Ok...More "Save The Planet" talk...
In my opinion the world is drastically overpopulated and driving us to the brink of extinction...I am all for a 2/3 reduction in the populace. Of course, I do not want anyone I know in the 'reduction' but from a purely theoretical perspective, a 2/3 reduction would allow the remaining 1/3 to potentially thrive and monitor their collective growth for the betterment of the planet.
Since our species cannot get along for the betterment of all...or even avoid war for long stretches, it seems that dear old Mother Nature will have to do it for us...or alas...we put ourselves on the extinction list.
Humans are the leading cause of habitat destruction, animal species endangerment and extinction...tell me...how do we stop us from killing ourselves if we kill everything else?
54% of the animals have become over the past 40 years. We are causing extinction rates at levels of 1,000 percent whereas the natural extinction rate is between 0.01 and 0.10 percent. The math does not work. Under the most conservative estimate possible, development, disappearing habitats and climate change will exterminate all animal species within just three human lifetimes.
Call it natural, cyclical, or whatever you like. I prefer we call it was it is...mass suicide on a global scale.
What would I do to stop it? We'll I would start with a couple of things...
1. Limit each person/couple to one child only...worldwide. Penalties for breaching this would have to be substantive. Probably to the point I would rather not think about. This would remain in place until we reached a population number that can be supported but allows all species to thrive.
2. Eliminate fossil fuel based vehicles. Batteries only. Service stations become battery change stations.
3. Each state, country, etc. would dedicate 50% of its land mass back to a natural state. No urban sprawl. Parks and such would become 50% of a state's area for example. We would have to live in the 50% designated as metropolitan.
4. Recycling. Mandated. Everything that can be recycled IS.
Here's just one article that is appropriate:
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/06/19/75-percent-of-animal-species-to-be-wiped-out-in-sixth-mass-extinction
I already know it is too late for us to fix. I hope we try as a group but I for one...am not counting on it. Say your prayers...
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Monday, July 11, 2016
Cops, Shootings, & Jesse Williams Speech
I have rarely commented on racial issues as they tend to be ravenous topics that are hot beds of very strong opinions across the board. You cannot seem to comment without being labeled a 'racist' or 'you have not lived it' or some other response discounting your opinion on the matter. Either way, in this blog, I am going to express my thoughts as I see them.
First, let's admit there is racism and it is everywhere. I truly believe every person at one point or another has done or said something racist. That goes for all of us. The issue is something that we'll need to work on for the forseeable future. We need to have very public discussions about racism without being labeled one if your opinion deviates from a politically correct answer.
And before I get started, just a short historical note...the human race began on the African continent. Over millions of years people spread across the globe. Before you assume your a tad better than someone else, just remember where we all started. We have more in common than you can possibly imagine.
Over the past year, I have seen the "Black Lives Matter" movement grow. I have seen several police shootings shown on TV and culminating in the killing of the Dallas police officers last week. I hope we can all agree..first and foremost, violence is not the answer.
Here's a hot potato right off the bat...we need to focus on ALL lives matter. Regardless of being white, black, asian, or hispanic...we all matter. Some will state I do not get the point, that I am hindered by the color of my skin. If that is true...then you are as well. Points brought up include that African Americans are disproportionately poorer, more likely to be targeted by police and arrested, and more likely to attend poor or failing schools. All of these social indicators place one at greater risk for being either a victim or a perpetrator of violent crime Yes, I get that. We change the system! Enhancing BLM while not addressing all of us is not going to work. I still believe all lives matter.
The police. Many shootings of unarmed African Americans are WRONG, unjustified, and the officers or offenders must be proscecuted to the full extent of the law. Did the officer have a racial bias?..Do not care if he did or did not. He wrongly used excessive force, took a life and must pay for that.
Let's also note that many of these shootings are not black or white either. We may not have the evidence a jury or judge has. We may not have background on the situation or what was going through the officer's mind at the time. Let's be clear...some of these shootings were probably reasonable under the circumstances. Not all...but some.
Freddie Gray...Died in the back of a police van. Handcuffed. No seat-belt. I'll leave this to the judge and jury. What was the offense to begin with? Do they routinely have arrested individuals placed within a seat belt in those vans? I believe this was a mix of white and black officers on the scene. This one is not so clear to me.
