too and take on the chin. As for Quickstep, that teams weak ass leadership is now even more suspect than before.
I used to have so much respect for Boonen and the way he won races and carried himself. Now, not so much. I am shaking my head ant how jacked up my sport has become. - June 13, 2008 at 10:45:00 PM CDT
Someone's panties are in a bunch.
"Try doing a job where you might have to save or take a life in a split second and having have done both, I can tell you that that is some pressure!"
Are you a doctor?
"I am shaking my head ant how jacked up my sport has become."
Your sport... Are you pro? What gives you the credibility to call other people "Freds" and claim a sport as your own...
Idiot. - June 13, 2008 at 11:43:00 PM CDT
could we please get back to talking about whether or not white tape is PRO? or whether ASSOS is overpriced or tubular v. clincher? the current trend of writing/commenting on cycling like it is the zenith of human achievement is nothing short of pathetic. abject drivel. has anyone picked up a newspaper lately? this just in: cycling still *just* a sport, a pursuit; most still go unpaid...
the moralism and romance-writing is just plain bizarre. so big tom did coke. robin williams did coke. pres. george bush did coke...
"Boonen wasn't smoking a fatty, he was doing COCAINE!"-- hmmm... translation: weed isn't as bad as coke.
"used to have so much respect for Boonen and the way he won races and carried himself. Now, not so much." -- do tell what you respected. in particular, how was it different than say any other pro sprinter in recent memory.
"There is to much education out there today to not know any better...." -- translation: *too* much education.
please, please someone start a thread about peak wattage inaccuracies in his/her SRM crankset.... - June 14, 2008 at 12:13:00 AM CDT
I feel Padraig's message is a bit simpler than some may be reading.
It is a trying time to be a PRO cyclist.
Any behavior shy of perfect casts further doubt on the individuals at the top of the sport and drives current/future sponsors/fans further away. - June 14, 2008 at 5:04:00 AM CDT
I think a few of the comments regarding Tom are harsh. After reading the inteview with Boonen in Cycle Sport Magazine (April, 2008)it clearly suggests that Tom is an an introspective man who gaurds his privacy and is sick of the intrusive nature of the media and fans in his very public life. The drink driving and cocaine use are clear indications of a man asking for help.
How many of you who have been under immense pressure in your own life have had a few too many drinks or had other drugs to ease the pain of what you are experiencing? I know I have
Unfortunately many sports stars have everything available to them apart from what they probably need most, good guidance and coping strategies in life (think Pantani, think Ullrich).
I think Tom needs support and not to be seen in the same light as Landis, Hamilton, Vino etc etc etc.
I wish him well and hopes he finds peace within himself - June 14, 2008 at 6:24:00 AM CDT
Hey ed'o'shea
maybe you should read that article that I mentioned as Tom talks about the 16yo girl, maybe you should search for the truth rather than believing the gossip columns.
As for the life and death issue most of my medical colleagues understand their responsibilities without the "hands of god" complex. - June 14, 2008 at 6:32:00 AM CDT
- Old Fonzie said...
Was riding down this road yesterday, rolling hills into the wind and all of a sudden my heart rate monitor spikes up to 260! Couldn't believe it.I wasn't even breathing hard. So I tap the display and it goes back to just under 120 where I wanted it.
The Fonz still has it.
Think their was some weird interference from the tractor parked in the field I was passing. I know the use sat nav these days. Anyone else notice HR interference from farm equipment?
Anyways, I hear what Ed is saying. From his grammar and spelling you can see he's really stressed out by it. I too have had a job where I had to save or take a life in a split second. I worked in an abattoir for seven years, and I tell you it was stressful being on a tight quota and getting bitten by horses all day long. But at least you got to shoot 'em. Still I don't think it was as stressful as the life of young Tom -- he can't shoot the press, just drugs.
Ed is right in making the association to Pantani and it underlines what I was trying to say: we need to address drug use, but we also need to take care of the athletes, especially the dumb kids. Hate the sin but love the sinner. Tom's a good guy, I'd hate to not have him racing anymore.
His test shouldn't have been announced publicly at least not the first time -- although Tom's been embroiled in this coke conspiracy for some time with a lot of public allegations and guilt by association. Hopefully Tom will get his shit together and not become a cliche introspective poet who offs himself as a martyr. Yuck.
The sport needs to evolve from a reactionary stance to doping to a proactive one. It appears this is the direction we're heading with biological passports(and yes as a long time race fan I can include myself among the pro cycling culture for without fans there'd be just a bunch a guys riding around the countryside).
The questions we face now is how can we protect cyclists from themselves? Tabloid interventions are not the silver bullet.
As we move toward the higher good of a drug free peloton, we need to start figuring out why we are doing it -- is it for the sport's image or is it for the athlete's well being and can both interests be met more efficiently?
And I'd just like to point out to Ed, why would you punch out a nice guy like Tom for dating your daughter? By your logic she should be the one beating you for raising a complete tool by your standards. It's not the fifties anymore no matter how much we miss 'em. It's a different culture over there where 16 is not that young. She's a Van Vliet for cryin' out loud, I am sure her family raised her to take care of herself not to mention knowing that her family has her back.
Who knows, and this is purely unsubstantiated speculation, maybe the Van Vliets are behind this 'press leak', after all he's not dating Sophie anymore. He's back with Lore, or at least that's why the police searched her house for drugs and not Sophie's.
