I finally got to read the VeloNews.com interview (Part 1 and Part 2) with Lance Armstrong. Lance was forthcoming, to say the least. What struck me most was how he talked about the Postal / Discovery team as if he were one of the principals instead of just being a rider. I've always said that to be a top athlete you also needed a large ego. Well, despite the post-cancer humility, Lance's ego is alive and well. And yes, I am still a Lance fan.
I also give VeloNews credit for posting Lance's much less than favorable comments about their publication.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Fox (So-Called) News
I was watching the emergency landing of Midwest Airlines Flight 210 on CNN this evening. The reporting on CNN was not stellar but it was fair and reasonably accurate. I switched to Fox News after CNN switched to one of their regular news programs and I was almost immediately shocked and disgusted by what I heard.
The anchor person, "Catherine," was interviewing a spokesperson from Midwest Airlines and was discussing aircraft safety systems (a technical topic of which I have some first-hand experience). She noted that some modern airliners have video cameras in the wheel wells of the aircraft so that the aircrew could better evaluate an emergency situation. She asked the spokesperson if the Boeing 717s in Midwest Airline's inventory had this kind of system. The spokesperson said that he was not a technical or maintenance person so that he could not answer the question with certainty, but he did not think that the aircraft had that capability. Immediately, Catherine asked if Midwest Airlines had considered such a system or would consider such a system given the evening's events. The spokesperson gave a bit of a non-answer, noting that these types of failures were rare but if there was a significant safety issue they would consider it.
Catherine, at this point, put words into the Midwest Airlines spokesperson's mouth saying that he thought that such a system wasn't cost effective. She immediately went to a former airline pilot and again said that Midwest Airlines thought that the video system wasn't cost effective and whether or not the pilot thought the same. The pilot replied very diplomatically and indicated that Midwest Airlines, to his knowledge, had a great safety record.
If this is Fox News' example of fair and balanced reporting then their definitions of those words is far different than mine.
BTW, Catherine kept calling the airline Midwest Express instead of its proper name, Midwest Airlines.
The anchor person, "Catherine," was interviewing a spokesperson from Midwest Airlines and was discussing aircraft safety systems (a technical topic of which I have some first-hand experience). She noted that some modern airliners have video cameras in the wheel wells of the aircraft so that the aircrew could better evaluate an emergency situation. She asked the spokesperson if the Boeing 717s in Midwest Airline's inventory had this kind of system. The spokesperson said that he was not a technical or maintenance person so that he could not answer the question with certainty, but he did not think that the aircraft had that capability. Immediately, Catherine asked if Midwest Airlines had considered such a system or would consider such a system given the evening's events. The spokesperson gave a bit of a non-answer, noting that these types of failures were rare but if there was a significant safety issue they would consider it.
Catherine, at this point, put words into the Midwest Airlines spokesperson's mouth saying that he thought that such a system wasn't cost effective. She immediately went to a former airline pilot and again said that Midwest Airlines thought that the video system wasn't cost effective and whether or not the pilot thought the same. The pilot replied very diplomatically and indicated that Midwest Airlines, to his knowledge, had a great safety record.
If this is Fox News' example of fair and balanced reporting then their definitions of those words is far different than mine.
BTW, Catherine kept calling the airline Midwest Express instead of its proper name, Midwest Airlines.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Posting on Forums
Saw this funny link on this photography forum that I visit daily.
In addition, you should count to ten and take a deep breath before you click the send or post button.
In addition, you should count to ten and take a deep breath before you click the send or post button.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
More on Drugs in Sports
This is no longer news, but I still wanted to comment on Roberto Heras' positive drug test (both A and B samples) following this year's Vuelta a Espana. As with Tyler Hamilton's positive test, I want to believe that Roberto's test is faulty, but at the same time I do believe that drug testing, properly administered, is the only unbiased arbiter in deciding if an athlete is clean.
I still feel that the spectre of drug testing is not enough of a deterrent because if it was bicycle racers would have stopped using performance-enhancing drugs many years ago. Instead, there is still enough rationale and reward to use drugs for the purpose of winning. We need to start eliminating the reasons that exist for using drugs.
Are the tests perfect? Are the testers saints?
The answer to both of those questions is probably no. Yet we don't have anything better at the moment.
I still feel that the spectre of drug testing is not enough of a deterrent because if it was bicycle racers would have stopped using performance-enhancing drugs many years ago. Instead, there is still enough rationale and reward to use drugs for the purpose of winning. We need to start eliminating the reasons that exist for using drugs.
Are the tests perfect? Are the testers saints?
The answer to both of those questions is probably no. Yet we don't have anything better at the moment.
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