Alton Sterling. Looks like a pretty clear case of excessive force. Pinned down and certainly unable to fire a weapon but shot nonetheless. This is awful news.
Philando Castile. Shot while in a car. Was licensed to carry a weapon. Officer says he told him to not reach for anything. He did. He was shot. I assume he was searching for his identification and not his gun. To me...at this point...pretty compelling case for excessive force.
Eric Garner. Chokehold by officers leading to death. Sickening to me. Totally unnecessary unless I missed the boat on this one. Excessive force personified. Hope the officers pay for this.
Sandra Bland. This one to me is a mess. Was she confrontational? Did she assault the officer? She did have high levels of weed in her blood but is that relevant? Was it a suicide? We will never know the answer to this one but I'll defer to the police without more information.
Trayvon Martin. Shot by George Zimmerman. This one is awful. Clearly in my opinion Mr. Zimmerman was looking for a confrontation and got one. He should be on death row for this.
Michael Brown. Shot by officer in Ferguson, MO. Since we have limited evidence but indications that Mr. Brown was inside the officers vehicle tusseling from the outside of the window when he was shot seem valid. All those that said he held up his hands were later found not credible. The US Dept. of Justice investigation collaborated the officer's story and no charges were brought. Still a sad case.
When a crime is committed by police, they must be held accountable. Also, those that engage in a criminal act must also be held accountable. In terms of police treatment...it should be 'treat others as you would have them treat you'. It should not be a colorized issued. I understand that might be a 'wish' I have and that everyone sees through glass colored lenses but we are all human. This recent bevy of shootings is sad. Sad for the victims and families of those shot.
Killing police is not the answer either.
Finally, I would like to take issue with some of Jesse Williams recent 2016 BET speech. While I understand his frustration, some of the comments he made I just did not agree with.
Mr. Williams states "a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do." Let's be honest here, there are as many poor and improverished white families who suffer with the current system. I understand the inner city issue is predominately African American but in fairness, many poor white communities are in the same condition. I believe he is trying to compare white surburbia to inner city life which is not a fair comparison. Is that more of a 'rich' vs. 'poor' consideration? Might we compare it to poor farming communities as well?
Mr. Williams goes on and says "Now, what we’ve been doing is looking at the data and we know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm and not kill white people everyday. So what’s going to happen is we are going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we will restructure their function and ours." Are you serious? Yes, recent published events center on white officers shooting black people but white officers are also shooting white people everyday. Are you really saying police 'don't kill white people?' Outside of the media frenzy, I believe the Washington Post reported that the data does support that whites are killed more often but as a percentage of the population, African Americans are. I just do not see his argument doing anything but inflaming the situation.
Then we have "Now… I got more y’all – yesterday would have been young Tamir Rice’s 14th birthday so I don’t want to hear anymore about how far we’ve come when paid public servants can pull a drive-by on 12 year old playing alone in the park in broad daylight, killing him on television and then going home to make a sandwich." While many shootings are un-justified...is one in which a child is brandishing what looks like a pistol...with the toy orange tip indicating its a toy...removed and playing with it in a public park worth bringing up? I may not have all the evidence but I doubt you do either.
Jesse then gets ready to close with "we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil – black gold, ghettoizing and demeaning our creations then stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit." What does this even mean? Culture. So if a white woman wears cornrows...it's offensive but if a black woman straightens her hair out then it's not? Cultural borrowing has been ongoing. Was Chuck Berry stealing when he started doing rock and roll music? Was Eminem stealing when he started doing rap? Demeaning your creations, discarding bodies like strange fruit. Damn. I would argue Mr. Williams only inflames the situation.
That's all I have for now.
First, let's admit there is racism and it is everywhere. I truly believe every person at one point or another has done or said something racist. That goes for all of us. The issue is something that we'll need to work on for the forseeable future. We need to have very public discussions about racism without being labeled one if your opinion deviates from a politically correct answer.
And before I get started, just a short historical note...the human race began on the African continent. Over millions of years people spread across the globe. Before you assume your a tad better than someone else, just remember where we all started. We have more in common than you can possibly imagine.