Ain't bike racing grand? Anyone else experience unexplained spikes in their heart rate monitors? - June 14, 2008 at 11:34:00 AM CDT
ah velo.... Never said I was a doctor and don't think I am anywhere close to God. Me in those situation, I have only been lucky and had someone upstairs watching out for me. I was only illustrating a different significant pressure as compared to making millions of dollars to race a bike or catching a ball.
"As for the life and death issue most of my medical colleagues understand their responsibilities without the "hands of god" complex."
That's refreshing to know that a "Doctor,?" has no problem popping some pills, slugging some beers and hopping behind the wheel of a car. WOW.
As for the 16 year old girl comments made. Check the end of each sentence, I believe there were question marks ("?") placed there.
And NO I have never taken drugs to ease the pressures of life. And again, to then insinuate that you got behind the wheel of a car and that many do? How obtuse and careless!
Anonymous # 1......Yes it is MY sport, I've been racing since I was 7 years old, spent 18 years in the business and have spent more than my fair share on bicycles and equipment in the past 40 or so years. Never said I was Miguel Indurain but who are you Mayor Marion Barry? Jackass! This is our sport, and if you don't think so, get back on the bench where you belong.
Anonymous # 2..... I was not insinuating that smoking a "fatty" would have been OK. I was assuming that, by the tone of some of the responses, some of these guys and gals have been smoking copious amounts of marijuana before they opine. And a dead head, doesn't necessarily equate to cocaine use, but c'mon. Also this is a blog and I had no idea that spelling and grammar were so important TO you? If so please retract and rewrite your posts to include capitals at the beginning of your paragraphs and sentences. That would be just TOOOOOOO splendid.
Oh and your right with Obama and Bush admitting to cocaine use, I guess that makes it just fine?! What ever was I thinking. And no your SRM isn't broken, your just glass cranking single digits.
This BS is why cycling is circling the drain. I will say that websites like BKW area great, because they write thought provoking posts, and let us vent and opine.
As for Boonen I hope he gets the help needed. - June 14, 2008 at 11:48:00 AM CDT
I cannot argue with the Fonz on most things, but c'mon, Fonzie step out of the 70's kid! A guy in his mid 20's comes knocking at your door to take out your daughter and that's ok with you? Wow, you sound a little less like Fonzie and a little more like Ralph Malph. By the sounds of it, you could give a shite about your daughters well-being, you sound like a champ. Good job.
Great job with those horses. How ever did you deal with that? Or are you suffering from PTSD. Check with aj velo69 for some stress relief and instructions.
And thank you for the Inquirer read about Boonen's relationships, that was just smashing.
I stick to my position. Some guy 25+ years old comes knocking for my 16 year old, yes there are going have some problems right there at the door. If you wouldn't then that says boat loads about the stellar job your parents did. If your worth your salt then you might want to rethink that one. Unless your just looking to live off the backs of your kids? If so then march on Mr. Spears!
Now back to the topic at hand, I hope Boonen get some help and quick. His decision making is definitely off coarse and needs correction. - June 14, 2008 at 12:13:00 PM CDT
- Bluenoser said...
Good Post.
David Millar manned up when caught and continues (I hope) to fight the clean fight for our sport.
Boonen has to realize that young people look up to him and want to emulate.
As for the pressure. It's like Super Chicken says, "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred." (Side kicks name just happens to be Fred)
S - June 14, 2008 at 12:51:00 PM CDT
Some of you seem to have some difficulty with proportion but it's entertaining to read BKW, your posts make it more so and can be enlightening. I got a Gr8LOL from brttok.
Boonen is indeed like a rock star in many aspects, yet unlike a rock star he's also paid very well to be a professional representing a flooring corporation. Leave out the words "bike racer." He gets paid to carry a billboard across his chest.
Will most cycling fans forget about his 2008 version of a screwup in the future when he's hopefully still grinding out the cobble climbs? Yes, most will, although it'll be another asterisk to his palmares, hopefully the last one Tom 'cause you still give us that drug-free rush every time you raise those arms (oops, not every time).
But if I chaired a corporation that sinks millions of Euros into advertising, would I want it to result in being labeled "Quick Sniff?" Do people make a subconscious (or conscious) negative connection to my company if it's linked to cocaine?
So while those posting to this site try to one-up each other by discussing how many angels can dance on a headset cap, somebody somewhere is wondering how to deal with some very public cocaine use by a highly paid ambassador for their corporation, on a financial level. How do you quantify the prospective financial detriment of Boonen's loss of mojo?
With all the unwarranted detrimental "journalistic" coverage cycling gets these days, and the fact that for a lot of non-cyclists and cyclist-haters, this is all they need for reinforcement, Tom could be out of a job-- he would be if I ran a huge flooring company.
Maybe what we need is to Let Tom Ride-- for Colstrop or Topsport for a season or two, in search of regaining the edge he showed so well in years past and just last April.
P.S: Can any of you "real" cyclists tell me the difference between Astana and Quick Step? I'm waiting patiently to find out which team is excluded from le TdF. - June 14, 2008 at 6:30:00 PM CDT
- Old Fonzie said...
