Your World According To Dr. Castro: January 2010

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Taxes On Sport Drinks

I decided to BUMP this article I wrote back on May 15, 2009 due to several readers of my blog requesting me to re-post it. They want to add some new comments and get some new feedback from new members of this blog.
Upon request, here it is.

This is ridiculous. US Senate leaders want to put new federal taxes on soda and other sugary drinks that would go to pay for an overhaul of the national health-care system that President Obama wants to implement.

"While many factors promote weight gain, soft drinks are the only food or beverage that has been shown to increase the risk of overweight and obesity, which, in turn, increase the risk of diabetes, stroke, and many other health problems," Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is pushing the idea, said in his testimony. "Soft drinks are nutritionally worthless…[and] are directly related to weight gain, partly because beverages are more conducive to weight gain than solid foods."

I am an extremely healthy person, well fit, an athlete who likes to drink a sport drink before my daily training because it gives me some energy, especially because I wake up at 4:00 am so I can go out to the streets to road bike at 5:15 am to avoid crazy drivers. So yes, I need my Red Bull or my Monster to wake up and get some good energy at the start.
And since I bike ride for about 2:30 to 3:00 hrs average everyday (weekends even more) I definitely want Gatorade to replenish the potassium, sodium and glucose.

Why in the freaking world these stoopid people want to hurt my wallet and millions of other athletes's wallets as well? Why, why, why? They don't think properly, that is the problem. They have terrible financial chaos in the country. They didn't know how to manage Medicare and now they pretend to know how to implement universal or national health-care? For goodness sake, are they serious?

I find this to be simply pathetic. Putting higher taxes on Gatorade, FRS (the one that Lance Armstrong promotes), Red Bull, and other sport, energy drinks or sodas won't teach people to be healthy.

That is not how they [politicians] educate people. That is how they empty the wallet of the people!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Inspirational Cycling Video What is Your Dream

It's Friday, day for a "Thank God it's Friday Video".
Today it -video- is a cycling video, inspirational and motivational for cyclists who want to get ready for the early Saturday bike ride train.
I decided to choose this fantastic inspirational cycling video because it expresses part of my feelings about the most wonderful sport in the whole world -and probably the entire universe-, cycling.
We all have dreams in life. Dreams and goals keep us alive, once we stop dreaming and pushing, the end begins to unfold, and cycling is the one passion that keeps me going and lifts my spirit.
I have discovered that many thousands of fanatic cyclists feel exactly the same way. That is why I picked this great video as my favorite of this week. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Marc Faber the US Economy is a Disaster

After listening to President Barack Obama speech last night, I am convinced that there is not intelligent leadership in the US. I couldn't believe that Mrs. Pelosi, Mr. Biden and President Obama were laughing and taking things lightly. They were actually giggling 'til it hurt ("giggle until it hurts" is part of the Eddie Cantor song, song of the 1931 depression). They were acting like they really did something to 'get us out' of the financial disaster the banksters -Washington bosses- got us all into.
First of all, there hasn't been any recovery. We are facing another financial depression just like the one in 1929, the difference now it's that it's going to be much worse because it's going to be global, the whole world is heading that way.

UPDATE: Sorry I had to remove the CNBC video where Marc Faber appears, but the thumbnails of CNBC were making the downloading of my blog very slow. But you can still listen to Mr. Faber saying: "We are all doomed!"

California used to be the 5th economy of the world and now it's in the brink of collapsing. Total unemployment in the US does not improve, it is only getting worse. Millions of Americans are now on food stamps (modern soup lines of the 1929 Depression era) Wall Street is rigged and manipulated. But President Obama says that he got us out of recession, oh please, what a lie!

President Barack Obama, Ben Bernanke, Timmy Geithner and all the banksters are singing to us

"Cheer Up Smile Nertz!"
A song sang by Eddie Cantor in 1931. Songs of the Depression.

Sure, business is bunk,
And Wall Street is sunk,
We're all of us broke, and ready to croak.
We've nothing to dunk,
Can't even get drunk,
And all the while, they tell us to smile:

Cheer up, gentle citizens, though you have no shirts,

Happy days are here again. Cheer up, smile, nertz!
All aboard prosperity, giggle 'till it hurts!