Over the past year, I have seen the "Black Lives Matter" movement grow. I have seen several police shootings shown on TV and culminating in the killing of the Dallas police officers last week. I hope we can all agree..first and foremost, violence is not the answer.
Here's a hot potato right off the bat...we need to focus on ALL lives matter. Regardless of being white, black, asian, or hispanic...we all matter. Some will state I do not get the point, that I am hindered by the color of my skin. If that is true...then you are as well. Points brought up include that African Americans are disproportionately poorer, more likely to be targeted by police and arrested, and more likely to attend poor or failing schools. All of these social indicators place one at greater risk for being either a victim or a perpetrator of violent crime Yes, I get that. We change the system! Enhancing BLM while not addressing all of us is not going to work. I still believe all lives matter.
The police. Many shootings of unarmed African Americans are WRONG, unjustified, and the officers or offenders must be proscecuted to the full extent of the law. Did the officer have a racial bias?..Do not care if he did or did not. He wrongly used excessive force, took a life and must pay for that.
Let's also note that many of these shootings are not black or white either. We may not have the evidence a jury or judge has. We may not have background on the situation or what was going through the officer's mind at the time. Let's be clear...some of these shootings were probably reasonable under the circumstances. Not all...but some.
Freddie Gray...Died in the back of a police van. Handcuffed. No seat-belt. I'll leave this to the judge and jury. What was the offense to begin with? Do they routinely have arrested individuals placed within a seat belt in those vans? I believe this was a mix of white and black officers on the scene. This one is not so clear to me.
Alton Sterling. Looks like a pretty clear case of excessive force. Pinned down and certainly unable to fire a weapon but shot nonetheless. This is awful news.
Philando Castile. Shot while in a car. Was licensed to carry a weapon. Officer says he told him to not reach for anything. He did. He was shot. I assume he was searching for his identification and not his gun. To me...at this point...pretty compelling case for excessive force.
Eric Garner. Chokehold by officers leading to death. Sickening to me. Totally unnecessary unless I missed the boat on this one. Excessive force personified. Hope the officers pay for this.
Sandra Bland. This one to me is a mess. Was she confrontational? Did she assault the officer? She did have high levels of weed in her blood but is that relevant? Was it a suicide? We will never know the answer to this one but I'll defer to the police without more information.
Trayvon Martin. Shot by George Zimmerman. This one is awful. Clearly in my opinion Mr. Zimmerman was looking for a confrontation and got one. He should be on death row for this.
Michael Brown. Shot by officer in Ferguson, MO. Since we have limited evidence but indications that Mr. Brown was inside the officers vehicle tusseling from the outside of the window when he was shot seem valid. All those that said he held up his hands were later found not credible. The US Dept. of Justice investigation collaborated the officer's story and no charges were brought. Still a sad case.
When a crime is committed by police, they must be held accountable. Also, those that engage in a criminal act must also be held accountable. In terms of police treatment...it should be 'treat others as you would have them treat you'. It should not be a colorized issued. I understand that might be a 'wish' I have and that everyone sees through glass colored lenses but we are all human. This recent bevy of shootings is sad. Sad for the victims and families of those shot.
Killing police is not the answer either.
Finally, I would like to take issue with some of Jesse Williams recent 2016 BET speech. While I understand his frustration, some of the comments he made I just did not agree with.
Mr. Williams states "a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do." Let's be honest here, there are as many poor and improverished white families who suffer with the current system. I understand the inner city issue is predominately African American but in fairness, many poor white communities are in the same condition. I believe he is trying to compare white surburbia to inner city life which is not a fair comparison. Is that more of a 'rich' vs. 'poor' consideration? Might we compare it to poor farming communities as well?
Mr. Williams goes on and says "Now, what we’ve been doing is looking at the data and we know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm and not kill white people everyday. So what’s going to happen is we are going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we will restructure their function and ours." Are you serious? Yes, recent published events center on white officers shooting black people but white officers are also shooting white people everyday. Are you really saying police 'don't kill white people?' Outside of the media frenzy, I believe the Washington Post reported that the data does support that whites are killed more often but as a percentage of the population, African Americans are. I just do not see his argument doing anything but inflaming the situation.
