Your World According To Dr. Castro: February 2009

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Lance Armstrong Meets Mexican President
Felipe Calderon Hinojosa

I want to express in this post my excitement of knowing that Lance Armstrong is already in Mexico meeting the Mexican President, Felipe Calderon.
Lance Armstrong just does not know how to make anything wrong. Everything he does is perfect...well, at least for me. With his presence in Mexico he will be promoting the most beautiful sport ever existed in the world [cycling], he will be supporting la Vuelta Mexico Telmex and all the professional cyclists, he will be supporting his own cycling team, Trek-LIVESTRONG but the most important thing is that he will be raising awareness about cancer.

I just love this guy, I really do, very very much. He [Lance Armsrtong] is not only strong and healthy and kind and popular and smart, but he's also a beautiful human being.

The Mexican newspaper "El Universal" just reported today the following:
(I translated it into English since the article was originally reported in Spanish)

"American cyclist Lance Armstrong met the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, and told him how happy he was visiting Mexico and that he was very grateful for the hospitality that the Mexican people showed him."

"Armstrong said that for him it is an honor to be in Mexico, a country that he has very nice memories from because when he was 7 years old he participated in a triathlon event there.
He also remembered that in 1994 he participated in the Vuelta Mexico and raced in the same cycling team as Raul Alcala, a famous Mexican cyclist."

"I have come to Mexico as a turist and as an athlete and I feel very happy to be here. It brings nice memories" ~ said Lance Armstrong.

President Calderon said that: "To be a good cyclist, like Lance Armstrong, one needs to have good legs and excelent physical condition. But most of all, one needs to have a robust and strong will and mind to continue pedaling for hours and hours, and to climb very steep hills and mountains so the cyclist never gives up and never declares defeat."

Friday, February 27, 2009

Lance Armstrong Will Be In Oaxaca, Mexico

Well, well, well, this year is just getting better and better for me. My wonderful Lance Armstrong will be in Oaxaca, Mexico at la Vuelta Mexico Telmex. He won't be riding though, he will be like the race honorary godfather of the Mexican cycling tour and will be giving the starting signal for the racers.
Lance Armstrong will be bringing his new cycling team Trek LIVESTRONG which is under the directive of Axel Merckx, son of Eddie Merckx, another cycling hero. This team was recently put together by Lance Armstrong and will be competing against other great Mexican and foreign cylcing teams that are coming from all over the world. Just to mention a few: OUCH presented by Maxxis (Floyd Landis will be racing in Mexico), Equipo Serramenti Diquigiovann (with Alberto Simoni), Rock Racing Team (with Tyler Hamilton!), Seleccion Mexicana Cycling Team (with Antonio Aldape -GO ALDAPE...GO!)

Mexico's citizens and Mexican amateur cyclists are extremely happy and excited knowing that Lance Armstrong is going to be there. All the Mexican newspapers, including El Universal, el ESTO, la Prensa Latina, Tribuna de San Luis, ESPN, Tiempo en Linea, El Excelsior, El Digital, and many others are reporting with great enthusiasm this cycling event.

One thing is for sure. The presence of Lance Armstrong in Mexico is going to bring lots of positive attention to this beautiful sport of cycling and we -cyclists- will probably get a bit more respect from the motorists, the Goverment and the public in general.

Read this: Lance Armstrong will meet Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, and they will probably be pedaling few kilometers together. The Vuelta Mexico Telmex is set to start this Sunday, February 1st.

Keep in touch!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Hate Groups Growing In America

By now most of my readers and followers know that I oppose 100% any kind of hate, cruelty and abuse against any human being or animals. But unfortunately there are hundreds of thousands of people that just don't get it. They thrive on hate and feed on cruelty.
These people are around us and are spreading their venom all over and are infecting the minds and the souls of others, including our children and teenagers. That is why it's very important that we stand strong against their hate and their abuse.
We need to start by being well informed about their whereabouts and their vile actions so we can protect ourselves and our loved ones, and maybe one day we can eradicate this hate that consumes our lives if we just continue to educate the people in our communities about how to live a life of prosperity in peace.

926 Hate Groups In America

The number of hate groups rose again in 2008 - fueled by immigration fears, a failing economy. Since 2000, these racist extremist organizations - neo-Nazis, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, skinheads and others - have grown in number by 54%, according to the SPLC's latest count.