Okay we're getting way off topic but in some ways it is relevant to Belgian culture. Mr. O'Shea, you completely missed my point on the hypocrisy of the old fashion morality you assign to genders. Calling me names isn't going to score you any points. If I were in Belgium no I wouldn't protest if a a man in his twenties dated my sixteen year old daughter. However it wouldn't happen in the US since I would raise my daughter to understand the mores of society.
You seemed to believe that boys whose parents didn't teach them the moral aspects of drunk driving should "sock their parents in the mouth for raising such a tool." yet girls in your opinion are so devoid of moral backbone that they need to have their fathers beat up men they've inappropriately flirted and exchanged digits, with little apparent consequence for their misdeeds.
By your reference to Brittany Spears, I imagine you have some idea of what young American teen girls are like these days. Personally I pity the 25 year old man who thinks he can deal with that sort of snot nosed thing. Even more I doubt the father that would let his little girl turn into such a monster would have the backbone to confront one of her many suitors.
I never had a daughter, but I did raise my niece since her mother was a self absorbed idiot that let the kid run wild, fail school and generally screw up. All she wanted to be was the kid's "best friend" not parent.
When she moved into my house I laid down the rules and explained what was expected of her. My wife and I provided structure and spoke openly with her about the things she needed to know and what we expected of her. She never had a problem with any older men pursuing her because she knew about the age of consent and its consequences. She knew there were protocols that were expected of her if she were to date any boys.
Sure, she tested the limits. The worst she had was some Christian boy who was after her. He came over one of the first times we allowed her to be home alone(which she knew was against the ground rule of nobody in, nobody out when home alone). I figured it out right away because I noticed foreign tire tracks on my driveway. She was impressed and relieved that I was watching out for her and we didn't have any of that again. Her grades went up and she was on the honor roll. She dated appropriate boys after we met them and their parents. She's become an upstanding adult and is married now.
However, this is America not Belgium. The whole world doesn't have to be strip malls and Mc Donald's morality. There can be differences. Frites et Moule is not wrong because it's not served as a Happy Meal with a toy.
It's a different culture over there. A much older and more stable culture I might remind you. This is why bike racing is big, not baseball and why the age of consent is 16 not 18. An older guy dating a 16 year old is not that uncommon in Belgian society nor in many older and stabler societies. It makes sense that an established male should be able to chose the most fertile females. This protracted adolescence is a uniquely American phenomenon.
When I lived over there I had a 28 year old team mate who was dating a 16 year old. Her parents were happy with it. These things are not uncommon. Last I heard they were married and happy. Merckx married the young daughter of his trainer and it was socially acceptable.
Belgium is a lot like an extended farming community. Everyone knows everyone and watches out for everyone. They are a devout and pious people not a bunch of child molesting perverts. However, they aren't a bunch of puritans either.
On the odd day the sun comes out and it's warm it's not uncommon to see naked women sunbathing in the park. For crying out loud, the symbol of Brussels is Manneken Pis, a statue of a little boy pissing -- something that would be criminalized as child porn in the US.
You're looking at the picture all wrong. You see a daughter of MTV being pursued by some guy with a corvette she picked up at Applebee's. Sabine Van Vliet didn't just have Tom Boonen coming to her door one day after 'hooking up' at the mall. Leo Van Viellet is not some bad parent who should have beaten up Boonen.
Over there, that's just not how it's done at all. I am sure their families were longtime friends. Boonen isn't some sleazy sex tourist who's after anonymous sex with little girls, he is involved in relationships that are appropriate for his culture. He's a young, eligible Belgian bachelor; it's his prerogative. - June 14, 2008 at 6:39:00 PM CDT
Well, there's no MTV in my house.....we don't eat at McDonalds or Burger King..... I never point to Europe as a bastion of morality of which Americans should emulate (we have our own problems but were not as back ass as europe, that's why most of us left our native countries, for this, The greatest Country on Gods green earth).....the only reason I know the name of a pop singer who's family is morally bankrupt is because I live in Los Angeles and not under a rock and she's in the news every other day...... I will say I'm glad you have taken the bull by the horns regarding your niece, that is very commendable. I will also say that my 17 year old has always been involved in multiple sports and is an "A" student all of her suitors meet Mom & Dad first, as do all new friends that she is going to be hanging around with. And yes my job, as it happens, keeps my pugilistic skills sharp, so the day a 28 year old comes knocking at the door for one of my young daughters, you can bet your ass that I will beat his ass right there on the spot! Call me a Neanderthal, but that is precisely what will occur. And any father that says he wouldn't, doesn't have a teenage daughter. As for Boonen being a suitable and eligible bachelor? Says who? His actions demonstrably prove that to be false. Cocaine, and DUI??? If he's not careful he'll end up like Marco Pantani. Then we will have a darker post to be commenting on. Hopefully Boonen doesn't have a bunch of "yes men" around him like Michael Jackson. Speaking of Mike, he seems like a nice enough guy, but I'm not going to bring my young son over to his house for some trampoline time and Jesus juice. But judging by some of you Boonen drones, that might not be a bad idea to you. After all he's really nice, rich and considered a suitable suitor in some European countries.
"On the odd day the sun comes out and it's warm it's not uncommon to see naked women sunbathing in the park. For crying out loud, the symbol of Brussels is Manneken Pis, a statue of a little boy pissing -- something that would be criminalized as child porn in the US."
C'mon, lighten up Francis!