No more bread-line charity. Cheer up, smile, nertz!

Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer,
Up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer, better times are here.
Sunny smilers we must be, the optimist asserts,
Let's hang the fat-head to a tree! Cheer up, smile, nertz!

The world's in the red,
We're better off dead,
Depression, they say's in session to stay.
Our judges are queer,
Our banks disappear,
And all the while, they tell us to smile:

Cheer up, gentle citizens, though you have no shirts,

Happy days are here again. Cheer up, smile, nertz!

All aboard prosperity, giggle 'till it hurts,

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Doctors Nurses Patients Nipro Recalls 2 Million Needles

This news concerns to all health practitioners around the world who use Nipro needles. The FDA just announced that Nipro is recalling well over 2 million needles manufactured from January 2007 to August 2009, some of them have expiration dates of November 2011. The defect in the manufacturing: "coring", and core is made of silicone, and silicone cannot go into the body without causing adverse reactions, sometimes severe ones.

The recall follows inspections conducted in October 2009 of the Nipro facilities located in Japan. Those inspections found that 60% to 72% of the tested needles demonstrated "coring," according to the FDA.

"The reason for this coring is related to design and manufacturing processes, which the FDA continues to investigate," the FDA states.
"The core is made of silicone, which is a piece of the port septum, and when the needle is introduced into the port septum, it takes a piece of the silicon with it, when normally it is designed to slide nicely in and separate the materials," --said Mary Brooks, senior regulatory specialist with the Division of Postmarket Evaluation, Office of Surveillance and Biometrics, at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, during an FDA media briefing on the recall.

The introduction of silicone into the blood stream could result in phlebitis, nerve damage or damage to vital organs (brain, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart). It could cause Pulmonary Embolism or Silicone Embolism Syndrome, which eventually develops into severe injury or death.

Several testings showed that when the needles were inserted into the port they sometimes produced slivers or “cores” of silicone, which could be flushed into the patient’s body causing adverse reactions.

There are aproximately 20 manufacturers that produce these needles, but only those made by Nipro were found to result in "coring".

This recall today follows the last one made on January 22, 2010 of ALL GlucoPro Insulin Syringes. Nipro Medical Corporation and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary recall of the syringes due to a risk of the needles detaching.

The codes and catalog numbers of these defected needles are:

Exel/Exelint Huber needles: 26901, 26902; 26904; 26906; 26907; 26908; 26909, 26911, 26921, 26922, 26923, 26924, or 26925
Exel/Exelint Huber infusion sets with/injection site: 27940R, 27941R, 27944R, 27945R, 27946R, 27948R, 27949R, or 27950R
Exel/Exelint Huber infusion sets without/injection site: 27954R, 27955R, 27958R, or 27959R
Exel/Exelint SecureTouch+ safety Huber sets: 37854S, 37855S, or 37858S

Hospitals, medical clinics and patients who have needles from the above mentioned codes are advised to immediately stop using these affected products and return them to Exelint International Corporation.

Direct all questions concerning this recall to:
Attn: Armand Hamid
EXEL International
5408 West Centinela Ave
Los Angeles, Calif. 90045-1504
Tel. 800-940-3935
Fax 800-308-5048
E-mail: info@exelint.com

If you need more information you can visit the FDA's Web site.
All adverse events related to these syringes should be immediately reported to MedWatch via telephone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, or by mail to 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20852-9787.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Indoor Cycling VS Outdoor Cycling in Winter

It's winter season, and in some parts of the world winter means heavy snow and freezing conditions that make cycling outdoors practically impossible, but some very passionate cyclists don't care about it and make it their purpose to continue to commute to work no matter how cold or how heavy the snow is. I admire these guys!