Extremists are also exploiting the economic crisis, spreading propaganda that blames minorities and immigrants for the subprime mortgage meltdown. Tough economic times historically provide fertile ground for extremist movements. The hate groups listed in this issue include neo-Nazis, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, racist skinheads, Klansmen and black separatists.

Other groups target gays or immigrants, and some specialize in producing racist music or propaganda denying the Holocaust.

You can read more about this article here.

The state that has the most amount of well organized hate groups in the US (hate is not exclusive of one country, unfortunately there's hate all over the world) is California, with 84 of them. Followed by Texas with 66, Florida with 56. The states that have the least amount are Maine, New Mexico and North Dakota with 1 hate group each.

This is the hate groups list in the state of California. You can find out about the hate groups in other states by viewing this state by state map.


American National Socialist Workers Party	Neo-Nazi		CA
American Renaissance/New Century Foundation	White Nationalist		CA
American Thule Society	Neo-Nazi		CA
Aryan Nations Youth Action Corps	Neo-Nazi		CA
Council of Conservative Citizens	White Nationalist		CA
Golden State Skinheads	Racist Skinhead		CA
Golden State Skinheads	Racist Skinhead		CA
Jewish Defense League	General Hate		CA
Knights of the Nordic Order	Neo-Nazi		CA
National Socialist Movement	Neo-Nazi		CA
New Black Panther Party	Black Separatist		CA
San Fernando Valley Skins	Racist Skinhead		CA
United Southern Brotherhood	Ku Klux Klan		CA
White Revolution	Neo-Nazi		CA
Traditional Values Coalition	Anti-Gay	Anaheim	CA
Aryan Militia	Neo-Nazi	Bakersfield	CA
Coors Family Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Big Bear Lake	CA
Camarillo Storm Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Camarillo	CA
Tony Alamo Christian Ministries	General Hate	Canyon Country	CA
Aryan Nations	Neo-Nazi	Chino	CA
Nation of Islam	Black Separatist	Compton	CA
Volksfront	Racist Skinhead	Concord	CA
Brotherhood of Klans Knights of the Ku Klux Klan	Ku Klux Klan	Crescent City	CA
Aryan Nations (offshoot)	Neo-Nazi	Dulzura	CA
California Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Fresno	CA
National Socialist Movement - NSM	Neo-Nazi	Fresno	CA
National Socialist Movement - NSM	Neo-Nazi	Glendale	CA
California Coalition for Immigration Reform	Anti-Immigrant	Huntington Beach	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Lakeside	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Lancaster	CA
Jewish Defense League	General Hate	Los Angeles	CA
Nation of Islam	Black Separatist	Los Angeles	CA
Tradition in Action	Radical Traditionalist Catholic	Los Angeles	CA
Volksfront	Racist Skinhead	Los Angeles	CA
Odium Books	General Hate	Montecito	CA
Institute for Historical Review	Holocaust Denial	Newport Beach	CA
Noontide Press	Holocaust Denial	Newport Beach	CA
Chick Publications	General Hate	Ontario	CA
Blood and Honour	Racist Skinhead	Orange County	CA
Orange County Skins	Racist Skinhead	Orange County	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Orange County	CA
OMNI Christian Book Club	Radical Traditionalist Catholic	Palmdale	CA
Skinheads of the Rahowa	Racist Skinhead	Porterville	CA
Nation of Islam	Black Separatist	Rialto	CA
Nation of Islam	Black Separatist	Richmond	CA
Inland Empire Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Riverside	CA
National Socialist Movement	Neo-Nazi	Riverside	CA
Western Hammerskins	Racist Skinhead	Riverside	CA
American Front	Racist Skinhead	Sacramento	CA
European Americans United	White Nationalist	Sacramento	CA
Jewish Defense League	General Hate	Sacramento	CA
National Alliance	Neo-Nazi	Sacramento	CA
National Socialist Movement - NSM	Neo-Nazi	Sacramento	CA
Sacramaniacs	Racist Skinhead	Sacramento	CA
Sacto Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Sacramento	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	Sacramento	CA
Berdoo Skinhead Family	Racist Skinhead	San Bernardino	CA
Save Our State	Anti-Immigrant	San Bernardino	CA
WAR Skins	Racist Skinhead	San Bernardino	CA
Western Hammerskins	Racist Skinhead	San Bernardino	CA
European American Issues Forum	White Nationalist	San Bruno	CA
Nation of Islam	Black Separatist	San Diego	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	San Diego	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	San Diego	CA
United Society of Aryan Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	San Diego	CA
American Renaissance/New Century Foundation	White Nationalist	San Francisco	CA
Bay Area Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	San Francisco	CA
Council of Conservative Citizens	White Nationalist	San Francisco	CA
Nor Cal San Jose Skins	Racist Skinhead	San Jose	CA
Brotherhood of Klans Knights of the Ku Klux Klan	Ku Klux Klan	San Luis Obispo	CA
Golden State Skinheads	Racist Skinhead	San Luis Obispo	CA
National Socialist Skinhead Front	Racist Skinhead	San Luis Obispo	CA
Brotherhood of Klans Knights of the Ku Klux Klan	Ku Klux Klan	Santa Ana	CA
League of the South	Neo-Confederate	Scotts Valley	CA
American Patrol/Voice of Citizens Together	Anti-Immigrant	Sherman Oaks	CA
Brotherhood of Klans Knights of the Ku Klux Klan	Ku Klux Klan	Soledad	CA
Volksfront	Racist Skinhead	Sunset Beach	CA
United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan	Ku Klux Klan	Susanville	CA
Abiding Truth Ministries	Anti-Gay	Temecula	CA
United Realms of America Knights of the Ku Klux Klan	Ku Klux Klan	Ukiah	CA
Chalcedon Foundation	Anti-Gay	Vallecito	CA
White Devil Industries	Racist Music	Ventura	CA
Voz de Aztlan	General Hate	Whittier	CA
Hardcore Skins	Racist Skinhead	Yuba County	CA