I find it a little ironic that Boonen, gets named as the guy who supplied Tom Vanoppen with the cocaine that he got busted with. These guys need to clean up their act, straighten up and fly right. There are children looking up to these guys! Cycling is getting to be like the NBA, NFL and yes MTV. Unreal, but time will tell. Hopefully for the kids, the fans, OUR sport and Boonen he gets his act right.
BUMP! - June 14, 2008 at 8:38:00 PM CDT
Perhaps someone could get this 32 point Personal Pledge to Boonen. He needs it, and so do the excuse makers and defenders of his immoral behavior. But then what do I know, I am just some guy who actually cares about his family and my contributions to the World. AAAAAAAAAAAA Fonz?
1. There is no excuse for lack of effort.
2. Although I may be unhappy with my circumstances, and although racism and sexism and other "isms" exist, I know that things are better now than ever, and the future is even brighter.
3. While I may be unhappy with my circumstances, I have the power to change and improve my life. I refuse to be a victim.
4. Others may have been blessed with more money, better connections, a better home environment, and even better looks, but I can succeed through hard work, perseverance, and education.
5. I may be a product of a single- or no-parent household, but I will not hold anyone responsible for my present, or allow anyone to interfere with my future. Others succeed under conditions far worse than mine.
6. Some schools and teachers are better than others, but my level of effort, dedication, curiosity, and willingness to grow determine what I learn.
7. Ambition is the key to growth.
8. I will set apart some time each day to think about where I want to go, and how I intend to get there. A goal without a plan is just a wish.
9. "Luck" is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
10. If suitable role models are not nearby, I will seek them out.
11. A role model is someone who, through hard work and a positive outlook, has achieved.
*12. A role model may be a parent, relative, friend, church member, judge, doctor, attorney, businessperson, or someone I've read about in the newspaper or seen on the local news.
13. I will contact role models and seek their advice, guidance, and counsel. People remember when they were my age and are eager to help.
14. I will seek out recommended magazines, articles, books, biographies, videos, and motivational and how-to books, and use them for education and motivation.
15. The light is always green. You cannot go full speed with one foot on the brake.
16. I am always "in school," and I will not waste my summer by failing to read about and speak to people who can inspire me.
17. I will avoid friendship with people who do not share my goals and commitments. Nonsupportive relationships waste time and energy.
18. I will not seek immediate results, as I understand life is a journey and not a destination.
19. I will read a newspaper each day.
20. I will entertain myself in ways that challenge and expand my mind. As someone said, a mind once expanded never returns to its original size.
21. I will pay attention to my diet and overall fitness, as they are the keys to a healthy and productive body and an enthusiastic mind.
***22. Drugs are stupid. People who believe in drugs don't believe in themselves.
23. I understand that jobs of the future require more preparation and training than ever, and I am determined to obtain the necessary background.
24. A well-rounded, competent student studies math and science.
25. People are not born "deficient in mathematical ability." Through hard work and dedication, the subject can be mastered.
26. It is essential that I learn to speak and write standard English. This is not "acting white," but acting smart.
27. A strong vocabulary is the key to communication, and I will read books on vocabulary enrichment.
28. I expect sometimes to be teased, even ridiculed. This will not stop me; it will only make me stronger and more determined.
29. I control my body and will not create a child until I am spiritually, psychologically, educationally, and financially capable of assuming this awesome responsibility.
30. Life is difficult. I expect setbacks and will learn from them. Struggle creates strength.
31. Every day is precious, and one without growth is squandered.
32. There is only one me, and I'm it!
Wrinse, wash and repeat. Also happy Fathers day to all the fathers out there. - June 15, 2008 at 10:52:00 AM CDT
- bikesgonewild said...
...dear tommeke...weren't you a world champion a few years back ???...i guess you were too busy being admired by a relatively small group of glad-handers & ass-kissers to notice that "your" sport & profession was being viewed by the general public & also by the corporate world of sponsorship, as something less than wholesome & honest...
...i guess that wonderfully absolute focus & drive that allows you to achieve the results you do kinda keeps you from seeing & understanding that some of those young cheering fans now assume that "if tommeke's down w/ the drugs, then i can handle that shit too"...
...i guess the fact that you're surrounded by a support system of folks who won't let you slip too far, blinds you to the fact that those kids, those fans of yours, could end up dead or in jail but hey, that's their choice, right ???...
...i guess the fact that so many folks just pass this little "recreational drug" affair off as basically nothing tells me that there are a lotta people in the cycling community who are clue 'fucking' nada when it comes to understanding drugs & their effect on society...
...i guess the anal/cranial inversion i see out on the roads really is indicative of the greater collective consciousness in the cycling community...
...i guess i can't blame you too much, tommeke, because it seems we're both surrounded by a lotta uninformed selfish people...
...& i guess i hope ya get some help w/ 'that little problem' most folks don't seem to think you've got...
...good luck...i guess... - June 15, 2008 at 1:58:00 PM CDT
To Oldfonzie, my HRM regularly receives interference. I, purportedly, had a heart rate of 320 once. My eyes nearly popped out of my head and the shock of seeing that number almost gave me a heart attack.
As to the debate in question, look guys, cocaine abuse is not good for anyone. It has personal costs and imposes tremendous costs on society as a whole. We all know that.
Bashing Tom for all of his other perceived failings or indiscretions seems to me to be a little unfair. He will get what is coming to him in the usual way that society deals with these things, but hopefully only for his substance abuse.