Fortunately, where I live does not snow, but it gets pretty cold in the mornings (5:30 am) when I go out to bike train, sometimes it's 39 F/4 C but with the wind factor it feels like 1 or 2 Celsius. Weather can be pretty dump too, roads quite slippery some days, the wind so cold my ears feel like little pieces of icebergs hanging off my temps (temporal head area); but I rather go out in these tough weather conditions than staying at home. I find indoor cycling really really boring, but some cyclists enjoy this way of training so much they practice indoors even in summer time. They found out that serious indoor training can greatly improve their cycling performance by controlling and keeping track of their wattage output.
For me it still boring.

But sometimes training at home is inevitable. If it's raining hard at 5:30 am I HAVE to grab my indoor trainer, set up my old road bike in it, play a Spinervals dvd and start pedaling for 2 to 3 hrs., long long 2-3 hours that never seem to end, and when I finally complete the session I am so wet, the floor covered with my sweat...then it feels good, then I feel rewarded for having been disciplined and praise myself, but wish with all my heart for a dry morning the next day.

Cycling outdoors is so much more fun for me. It's so exciting to jump on my bike and pedal away, being alone on the road early in the mornings with practically no traffic to fight, seeing the sun rise behind the mountains, listening the birds chirping...listening to the beating of my heart, so fast and hard, my warm breath mixing with the cold air, getting a mental acceleration due to the physical force of the muscles of my body and the great amount of oxygen penetrating the neurons of my brain...ah, nothing beats this sensation, nothing.
And when this bike train day ends, I get home and want the next morning to come soon, to go out again, and again, and again...always on my bike!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Exposing Richard Freeman Cyclist Hater

Richard Freeman is a dunce guy who lives off Dyers Pass Road, a popular road for cyclists and tourists in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. He owns the Sign of the Takahe, a restaurant that is located on 200 Hackthorne Road, Cashmere, Christchurch -rest of the contact information like phone numbers and business email address- to reach Richard Freeman are at the bottom of his restaurant Website.

ChCh businessman to cyclists: I'm gonna nail ya! - Campbell Live - Video - 3 News
Posted using ShareThis

It is incredible to me that a business man who owns such a prosperous, classic, historic and beautiful restaurant has the time to think about how to kill cyclists on the road with his Hummer.
This story started to come to light and made the international news after Freeman made several comments of hate against cyclists on a Yahoo cycling forum under the alias of 'MR58SHOTAGAIN'.

"I drive a black H2 Hummer and have put 2 into the curb over the last 6 months. Stay off the f...ing road or I'm gonna nail ya!

Freeman's second post stated:

"Do you really think a pack of homo cyclists scare me? Go shave ya legs lightweight. In fact I challenge anyone wearing spandex and shaved legs to get to my front door unharmed. I'll wager a light $10k they wont!"

Campbell Live TV3 received a letter from Richard Freeman rejecting to appear on TV, saying:

''To seriously think that I would run a cyclist off the road is absolutely ludicrous and absurd! I would suggest that the small handful of over precious Lance Armstrong wannabes look to purchase a sense of humour, rather than the next spandex body suit, and perhaps show the general motorists a little road courtesy as well.''

NOTE:
I have a message for this IDIOT, Richard Freeman. Some cyclists could or could not be homosexuals but certainly, the fact that cyclist men shave their legs has NOTHING to do with their sexual preference, but don't worry, I won't explain to you the reasons of their leg shaving, I would just waste MY precious time since, obviously, you lack of gray brain matter,you ignoramus.

Cyclists have more strength, courage and bravery than you, pathetic little ninny, we -and I am a 47 year old cyclist woman- are strong, healthy, smart (cycling makes one smarter, did you know that, bonehead?), handsome, athletic, brave, with fast reflexes, and medically we have an expectation of a very long life spam.

I can assure you that, lots of cyclists around the world will be celebrating their 100 years of life on the road cycling while you are 6 feet down under -cause of death: malignant hypertension, uncontrollable due to severe chronic anger, bitterness and frustration.
I don't you wish you any harm, Mr. Freeman, I am telling you that if you don't calm down and put your frustrations aside, well, your life is probably not going to be very long. The human body reacts very violently and sickens us, sometimes fatally, when we don't know how grow positively as human beings and disregard wisdom and happiness. You are 58 years old...have you learned anything yet? How pathetic to be your age and still get into acrimonious acts.