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Cervélo Test Team Awesome Cycling Video

Richard is a cyclist, artist and blogger who owns the Cycling Art Blog. He recently made a post about how awesome and inspirational the Cervélo Test Team is. And I agree with him. I invite you to enjoy this video, relax a little and get energized for your next bike ride.

These cycling ladies are superb!

"The Cervélo Test Team, featuring defending Tour de France titlist Carlos Sastre and 2005 Green Jersey winner Thor Hushovd, was created to combine the very best, most technical, and most innovative companies in every market segment. Naturally, that meant clothing from Castelli.

Clothing for us is not decorative, it is equipment. And we are constantly developing the most technologically advanced solutions to make cyclists faster, lighter, more aerodynamic, and more comfortable." ~Castellicycling

Monday, February 23, 2009

I Saw My Hero Lance Armstrong At The
AMGEN Tour Of California

The experience that I had yesterday is going to stay in my heart and in my life for the rest of my life.
Lance Armstrong is not only my hero but someone who has inspire me to be a better cyclist and a better human being. But I had never seen him so close, and yesterday I did. And he looks so good, he looks so young, handsome and healthy. I always thought that he looked good in the pictures in the magazines, but oh man oh man, the pictures don't really favor him. In real life his face looks like a baby's, he looks so young and handsome, he is kind and smiles a lot. And as he went by on his bike right before to sign in and 2 minutes before the final stage 8 of the Tour of California started, he LOOKED AT ME AND SAID HI!
The only bad thing about this is that my hands got frozen and I couldn't take a perfect picture of him at that moment. But I got what I could -this picture from his left profile- some more pictures and some videos too that I am dying to share with all of you.

Lance Armstrong is more than a hero to me. He is so real and so perfect. He is my daily inspiration and nobody can destroy the love and admiration that I have for him. Seeing Lance Armstrong in person yesterday pedaling his bike and about a meter away from me was one of the most amazing experiences I have had in my life.

Lance didn't go to this tour to win. He went to help Levi to get his 3rd win at the tour and to act as a great domestique. And Lance did. Lance accomplished his goal and showed us that he is good at everything he does. Lance Armstrong is just...good, excelent, amazing at everything he does. He was a down to earth cycling teammate and performed very very well. Come on, Lance finished in 7th place overall in the general classification after 3 and a half years of retirement, folks! THAT is an excellent accomplishment!

Go Lance, go and continue living your life because by doing so you give millions of people in this world HOPE to kill cancer, in fact, you give HOPE to kill any fatal disease, and you give me HOPE and encourage me to be a better human being and a better amateur cyclist.

I love you with all my heart, Lance. Thank you for existing. Please take care of yourself because millions of people need you here on earth for long long time.

NOTE: I will be uploading more pictures and videos that I took yesterday later in the week. Right now I'm going out for my 3 hour bike ride and I'm wearing my new King of the Mountain red jersey that I bought yesterday at a tent at the AMGEN Tour of California. By the way, the jersey is made by Hincapie Sportswear. It is fantastic and great quality!