Tour de Farce?

Good Afternoon,

"Say it ain't so Floyd, say it ain't so!", oh the oft used "say it ain't so" line used at a time when a hero of sorts has fallen from grace, but could it be true that 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has failed an after race drug test? Yes folks, I'm sorry to say that's the latest news.

I was watching a news story on MSNBC about the latest developments, and one so-called sports expert said "once again this gives a black-eye to the sport of bicycle racing", I don't think that is the case, I believe that once again this gives a black-eye to our nation's participation in the sport of bicycle racing. Over the past few years, we've heard rumors of Lance Armstrong taking part in performance enhancing blood doping to gain a competitive advantage during his races, though nothing was ever proven about Lance, and the matter was widely regarded as "sour-grapes" by the losing teams and French organizers of the world's most celebrated bicycle race. I'd like to believe it's not true about Lance, just as I'd like to believe it's not true about Floyd, though time will eventually tell the truth about both men. Will they be vindicated or goats at the end of the day? I'm sure we'll all soon see.

On the matter of blood doping in sports, wouldn't we all think that Floyd would know his win would be the subject of the utmost scrutiny following his win? With all of the talk about steroids and other performance enhancers being used in sports, wouldn't we all also think that those who used them would stop? For the most part that is true. For an example, consider the incredible shrinking people of Major League Baseball, where they once were giants, I have a feeling there were alot of orders for smaller uniform sizes in the months when the controversy was hitting it's peak. Latest word on that issue has Barry Bond's trainer once again looking at jail time for not cooperating with a perjury investigation that could put the home run king in the slammer. If it comes down to the trainer "doin' the time" for Barry's steroid use, will there be some sort of compensation? Sure, all of this is rumor gained from internet talk sites, but is there something to it? Only time will tell about this as well.

In closing, I say that I'm trying to feel sorry for the Mennonite parents of Floyd Landis, though their circa 1812 appearance, smiles, and demeanor seem to have changed a bit in the light of reporter scrutiny, I hate to say it, but this seems like a kind of tough "Welcome to 2006" for them.

What do you think of this matter? Is it news or not? Is it surprising or not? Oddly enough, when I heard the news I wasn't so surprised, and I don't know if that is just a sign of the times or just a really sad sidenote about our nation's place in true international competition. Something needs to be done, and anyone who would wear our country's colors or compete in our country's name, should consider the greater good, and honor of their opportunity to represent us all. If they don't, they not only disgrace themself, but our country in the eyes of the world as well.

All about the money?

Good afternoon,

By now we've all heard about the president's first use of his veto power to squash a federal funding bill for stem cell research, but why now? Surely it's pandering to a percentage of the political base, but do they know it's also true his veto of the bill does nothing at all to stop stem cell research? Yep, the research goes on, only this time funding will be turned over to private entities, making any advancements privately owned, along with any cures to diseases that might be found. What if funding for some aspect of stem cell research comes from a pharmaceutical company who eventually finds a cure for a disease, but that company also makes alot of money from a drug they currently have on the market? Their drug allows a person to live longer with the disease, they spent money on it's development and marketing, will they feel the need to go forward with the cure they found, and if so, will we be able to afford it? On the issue of health care, it always comes down to the money.... our money spent for a loved one or ourselves, at some of our most desperate moments.

Since this move comes during a Congressional election year, will this be enough to keep the conervative base satisfied? Will they show their approval with votes? By now, the story has already come and gone from the evening news, again without a contrary view supplied by the Democrats. Where is the voice for the Democratic base to unify behind? Up to now, there has only been uncomforable silence on many key issues.