In the meantime, my dear fellow cyclists friends all over the globe: BE CAREFUL out there and take care of yourselves along the road. Come back home sane and safe, all the time after each fantastic-exhilarating bike ride.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Democracy in the US Financial Rant

My rant is based on research and knowledge that I have accumulated through out time, reading, investigating, asking questions, curiosity and wonder about the financial recession the world has fallen into.
United States, the country most powerful and rich for decades is trembling, its foundations and fundamentals are in question. And the US has been the pillar of the economies of the world, and if the pillar teeters, eventually it will tip over and with it, the rest of the world.

The problem starts with the fallen democracy that had been in place for many years but that is crumbling now, and the lack of knowledge by the people of the US and the world for that matter that this is a serious thing that it is in fact happening right now.
So many Americans seriously still believe that they live in a Democratic Republic, and they decide their financial future based on that belief. People need to wake up and start to be realists.
First of all, United States of America is an Oligarchy. In this Oligarchy, the Senate does not care to respond to the needs and wishes of its citizens, it only answers and vows to the corporate elite, to Goldman Sachs which has been allowed complete and total access to the Treasury, the TARP went forward even though 92.5% of American citizens did not favor it.
Your Oligarch government will protect those companies even if that means stealing your tax money to do it.

Goldman Sachs was the 4th largest political contributor on K-Street in 2008. Now you know why they are so entrenched in the government.

The American government is run by Goldman Sachs. The American political system is rigged. In an Oligarchy, the elite manipulate the system to the advantage of the few over the many.

When will the sheeple finally awaken?

The constitution in the US not longer exists. The rights of the American people are now spelled out and accepted in a multi page legislative document entitled 'The Patriot Act', passed by Bush and continued by Obama.

New facilities, new laws, new rules, new fascist maneuvers by different federal agencies are already in place that could not have been possible without the Patriot Act. Guess the name of these 'facilities'? Fusion Centers. You can Google it and find out where your rights are...well...gone. And while Googling do yourself a favor and also Google:

International Monetary Fund
Trilateral Comission
Council on Foreign Relations
Bilderberg Group
Elite Influence - Kissinger, Rockefellers, Rothchilds, Brzezinski, Goldman Sachs.

What makes us powerful? Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge...and truth.

QUESTION:

What do Wall Street Bankers, Vampires, and Cockroaches have in common?
All three are afraid of the light!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Cycling Tour Down Under 2010 Video

Tour Down Under in Australia has its moments of excitement, and stage 5 is one of them. Stage 5 is 'D' DAY because it defines the final general classification with its ascends of old Willunga Hill. If you are interested you can read the entire race report in the RadioShack Cycling Team website.
But if you are more visual and prefer to watch the actual exciting cycling moments (like me), then I would like to share this video with you.

General Classification:

1. Andre Greipel (HTC – Columbia)
2. Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse D’Epargne) @11″
3. Luke Roberts (Milram) @20
4. Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) @21″
5. Greg Henderson (Team Sky) @24″

Friday, January 22, 2010

California Unemployment Rises

California used to be the 5th largest economy of the world in the 1990s and still in 2001 and 2002 (see graph). Now California is facing a terrible financial deficit and unemployment, empty retail real estate buildings, an increase in homeless numbers, robbery and crime. It is not what it used to be, but it still was considered one of the largest economies of the world holding the 8th place in 2006, according to LAO -Legislative Analyst's Office-.

I noticed that since the economy of California has been declining so badly, the LAO hasn't been updating CAL FACTS, which should be biennial. They don't have any ranking for 2008. They should have published it last year.
But according to The World Factbook published by the CIA, if California were considered a country it would be the 10th largest economy of the world. It [California] has lost ground, power, money and 5 places in the world economies.

Now the job losses returned to California in a significant way last December. There were 38,800 payroll jobs lost despite holiday season hiring, according to the state Employment Development Department.
The state's unemployment rate is 12.4 % for December 2009.
In the past 12 months, the state has lost 579,400 jobs.