The overwhelming sentiment seems to me to be that we are all disappointed in Tom. Fair enough. It does not help the fight against illicit social drugs to have high profile people as users. In Australia recently we had one of our best ever football players (and this guy was a god) busted for cocaine and other substance abuse. He was arrested, sent to rehab. He received the largest public hammering and the public essentially demanded his AFL contract be rescinded, which it was. He is no longer a pro footballer. His livelihood has been ruined. I see him running in my neighbourhood and have chatted to him on occasion. He's friendly and a well meaning bloke whose own opinion of himself was out of proportion to what other thought of him. His association with drugs and all that carried with it was ego. I have no doubt he regrets every line he ever did. It's a shame because this guy was an absolute champion. In my view, his fall from grace was just as much a travesty as his drug taking. He was lynched because of who he is, not what he did. That is the travesty I hope Boonen evades.
Aussie Joe. - June 15, 2008 at 6:15:00 PM CDT
- Old Fonzie said...
Aussie Joe, I hope you're right. I ride in dairy country and experience little to no interference beyond this new tractor.
Also, I agree with you on your footballer mate. Hope he can find his way back to the sport. Pantani got similar treatment and look what good it did him. Fortunately Boonen didn't test positive in a race so he's not going to be shunned from racing for too long.
If the belgians can forgive Johan Museeuw they won't crucify Tom.
Hopefully the whole thing will work out well in many ways: Devolder will have a great Tour with having the whole team working for him, not divided between defending green and yellow. And if we're lucky, Boonen will get his act together, and really he can't be that off course, and he makes a solid comeback in Beijing. That would be sweet.
Mind you I am still hoping for a Schleck arriving in Paris wearing yellow. Although a first Australian win by Mr. Evans would be acceptable -- I just don't want to jinx him by betting on him, plus betting on the Schlecks doubles my odds. - June 15, 2008 at 10:03:00 PM CDT
- brettok said...
Aussie Joe, I'm an aussie too, and I thought at first you were referring to Joey Johns, another high-profile footballer from a different code, who was busted for ecstacy use. He is rated as the greatest footballer ever, and even with his indiscretions off the field he is still held up as a god. He is in fact a commentator and on all the footy shows. It shows that sportspeople are human, can make mistakes, and be forgiven for them. Boonen is no different.
I can't believe how pious some of the comments on here are, get off your high-horses people, it's just a sport, we don't own it, these riders are entertaining us, just like your favourite bands or movie stars etc... who are all smashed out of their minds too. - June 16, 2008 at 12:06:00 AM CDT


text:
Stretching, Gallery Wrapping and Framing takes an additional 10-14 business days.
Gallery Wrap is a canvas stretched and secured to a thick wooden frame stapled on the back with a hanging wire. A gallery wrapped canvas is suitable for hanging on the wall.
* Please note that due to current shortages, some gallery wrapped pieces may not have the black backing.
Framing varies in cost and type. Some items have custom framing. Our general framing for paper prints is square black polystyrene frame with acid-free mat and plexiglass (non UV). Some framing styles may vary.
Canvas artwork is stretched and framed without plexiglass, generally in a polystyrene float frame. Framing styles may vary.


text:
So I have to ask the question. Does this 92 year old have the right to consume the resources used to treat an incurable, fatal and futile disease if it means we wont have the money required to treat another disease that is neither incurable, neither fatal and neither futile?
Unsurprisingly, HHO treats this case as yet another flagrant example of the profligate waste we see in everyday medical practice in America. Health care dollars and resources are a limited commodity (like oil and soybeans?), he avers---we cannot afford to waste them on the extreme elderly.
Now I think his heart is in the right place. Happy isn't a preternaturally evil person. Most of what he writes is at least reasonable. Besides, when you are an anonymous blogger, sometimes you write things you don't necessarily mean, with a stridency that you wouldn't normally use in everyday discourse. Who knows, maybe in real life HHO is a giant softy, one of those docs who brings his patients warm blankets and a cup of hot tea every morning. But on this particular topic, I think he's way off the mark and a little out of his depth.
I'm going to veer of course for bit, if that's OK. Notice first the ponderous, pretentious title of this post--- "the meaning of life". What the hell is that all about? Is this going to be another rant about Baudrillard or Kundera or DFW, you ask? Well, sort of. Just bear with me. Much of what happens to us in life is unimportant and ultimately forgettable. The traffic jam on the way home from work. Saying hi to people you pass in the hall. Pumping gas. Watching television. Reading the sports section. The lost moments of time that slip through our fingers every day. But every once in a while moments arise that demand our attention. These are the moments that either force us to step up and make good on the ideal conception of the sort of person we think we are (adversity, ethical quandaries, etc) or force us to stop and re-evaluate the very foundations of our notion of being. No matter who you are, it's important to accept these challenges when they present themselves; otherwise life is a random, arbitrary mess that ends much too quickly. My 92 year old breast cancer patient was, for me, such a moment. As a physician, and this may come off as a bit arrogant, I think I am thrust into situations that demand this sort of introspection more often than the average Joe. This is both a privilege and a burden.
A physician's raison d'etre is arguably to alleviate suffering, to improve a patient's quality of life, and to, in some cases, work to extend the duration of the life of an ill patient. Life is the common denominator. Our purpose, our meaning is driven by the concept of "life"--- making it better, richer, less intolerable. If we admit this, then we are obligated to define what we mean by "life", because that is the fulcrum upon which we operate. What is life? What is it exactly that we are trying to save, to alleviate, to improve?