Then we have "Now… I got more y’all – yesterday would have been young Tamir Rice’s 14th birthday so I don’t want to hear anymore about how far we’ve come when paid public servants can pull a drive-by on 12 year old playing alone in the park in broad daylight, killing him on television and then going home to make a sandwich." While many shootings are un-justified...is one in which a child is brandishing what looks like a pistol...with the toy orange tip indicating its a toy...removed and playing with it in a public park worth bringing up? I may not have all the evidence but I doubt you do either.
Jesse then gets ready to close with "we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil – black gold, ghettoizing and demeaning our creations then stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit." What does this even mean? Culture. So if a white woman wears cornrows...it's offensive but if a black woman straightens her hair out then it's not? Cultural borrowing has been ongoing. Was Chuck Berry stealing when he started doing rock and roll music? Was Eminem stealing when he started doing rap? Demeaning your creations, discarding bodies like strange fruit. Damn. I would argue Mr. Williams only inflames the situation.
That's all I have for now.
Friday, July 8, 2016
2016 Police Shootings
I may take some backlash for this opinion but then that's what life is all about isn't it?
In terms of all the recent shootings by police of unarmed blacks...we can all agree that many of them clearly cross the line. The most recent two...Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana really do look like an over-extension of force. We'll need to wait until the facts are in to confirm that what we saw in the video was a fair representation of what occured. The sheer video evidence is compelling. For the sake of law enforcement, I hope they have additional evidence to show a threat existed before using deadly force.
Unless additional evidence is released, those officers guilty of excessive force should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The only way that all of us will trust the police is if they have a fair and methodical process in dealing with all of us...white, black, hispanic, etc.
Now to bring perspective to this...not all of these shootings are unjustified. Many of the victims did have guns or toys that looked like guns or acted in such a way as to threaten the life of an officer. Under those conditions, the shooting is justified. Of course, the courts will determine the viability of that defense in some cases but it is worth noting that not all shootings are unjustified.
That said, the targeting of police officers in Dallas, TX is wrong. This is tantamount to a mass murder spree. It is astounding. Those officers gave their lives helping others get out of the way. They did nothing wrong. Targeting police is not the answer.
For a little context: In 2015 Cops killed nearly twice as many whites as blacks. According to data compiled by The Washington Post. 50 percent of the victims of fatal police shootings were white, while 26 percent were black. More whites and Hispanics die from police homicides than blacks. According to MacDonald, 12 percent of white and Hispanic homicide deaths were due to police officers, while only four percent of black homicide deaths were the result of police officers.
That's not to say we do not have criminal cops on the streets but let's keep it in perspective.
In terms of all the recent shootings by police of unarmed blacks...we can all agree that many of them clearly cross the line. The most recent two...Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana really do look like an over-extension of force. We'll need to wait until the facts are in to confirm that what we saw in the video was a fair representation of what occured. The sheer video evidence is compelling. For the sake of law enforcement, I hope they have additional evidence to show a threat existed before using deadly force.
Unless additional evidence is released, those officers guilty of excessive force should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The only way that all of us will trust the police is if they have a fair and methodical process in dealing with all of us...white, black, hispanic, etc.
Now to bring perspective to this...not all of these shootings are unjustified. Many of the victims did have guns or toys that looked like guns or acted in such a way as to threaten the life of an officer. Under those conditions, the shooting is justified. Of course, the courts will determine the viability of that defense in some cases but it is worth noting that not all shootings are unjustified.
That said, the targeting of police officers in Dallas, TX is wrong. This is tantamount to a mass murder spree. It is astounding. Those officers gave their lives helping others get out of the way. They did nothing wrong. Targeting police is not the answer.
For a little context: In 2015 Cops killed nearly twice as many whites as blacks. According to data compiled by The Washington Post. 50 percent of the victims of fatal police shootings were white, while 26 percent were black. More whites and Hispanics die from police homicides than blacks. According to MacDonald, 12 percent of white and Hispanic homicide deaths were due to police officers, while only four percent of black homicide deaths were the result of police officers.
That's not to say we do not have criminal cops on the streets but let's keep it in perspective.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Thoughts on guns, gun ownership, and gun control.