If this wonderful American state that has given so much to United States and the world is facing terrible financial problems, can you imagine how the rest of the world is doing, really?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

UK Cyclist Life Threatened

Joby Spragg, 33 years old, decided to start cycling about a year ago to become a bit of a healthier person and because he always preferred cycling over other sports.

He bought a camera and started to film his daily commutes from Hyde to Manchester City Centre where he works (needless to say he has lost several pounds since then).

The problem start after his activities on the road were published in the tabloid press. Since then he has received numerous threats that he will be run off the road.

"I started doing it because, unfortunately, cycling is very dangerous, particularly commuting into Manchester," he said.
"I've never been hit so badly that I've needed to go to hospital, but I’ve been knocked off my bike into a car and I got hit about four weeks ago."

"I’m doing it because I've got a young family at home, and everyone else has loved ones – we all want to get home, but waiting another minute at a traffic light isn’t going to make much difference."

"I just want to let people know that it’s not just them on the road."

He posts clips of bad driving at those points as well as letting authorities like Tameside Council and the Highways Agency know that he considers them to be dangerous.

Is he doing the right or the wrong thing? One thing is for sure. If he saw me cycling like a mad woman on my bicycle (that's how I city bike everyday), he already would have me on one of his videos and probably he would have reported me to the authorities...OMG, I hope Jobby Spraggs never sees me riding. Thank goodness there is a big ocean between us, LOL.

Exposing mistakes/asphalt problems on the road, dangerous drivers, pedestrians and sometimes fast pace cyclists is one thing, but reporting them to the authorities is another. In the world we live in I would consider that to be more dangerous than road city cycling. What do you guys think?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

US Hospitals to Research Brain Cancer

This is great news for all patients who are suffering of brain cancer or have the risk of developing it.

"LONDON, ONTARIO, PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT -- (Marketwire - Jan. 20, 2010) -

The Brain Tumor Funders' Collaborative (BTFC) today announced the award of 11 one-year feasibility grants of $100,000 each to teams of researchers and clinicians developing the types of tools needed to translate scientific discoveries into effective new treatments for brain cancer patients. The BTFC's second joint initiative for brain tumor research is intended to accelerate the testing of different kinds of brain tumor response markers - reliable, easily monitored biological signals that can reveal if and how a tumor is responding to therapies."

The Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States has reported that there are about 22,000 patients diagnosed every years with malignant brain tumor and 38, 000 with non-malignant brain tumors. Aproximately, 13,000 patients die yearly of brain cancer.

"Each project focuses on a unique approach to solving a vexing problem encountered by clinicians and researchers dedicated to improving patient outcomes from one of the most deadliest types of cancer," said Dr. Susan Fitzpatrick of the James S. McDonnell Foundation, one of the eight BTFC members.

Medicine is advancing and evolving and we, medical doctors and researchers need to continue to find new scientific methods and develop new medical technology for the benefit of patients who suffer from any kind of terminal disease and for the ones that suffer from any illness for which there is no current cure yet.

The eleven funded projects are:

Children's Hospital Boston
Investigator: Edward R. Smith
Urinary Biomarkers for Non-invasive Assessment of Therapeutic Efficacy in Glioma

Emory University School of Medicine
Investigator: Erwin G. Van Meir
Development of Protein Arrays for the Detection of Biomarkers in the CSF of Brain Tumor Patients

Johns Hopkins University
Investigator: Jaishri O. Blakeley
Amide Proton Transfer MR Imaging to Assess Tumor Response in Patients with Gliomas

Johns Hopkins University
Investigator: Luis A. Diaz
Circulating Tumor DNA as a Dynamic Biomarker in Malignant Gliomas

Johns Hopkins University
Investigator: Alena Hoska
Non-invasive Assessment of Glutamate in Glioblastoma Multiforme: Effect of Treatment

Massachusetts General Hospital
Investigator: Bob S. Carter
Exosome Analysis: A Non-Invasive Approach to Monitor Treatment Responses in Glioma Patients

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Investigator: Andrew B. Lassman
Molecular Determinants of [18F]FACBC-PET Imaging in Brain Tumors

University of California (David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA)
Investigator: Whitney B. Pope
Combining Genomics with Physiologic Imaging Biomarkers to Predict and Follow Treatment Response in Glioma

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Investigator: Kenneth D. Aldape
A combined molecular and clinical predictor of progression vs. pseudoprogression in newly diagnosed GBM.