Now this is purely my take and I'm just some yahoo like all the rest of you so don't get too upset if you disagree. I see our temporal time on Earth as having two distinct components. On the one hand is our contingent, a priori self that thrusts itself upon us, the part that deprives us of our autonomy. I was born in the late 20th century. I could not choose my parents. My genome is unalterable. I was raised a certain way by my mother. This is our contingent life. It didn't have to be like it is, but it is, and there isn't anything we can do about it. And it doesn't end at birth. The contingencies of life continue until we die. Events occur beyond our control that exert pressures upon our being. Wars. Economic depressions. Pestilence. The tragic untimely death of a loved one. A car that runs a redlight as you drive home from your daughter's wedding. We cannot control them. There is no escape from the weight that they bring to bear. But we are not condemned to let contingency define us. There is another side of Life, the side of free choice and alterability. Jean-Paul Sartre wrote about the being for itself (etre pour soi) that exists fleetingly in the instantaneous moment when we are free to decide, to choose to be, to push back against the weight of our contingencies, to create ourselves, fresh and new. Heidegger's dasein (being in time)is a similar concept. We aren't always doomed to serve out the sentences of our contingencies; every moment in time brings with it an opportunity to change, to rectify, to make better. We don't have to accept defeat. Those moments that interminably rush toward us with each waking second of consciousness afford us the chance to get back up off the canvas. And this is the aspect of Life that I find far more interesting.
Going back to my old lady with breast cancer. Her situation is fraught with contingency. She has incurable cancer. The chemotherapy may do more harm than good. She's old as hell. She's seemingly crushed by the cold hard weight of pure contingency. And she knows it. She knows she is going to die, that the cancer will ultimately vanquish her. But in that dark moment of impending, irrevocable mortality, she exercises her right to push back against death for the sake of her unmarried grandchildren and whatever else--- one more spring bloom, one more Thanksgiving, one last morning snow in December. Who are we to deny her that possibility?
This goes beyond charges of ageism. It's far more important than that. What we're talking about is a woman's dignity and free will. This was an intelligent, lucent, fully informed woman who has decided etre pour soi to mount one last counterattack against the ravages of time and human fallibility. It's as simple as that. To me, the succor of life is in those moments that challenge our preconceptions of who we really are, that force us to re-assess whom we wish to become. The full life, the life bursting at the seams with effervescence, is the one where one continues to make those big decisions as long as one can, independently, without meekly capitulating to the forces of time and contingency. To see it in a 92 year old woman is not grounds for condemnation; it's a reason to celebrate. To want to live so much, to have such appreciation for the rising of another sun, to thirst so much for the chance to make it all last just a little bit longer.... man it's just beautiful. The minute we start to ration care based simply on someone's age or some other convoluted bureaucratic formula, we start to lose something indispensable about what it means to be a human being, let alone for what it means to be a doctor.
Happy says: "Being 92 and functional is, in my opinion, not a good enough reason to abuse patients in their last few months of life, while we choose to ignore the economic realities all around us."
I feel bad for the guy. He's missing something crucial about being a physician. The "economic realities" of society will plague civilations long after we've all shuffled off this mortal coil. But if we cede the terms of our existence to pure contingency and ignore that powerful force of dasein that lurks deep within us all, then we might as well close up shop now because that's not the sort of world I want my grandchildren to live in.
Anyway, that's what a scrappy 92 year old lady, who will probably be dead this time next year no matter what she does, taught me last week....


text:
It's WEEKENDS on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Jacki Lyden.
Later in the show, a haunting and sometimes menacing Dutch novel, a talk with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, and backstage at the Oscars. But first, we're back to the sequester debate.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Instead of compromising, instead of asking anything of the wealthiest Americans, they'd rather let these cuts fall squarely on the middle class.
SENATOR JOHN HOEVEN: But the right way to address our deficit and debt and get past the sequester is not higher taxes or just better spending control. It's by creating jobs, growing the economy and expanding the tax base.
LYDEN: That was President Obama from this morning's radio and Internet address and North Dakota Senator John Hoeven with the Republican response. And James Fallows of The Atlantic joins us, as he does most Saturdays. Hi there, Jim.
JAMES FALLOWS: Hello, Jacki.
LYDEN: So, Jim, last week, we were saying that the mood around here seemed sort of lazy when it came to the sequester. It's changed since then, hasn't it?
FALLOWS: It certainly has. There have been congressional hearings, think-tank meetings and news reports, all making specific what this is actually going to mean when it takes effect, as it almost inevitably will, just a couple of days from now on the March 1st deadline. The former director of the NIH said the cuts in research grants would set back medical research for a generation. The former administrator of the FAA has talked about what it's going to mean for air traffic control, for TSA. National parks people have been speaking up. So it looks as if this is going to happen and as if we're all going to feel the effects.
LYDEN: You know, Jim, there have been, of course, vaunted and feared government shutdowns. Is there anything you can really compare this to in modern political history?