Thoughts on guns, gun ownership, and gun control:
I am a proud gun owner. I respect the law. I have a certified license to carry. I shoot monthly to keep the basic skill set up to date. I support the 2nd Amendment.
A few thoughts...
1. We do not need access to guns such as the AR-15. Those could be placed in a military only designation. They are not for hunting. Sure, I have shot one at our range and it was fun to shoot but for the greater good, I can give that up. It would not hurt the gun manufacturers that much. They can still sell handguns and shotguns. For those that want to disagree with me on the need for an AR...I understand the view that you want to shoot and hold within the law anything you like. At some point, some individual freedoms may need to be constrained a little for the greater good.
2. Background checks. I as a gun owner am very happy to wait two weeks or even a month for a thorough background check. They can interview me, have me take a test, check my record, etc. Why is it three days? Why is it sometimes no wait at all? I would have zero problem with a more detailed check. None Whatsoever.
3. For those against gun ownership, I understand but please note that you would not have a United States without them. A basic history lesson. When the British came over with their guns and ammunition...General Washington's army was made up of farmers, businessmen, children, etc. They were not soldiers. Only the fact that every farmer had a gun in order to help wage the war led to our victory. We are as tied to guns and we are to freedom itself.
4. I am still a believer that the individual who uses the weapon is the guilty party. If you use a knife to kill one person or a car to run into a parade of people, you are a killer. Yes, I agree on the ban on assault rifles but their are also other ways of killing masses of people. Just ask Timothy McVeigh on the use of fertilizer. Oh, that's right, he's dead for what he did. We may not be able to stop the lone wolf killer hell bent on mass destruction. We can limit his access to guns which make it easier but make no mistake...stopping the lone wolf isn't going to be as easy as making harsher gun laws.
That's about all I have to say. On with the beautiful day outside...
I am a proud gun owner. I respect the law. I have a certified license to carry. I shoot monthly to keep the basic skill set up to date. I support the 2nd Amendment.
A few thoughts...
1. We do not need access to guns such as the AR-15. Those could be placed in a military only designation. They are not for hunting. Sure, I have shot one at our range and it was fun to shoot but for the greater good, I can give that up. It would not hurt the gun manufacturers that much. They can still sell handguns and shotguns. For those that want to disagree with me on the need for an AR...I understand the view that you want to shoot and hold within the law anything you like. At some point, some individual freedoms may need to be constrained a little for the greater good.
2. Background checks. I as a gun owner am very happy to wait two weeks or even a month for a thorough background check. They can interview me, have me take a test, check my record, etc. Why is it three days? Why is it sometimes no wait at all? I would have zero problem with a more detailed check. None Whatsoever.
3. For those against gun ownership, I understand but please note that you would not have a United States without them. A basic history lesson. When the British came over with their guns and ammunition...General Washington's army was made up of farmers, businessmen, children, etc. They were not soldiers. Only the fact that every farmer had a gun in order to help wage the war led to our victory. We are as tied to guns and we are to freedom itself.
4. I am still a believer that the individual who uses the weapon is the guilty party. If you use a knife to kill one person or a car to run into a parade of people, you are a killer. Yes, I agree on the ban on assault rifles but their are also other ways of killing masses of people. Just ask Timothy McVeigh on the use of fertilizer. Oh, that's right, he's dead for what he did. We may not be able to stop the lone wolf killer hell bent on mass destruction. We can limit his access to guns which make it easier but make no mistake...stopping the lone wolf isn't going to be as easy as making harsher gun laws.
That's about all I have to say. On with the beautiful day outside...
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Lance Armstrong...Are You An Idiot?
Lance Armstrong...Are you an idiot? YES. More than that...your an ASS. Let me begin my diatribe on dear old Sir Lance-of-Assdom.
First, let me say that over the years I saw two camps...those that loved Lance for what he did and stood for. The helping of cancer patients through Livestrong, the strong leader, the competitive spirit, the winner, the All American, the hero, and owner of the Tour-de-France. The other camp saw him as a doper. Faking his way to the top of the pyramid. Always suspecting, never trusting his accomplishments, hoping he was going to fall someday. Everything was put under a microscope. The naysayers eventually got their wish.