University of Washington
Investigator: Kristin R. Swanson
Patient-specific Metrics of Treatment Response

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Investigator: Kyle D. Weaver
Monitoring Response to Therapy in Malignant Glioma Patients Using Blood-Based Epigenomic and
Proteomic Biomarkers

More information about the BTFC and its funding initiative is available at www.braintumorfunders.org.
Brain tumor facts are available at http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/types/brain/
For further information: Please visit www.braintumorfunders.org or www.braintumour.ca for more information of current research funding and initiatives.

Cycling Tour of San Luis 2010 Argentina

There are many professional cycling races all around the world and I enjoy the privilege of blogging about them. Cycling is, in my personal opinion, the most fascinating sports of all, it's kind of like enjoying a song with lyrics in a language you don't know how to speak nor understand, but you certainly can enjoy the song because of the beauty in the musical notes of the orchestra/band and voice of the singer.
Cycling is like that. You don't need to understand what the commentator [describing the race] is saying to enjoy and understand what is happening during the cycling competition. Cycling itself is art, life and passion.

So let's learn a bit about other important races in the world like the Tour of San Luis going on right now in Argentina, where more than 1000 kilometers will be competed from January 18 to the 24th, 2010.

You can also follow the Tour of San Luis in Twitter

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Tour Down Under Video 2010 Stage 1

The Santos Tour Down Under completed its first stage which was a pretty an "uneventful day", according to Lance Armstrong.

Lance Armstrong comments:

“I feel pretty good, but it was not an easy day. It was very up and down,” Armstrong said. “Overall, it was a fairly uneventful day.”

Andre Greipel comments:

“We came here to win a stage and now we’ve won one, so our main goal has been reached. Everything else is now on top of that,” said Greipel. “We waited and spoke with the other teams but nobody wanted to ride with us, so Bert Grabsch chased them down just like he does in time trials.
“Of course it’s just the first stage, we have to take the responsibility to win every race now as we have in the last two years,” said Greipel. “So for sure that’s the focus now again.”

“It was a good finish and a good warmup for the team,” he said. “We took responsibility for the whole stage. The team made the difference. We started as a team and finished as a team.”

Cadel Evans comments:

“It was hard but that’s always the first race of the year,” said Evans. “With a really good quality field here when it goes fast it really goes fast but mostly for me personally just getting everything going with the team and being at work on the road, it’s good.
“I think overall for a team that came here without a sprinter to have two jerseys is already a good start,” he added.

RESULTS after Stage 1

1. Andre Greipel (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Gert Steigmans (Bel) Team Radio Shack
3. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
4. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
5. Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Sky
6. Baden Cooke (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
7. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
8. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Katyusha
9. Jose Rojas (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
10.Valeriy Dmitriyev (Kaz) Astana

George Hincapie finished 12th
Lance Armstrong 46th
Jens Voigt 49th
Cadel Evans 50th

Hincapie, Armstrong, Voight and Evans finished within the peloton/Greipel final time, 3:15:30 hrs.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT STAGE 1

Cycling crash;

Nothing really important [being sarcastic here because I would have liked to see this], just a crash within 300 meters of the start where almost half the peloton (60 out of 132 riders) was on the ground. Nobody was badly hurt, thank goodness, so everybody got up and continued the race.

Monday, January 18, 2010

LIVESTRONG Cancer Research Centre in Australia

Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor, suffered from metastasized [to his brain and lungs] testicular cancer and won 7 Tour de France after his battle with the disease, retired for 3 years, came back in 2009 to professional cycling and finished 3rd place in TDF.