FALLOWS: There's nothing that has quite the size and feel of what we seem to be in for here. Back in the 1990s, there was a relatively minor sequestration under the first President George Bush. Famously in 1995, there was a government shutdown in the standoff between Bill Clinton and the Newt Gingrich-led House Republicans then. But at that time, it was the entire government that was shut down. It was obviously temporary from the get-go, and the president was able to declare certain functions to be necessary emergency contingencies. This time, the sequestration law says that it has to have a meat-axe effect just across the board. So there's very little that the president can do, it seems.
LYDEN: Let's turn now, Jim, to an overseas economic situation and a climate situation, and that's China. The Chinese will start imposing a carbon tax in a couple of years. They've been reluctant to do that. What's changed their minds?
FALLOWS: I think the immediate forcing effect in China has been just the terrible pollution and environmental disaster that's been building for decades but has become acute in the last few months in the air pollution nightmares people have read about in Beijing and Shanghai and elsewhere. It now burns more coal than the rest of the world combined, and that total is going up very fast as the American total is going down.
I would argue to our listeners that this is the main good news development of this past week. The Chinese, as you say, have dragged their feet in taking a step on climate or carbon issues. They say the United States is so much richer than we are. Why should we pay this penalty when the U.S. isn't doing anything? So this is a sign both that they need to address their own environmental crises and also try to make their economy more modern overall.
LYDEN: You know, Jim, it was really shocking to read how energy inefficient the Chinese economy actually is.
FALLOWS: Yes. I think that we know that the Chinese economy has been fantastically productive over the last 30 years. You know, villages have gone from small fishing areas to gigantic factory complexes and all the rest. But by normal economic terms, it's been at huge costs of efficiency. Here's the simplest way to bear that fact in mind.
The Chinese economy produces much less stuff than the U.S. does. Depending on your measures, maybe one-half as much, two-thirds as much. But it now puts out more pollutants and more emissions than the U.S. economy does. And that's part of the gap or the problem the Chinese government is trying to address.
LYDEN: James Fallows is national correspondent with The Atlantic. And you can read his blog at jamesfallows.theatlantic.com. Jim, it's always a pleasure.
FALLOWS: My pleasure, Jacki. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
A coordinated attack has struck the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Gunmen reportedly assaulted the compound after a suicide bomber detonated a device at the entrance, where a guard was killed.
Update at 3:58 p.m. ET. Reaction From Red Cross:
"We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms," ICRC's head of operations for South Asia, Jacques de Maio, says. "Right now, our thoughts go out to the family of our dead colleague."
The humanitarian group says it has about 1,800 staff working in 17 locations in Afghanistan.
Update at 1:15 p.m. ET. One Staff Member Also Wounded:
The ICRC now reports that "one of our guards was killed and one staff member (a foreigner) was slightly wounded."
An ICRC spokesman, Philippe Marc Stoll, tells NPR's Ramona Martinez that "the rest of the staff is well." He said 36 people worked at the offices.
Update at 12:55 p.m. ET. Staff Evacuated:
Police have evacuated six foreign nationals from the compound, the BBC reports, citing an interior ministry spokesman. Our original post continues:
After reports of the attack emerged, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Twitter, "We confirm that an incident just took place at our office in #Jalalabad, #Afghanistan. We'll provide more info later, once we know more."
The story is still developing, and few details have been released. But early reports agree that the suicide bomber wasn't alone, and that gunfire has been heard in the area.
"The initial reporting shows that two other people have entered the building," said Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, a spokesman for the local provincial government, according to the AP. "Right now a gun battle is going on between the Afghan security forces and the attackers. We have reports of one guard of the guest house being killed as a result of the attack. From the battle we have no reports of other casualties."
The attack is the second on an international aid group in less than one week. On Friday, gunmen and a suicide bomber attacked the offices of the International Organization for Migration in Kabul.
The IOM says that three Afghans died in that attack, which also wounded three international staff.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
This course offers an introduction to social impact strategy and social entrepreneurship, including key concepts, an overview of the field, and tools to get started as a changemaker. Students will learn how to innovate and design new ideas and new organizational forms to implement those ideas. Students who take this course will be better prepared to launch social impact
organizations of their own invention.
By moving through four stages, Define, Design, Pilot, and Scale, students will turn their passion for changing the world into concrete plans for launching a nonprofit or for-profit venture designed to achieve a social goal. This course will allow students to systematically think through problems; develop and test an innovative solution; assess risk, competition, and performance; and spread impact in a way that is financially sustainable.
Students who complete the course become eligible to apply for an in-person educational experience, called the Global Social Impact House. GSIH is a seven-day residential program that provides fellows with the tools, community and training they need to advance their ventures. Workshops are customized to the needs of fellows and explore advanced concepts in business models, design thinking and leadership. The program is also designed to help fellows build meaningful, global connections while living together in an inspirational host location.


text:
Microsoft takes out ad affirming Nokia acquisition, removes logo from the Lumia 520
Although the Microsoft / Nokia deal is still far from being completed, there may be a sign of what the purchase can mean for future Lumia phones. The International Business Times has posted a somewhat dubious example of this in citing a recent full-page advert appearing in a major newspaper.
The ad from the Telegraph, appearing on September 13, is a simple announcement from Microsoft on the planned Nokia purchase. The headline "The Microsoft family will be getting bigger. And smarter." refers to Nokia's smart devices and is a standard corporate statement. Companies often make big announcements like this through full page ads and there is nothing extraordinary about it.