Lance fell. Fell hard.
As we know with all stories, America loves a winner...America loves to see them fall...and America loves to see the comeback as they get a second chance. Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods, etc. are all examples of this in action. America is the story of second chances. Trust me, this was not lost on Lance. He knows it and in fact, he's counting on it.
Of course, the not-so-secret meeting with the head of USADA to work out a deal so he could continue to race competitively fell through since they had Lance in their sights for awhile now. They are holding him accountable to the gold standard which he created for himself and sold to the public. As the USADA's evidence poured out in over 1,000 pages of evidence collected over the years. It was a gusher and the wave was headed right toward Lance and hit him hard.
Over the past few months as the sponsors left, the friends disappeared into the woodwork, money began to dry up, a whistle-blower lawsuit against him from Floyd Landis moved forward, and now the government is going to join Floyd's case in hopes of nailing him for millions of dollars he pocketed over the years as part of the USPS Racing Team. Just wait for the civil suits for slander and defamation come next.
I always keep asking myself..."Why, Lance, Why?"
Lance will state that he did it to stay competitive. That the other athletes were all doing it and he'd never make the top echelon of cycling without it. He did not want to do it. He had to do it. The lies were done to protect those who looked up to him at the Livestrong Foundation, the cancer patients, everyone.
Why do I think Lance is an idiot? Why is he an ass? It's the way he went about it. I honestly can buy the whole everyone did it part. He got caught. He wants forgiveness. He wants a second chance to move forward. I get it. The problem is his narcissistic attitude about him being the center of the universe and being greater than just about everyone else...he thought he lived above the fray...that he could do anything he wanted...he could tear down and blame those around him. The fact that he attacked those that spoke out so viciously...threatening suits, etc. is the problem. He humiliated teammates, spouses, etc. in freaking public while he was guilty of the same damn thing. Wrecking others lives is not acceptable in anyway so Lance wins my 'Ass of the Year' award. He tore down others to build himself up.
If Lance deserved a second chance...which he doesn't...here's what he should have done during those years:
*When speaking in public...remember the golden rule..."If you have nothing good to say, don't say it." In terms of responses, he could have said something like this..."I cannot speak for Floyd Landis, I cannot comment on why he accuses me. He should focus on what he wants to say about what he did or did not do. If you want a comment on his actions...ask him." What did Lance do? He called him out, called him a liar, a cheat, tried to destroy what little reputation he had left, threatened him with a suit, and basically tried to maul him in public. Now let's be clear here, Floyd ain't no saint. He should have shut the hell up about Lance and never mention him either. Floyd is an idiot as well. Floyd decided that when he was attacked, Lance should fall on the sword with him. Lance declined. Such is a lover's spat.
*Do not threaten anyone with physical or legal punishment.
*Do not play holier than thou. It's ugly when people find out your human after all.
The Oprah interview is his first shot at redeeming himself. It will be interesting to watch. What did his publicists tell him to say? Was he told to cry at certain points? Tear up? How is he ever going to make this up to the peoples lives he personally destroyed in a vindictive manner? How much money is he going to be sued for? How does re-build the brand that is Lance Armstrong? Based on his past behavior, I hope he doesn't.
First, let me say that over the years I saw two camps...those that loved Lance for what he did and stood for. The helping of cancer patients through Livestrong, the strong leader, the competitive spirit, the winner, the All American, the hero, and owner of the Tour-de-France. The other camp saw him as a doper. Faking his way to the top of the pyramid. Always suspecting, never trusting his accomplishments, hoping he was going to fall someday. Everything was put under a microscope. The naysayers eventually got their wish.
Lance fell. Fell hard.
As we know with all stories, America loves a winner...America loves to see them fall...and America loves to see the comeback as they get a second chance. Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods, etc. are all examples of this in action. America is the story of second chances. Trust me, this was not lost on Lance. He knows it and in fact, he's counting on it.
Of course, the not-so-secret meeting with the head of USADA to work out a deal so he could continue to race competitively fell through since they had Lance in their sights for awhile now. They are holding him accountable to the gold standard which he created for himself and sold to the public. As the USADA's evidence poured out in over 1,000 pages of evidence collected over the years. It was a gusher and the wave was headed right toward Lance and hit him hard.
Over the past few months as the sponsors left, the friends disappeared into the woodwork, money began to dry up, a whistle-blower lawsuit against him from Floyd Landis moved forward, and now the government is going to join Floyd's case in hopes of nailing him for millions of dollars he pocketed over the years as part of the USPS Racing Team. Just wait for the civil suits for slander and defamation come next.
I always keep asking myself..."Why, Lance, Why?"
Lance will state that he did it to stay competitive. That the other athletes were all doing it and he'd never make the top echelon of cycling without it. He did not want to do it. He had to do it. The lies were done to protect those who looked up to him at the Livestrong Foundation, the cancer patients, everyone.
Why do I think Lance is an idiot? Why is he an ass? It's the way he went about it. I honestly can buy the whole everyone did it part. He got caught. He wants forgiveness. He wants a second chance to move forward. I get it. The problem is his narcissistic attitude about him being the center of the universe and being greater than just about everyone else...he thought he lived above the fray...that he could do anything he wanted...he could tear down and blame those around him. The fact that he attacked those that spoke out so viciously...threatening suits, etc. is the problem. He humiliated teammates, spouses, etc. in freaking public while he was guilty of the same damn thing. Wrecking others lives is not acceptable in anyway so Lance wins my 'Ass of the Year' award. He tore down others to build himself up.
If Lance deserved a second chance...which he doesn't...here's what he should have done during those years:
*When speaking in public...remember the golden rule..."If you have nothing good to say, don't say it." In terms of responses, he could have said something like this..."I cannot speak for Floyd Landis, I cannot comment on why he accuses me. He should focus on what he wants to say about what he did or did not do. If you want a comment on his actions...ask him." What did Lance do? He called him out, called him a liar, a cheat, tried to destroy what little reputation he had left, threatened him with a suit, and basically tried to maul him in public. Now let's be clear here, Floyd ain't no saint. He should have shut the hell up about Lance and never mention him either. Floyd is an idiot as well. Floyd decided that when he was attacked, Lance should fall on the sword with him. Lance declined. Such is a lover's spat.
*Do not threaten anyone with physical or legal punishment.
*Do not play holier than thou. It's ugly when people find out your human after all.
The Oprah interview is his first shot at redeeming himself. It will be interesting to watch. What did his publicists tell him to say? Was he told to cry at certain points? Tear up? How is he ever going to make this up to the peoples lives he personally destroyed in a vindictive manner? How much money is he going to be sued for? How does re-build the brand that is Lance Armstrong? Based on his past behavior, I hope he doesn't.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Randy Macho Man Savage Dies In Car Accident At 58!
God bless the WWF. The greatest reality series of the 1980's. Randy Macho Man Savage died today in a car wreck near Tampa. I remember him in the 80's and his crazy 'ooohhhh yeahhhhh' days. All the old stars of the WWF like...Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Jake The Snake Roberts, The Ultimate Warrior, Ravishing Rick Rude, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ric Flair, The Iron Sheik, Rowdy Roddy Piper, The Legion of Doom, Brother Love, The Undertaker, Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, The manager...The Lovely Elizabeth!, Hitman, Mr. Perfect, Irwin R. Schyster, Mankind, Papa Shango, Koko B. Ware, and Vince McMahon himself in living color. I'll never forget those darn cage matches. Damn, those were entertaining days and I cannot even remember all of them. RIP Randy Macho Man Savage...Ohhh yeahhhh baby. Now you can kick some ass with The Lovely Miss Elizabeth!!!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Working Out...A Diary...Day 1
We'll I've decided to begin working out. The good old Dr. told me to lose a few. Ok, more than a few. Stop it. Maybe she told me to drop a whole lot. Fuzzy memory on that one.
Anyway, I decided to make a concerted effort to working out. During college (many moons ago) I did aerobics for a couple of years. After college, I did them for at least another 10+. Then the kids came and the aerobics slowed down to a couple of times a week, on/off, for the past five years...until...now it's barely at all. It just seems so easy to come up with an excuse not to do it. Walking the dog is good enough, a late afternoon bike ride with the kids, etc.