There is one curious aspect that caught the eye of IBTimes and that is the elimination of 'Nokia' from the Lumia 520 pictured in the ad. Normally the Nokia logo appears at the center-top of the phone, however for the message of the ad, it was digitally removed. The apps have also been replaced, focusing on Microsoft's brands rather than Nokia's.
Ad appearing in the Telegraph via IBTimes (compared to stock image, right)
A sign of things to come? We think IBTimes are making more of this than needs to be. For one, the Lumia 520 and forthcoming devices will continue to feature the Nokia name, at least until the purchase is approved by the various regulatory agencies involved. That process is not expected to be completed until early 2014.
Second, it's not at all clear what path Microsoft will take with the Nokia / Lumia brand. Outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer remarked that in purchasing Nokia "1 brand, looks better than the "Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 1020" which has been confusing for consumers." Clearly Microsoft will want to reduce branding redundancy, which is one of the main factors for the $7.2 billion purchase.
Nokia also clarified how Microsoft now owns the 'Lumia' brand and can optionally use 'Nokia' for non-smartphone devices. But still, no firm commitments on how a Nokia engineered phone will be labeled by Microsoft going forward.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
The conclusion we can reach is that Microsoft simply took some artistic license for the ad. While it is a sign of ownership and Microsoft putting their mark on the Lumia line, we wouldn't quite take it as a roadmap on re-branding just yet. That part is still to come.
Nevertheless, for one company to remove the logo of another serves as a reminder of just how big of a deal this really is.
Source: IBTimes
Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.


text:
I have had a slow cooker for a few years now but I find that I hardly ever use it and when I do it is usually for things like pulled pork. I almost feel like I need to justify it taking up space when I have so little so I am always on the lookout for good slow cooker recipes to give it a workout. I recently came across a this tasty looking recipe for slow cooker bacon wrapped apple BBQ chicken on Chef in Training and with apples in season it seemed like the perfect chance to pull my slow cooker out! I mean you really cannot go wrong with BBQ chicken and if you then throw apples and bacon into the mix things can only get better! One thing that I do like about slow cooker recipes is that they are generally really easy, sometimes being as simple as throwing all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and turning it on and then you come home to a fully cooked one pot meal. This recipe is only requires you to dice some apples and wrap the chicken in bacon so it is easily doable even on a busy weekday morning and it is so worth the ten minutes of effort! The chicken comes out nice and moist and tender and the flavours of the bacon have melted into the chicken and BBQ creating one really tasty dish!
I served the slow cooker bacon wrapped apple BBQ chicken with some cheesy broccoli quinoa (recipe coming soon).
Slow Cooker Bacon Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken
Bacon wrapped chicken breasts in a sweet and tangy apple BBQ sauce that is super easy to make and addictively good!
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or store bought)
- 2 large apples, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Wrap each chicken breast in 2 slices of bacon and place in a slow cooker.
- Mix the BBQ sauce, apples and lemon juice and pour it over the chicken.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
Double Smoked Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon with Caramelized Mushrooms topped with Blue Cheese
Cheese Covered, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Burgers with Roasted Jalapeno Mayonnaise
BBQ Chicken Pizza
BBQ Chicken, Apple, Bacon and Cheddar Quesadillas
Apple, Cheddar and Bacon Fritters in Caramel Sauce
Apple BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Apple Slaw
Bacon Wrapped Guacamole Stuffed Chicken
Bacon Wrapped Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Balsamic Drizzle and Basil
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Asparagus and Pistachio Pesto and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken
Bacon Wrapped Guacamole Stuffed Burgers
Slow Cooker Roast Beef French Dip Sandwich
Creamy Asiago Bacon Wrapped Roasted Onions
Slow Cooker Roast Beef Philly Cheesesteak French Dip Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Pot Roast Grilled Cheese French Dip Sandwich with Spicy Miso Au Jus
Monterey Chicken
BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad
BBQ Chicken Pizza Baked Chicken


text:
Three days of mourning have been declared in Chihuahua, Mexico, where at least eight people were killed by an out-of-control monster truck this weekend. A crowd had gathered to watch the truck at an outdoor arena that lacked any visible barriers.
From Mexico, James Blears reports for our Newscast unit that the truck went from crushing cars to plunging into a crowd of spectators, leaving eight dead and dozens more injured:
"The accident happened during the 'Extreme Aeroshow' at Rejon Dam, on the outskirts of Chihuahua City. Officials say a technical fault to the vehicle occurred after it had crushed an array of cars and had jumped over them. Witnesses claim the driver lost control of the huge orange truck after hitting his head on the steering wheel.
"The prosecutors' office confirms the driver has been arrested and is being questioned. Safety measures which were supposed to protect the crowd, and didn't, are also being investigated."
The AP reports that the inquiry into the crash has included a sobriety test for the driver. The news agency has acquired video of the incident, which shows a scene of alarm and panic as the truck bounds over cars and continues toward the crowd at the end of the ground-level arena. Its engine seems to continue to rev after it reaches the line of people.
"Chihuahua Gov. Cesar Duarte Juarez said his administration, which was listed as a sponsor of the air show, was investigating whether Civil Protection authorities had correctly enforced safety regulations," the AP says.
Juarez declared three days of mourning out of respect for those killed Saturday, expressing his deep regret over the tragedy, reports the Herald of Chihuahua. Officials say that 12 of the wounded are in critical condition.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.