Clearly, that isn't enough. I do not need to end up looking like Tarzan but a slight improvement would be better than nothing wouldn't it? So on my way home...about a half-mile from the house, I see a small strip mall with a 'Anytime Fitness' operation that just opened. I went in to look around and the owners were very nice, easy going. Seems it's month-to-month, $30/mth., quit with 30 days notice, open 24/7 and close enough to the house so it's not too far out of the way.
I was given the complimentary free week of course for trial...just to see if it worked for my schedule. So last night, I put on the tennis shoes and headed over to begin my start on 'the new me'. I can only realistically fit in one hour maybe 3-4 times a week but we'll see.
I did one mile on the treadmill at a 1.5 incline at 3.0mph. I did one mile on the stationary bike. I lifted a few weights and then headed over to the torture machines. Yes, the abductor -- the curler -- the leg lifter -- the shoulder press -- the bench press -- and a host of others. Figured I would do about two sets of ten on each. Other than bones creaking and silent screams...I made it through most of them. Yes, a tad sore as well.
Since the establishment is new, there were only about five people in the place. I'm standing over in the free weights area and curling these ten pound dumb bells. One...two...three...four...counting the repetitions...five...six...and so on. Some dude walks over nearby and he's like huffing and puffing these 100 pound versions. I'm like WTF. Coming over to show me up? What the hell is that all about? Then he hits the floor mat doing one armed push-ups. Huff. Puff. More huff. More puff. Then he gets this thing that looks like half of a large ball...but flat on one side. Then he does more one armed push-ups on it showing his balance. WTF is that all about? I still want to kick his ass for that s*it. He's a creeper.
Anyway...I finished up my first hour. The results were immediate. Six pack abs. Power. Yoda came to me in a dream and said 'Young Jedi...Do or do not, there is no try'. Then I woke up screaming asking for Frosted Flakes.
More to report on soon...
Anyway, I decided to make a concerted effort to working out. During college (many moons ago) I did aerobics for a couple of years. After college, I did them for at least another 10+. Then the kids came and the aerobics slowed down to a couple of times a week, on/off, for the past five years...until...now it's barely at all. It just seems so easy to come up with an excuse not to do it. Walking the dog is good enough, a late afternoon bike ride with the kids, etc.
Clearly, that isn't enough. I do not need to end up looking like Tarzan but a slight improvement would be better than nothing wouldn't it? So on my way home...about a half-mile from the house, I see a small strip mall with a 'Anytime Fitness' operation that just opened. I went in to look around and the owners were very nice, easy going. Seems it's month-to-month, $30/mth., quit with 30 days notice, open 24/7 and close enough to the house so it's not too far out of the way.
I was given the complimentary free week of course for trial...just to see if it worked for my schedule. So last night, I put on the tennis shoes and headed over to begin my start on 'the new me'. I can only realistically fit in one hour maybe 3-4 times a week but we'll see.
I did one mile on the treadmill at a 1.5 incline at 3.0mph. I did one mile on the stationary bike. I lifted a few weights and then headed over to the torture machines. Yes, the abductor -- the curler -- the leg lifter -- the shoulder press -- the bench press -- and a host of others. Figured I would do about two sets of ten on each. Other than bones creaking and silent screams...I made it through most of them. Yes, a tad sore as well.
Since the establishment is new, there were only about five people in the place. I'm standing over in the free weights area and curling these ten pound dumb bells. One...two...three...four...counting the repetitions...five...six...and so on. Some dude walks over nearby and he's like huffing and puffing these 100 pound versions. I'm like WTF. Coming over to show me up? What the hell is that all about? Then he hits the floor mat doing one armed push-ups. Huff. Puff. More huff. More puff. Then he gets this thing that looks like half of a large ball...but flat on one side. Then he does more one armed push-ups on it showing his balance. WTF is that all about? I still want to kick his ass for that s*it. He's a creeper.
Anyway...I finished up my first hour. The results were immediate. Six pack abs. Power. Yoda came to me in a dream and said 'Young Jedi...Do or do not, there is no try'. Then I woke up screaming asking for Frosted Flakes.
More to report on soon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