He is now in Australia to race in the Tour Down Under with his new Radio Shack Cycling Team and still has time to participate in numerous events to raise cancer awareness. Lance Armstrong has raised more than $350 USD to fight the disease through his LIVESTRONG Foundation

Armstrong has endorsed fund raising to build the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer in Adelaide, Australia. Now there is a construction project already on the way. It is a plan to build a LIVESTRONG research wing which will be the four story of the building and it will be completed on 2011, the cost of it, $ 27 million USD

"I am standing here today because I have been cured,” Armstrong said. “But it is important to keep in mind there are other stories — names we don’t know, faces we don’t know, stories we don’t know — which didn’t have the same outcomes.

“I look forward to hearing all the good stories that come out of this center. This is the birth of hope and the birth of inspiration for so many people.”

Lance has become good friends with Premier Mike Rann, who joined the 7 time TDF winner at the ground-breaking ceremony:

“Lance Armstrong is just as committed to his passion for helping to saving the lives of cancer survivors across the world as he was when he made his come-back to professional riding at the Tour Down Under last year,” Rann said. “As a person who has so spectacularly returned to good health after surviving advanced testicular cancer, Lance is a powerful voice in raising awareness about the global cancer burden.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Hollywood LA Hit Hard by the Recession

It almost seems that nobody is immune to the pain and suffering that this financial recession is causing. Even flamboyant Hollywood filmmakers, actors, producers and directors are struggling and changing strategies. (SEE the video embeded below)

"Hardest hit was feature film production, which had been steadily falling over much of the last decade as L.A. lost jobs to Canada and, increasingly, other states such as New Mexico, Louisiana and Michigan that offer tax credits and rebates to filmmakers."--Reports People's Daily Online

Well, I saw the decline of TV shows since Reality TV started. They are cheaper to make since they don't have to pay millionaire salaries to actors, filming is also more affordable and they can practically avoid contracting story screenplay writers. But the result of such a cheap TV quality cannot last forever.

"On-location film, television and commercial production activities in Los Angeles have seen a 19 percent fall over the previous year as recession, runaway production and lingering effect of contract dispute between management and actors took their toll on local productions, the Los Angles Times reported Friday.

I have been noticing since 2007 an increment of movies that have change filming location. They have chosen to move from Los Angeles to other American states that give the filmmakers and producers more facilities, less taxes, etc. Some Hollywood productions love to film in Canada locations preferably, others in the UK, Brazil.

Although 2009 has been a bumper year at the box office, the city still saw the steepest year-over-year decline since 1993 when the statistics became available, FilmL.A. Inc. said in a report. The production has been a major employer and key component of the city, home to Hollywood and related entertainment industry.
The sector was buffeted on several fronts. These included the recession, which led to a decline in film, TV and commercial shoots; the ongoing exodus of production from the region; and the long-term effects of a contract dispute with actors, which caused financing for independent features to dwindle, FilmL.A. said"

Advertisers had to cut back on TV marketing, TV production decreased and unfortunately quality and originality of TV shows have been severely affected as well.

Television, the largest sector of the production industry, saw its production days falling 17 percent to 15,933. Production days for commercial production also dropped 12 percent to 5,292 as advertisers scaled back spending because of the recession. That was the lowest level since 2000, when actors who work in commercials went on strike, FilmL.A said.

INTERESTING DATA:

Last year HOLLYWOOD was on sale, LITERALLY! "A devastated loss for the industry" --ABC

“We're selling everything, including gorgeous furniture pieces used in past productions, vintage prop knick-knacks perfect for decorating, and racks and racks of clothing - men's, women's, and kids - ranging from elegant vintage to the everyday to fabulous Halloween costumes.”

Admission to the garage sale is $1. Cash is preferred for purchases, but credit cards are accepted with a minimum purchase and subject to a service charge. Check the A Noise Within website for additional details. The sale is Saturday, August 1, 2009, 8 A.M. to 2 P.M., at the Theatre in Glendale, CA.--

Lung Cancer Most Common Symptoms

Chest X-Ray showing lung cancer

If you smoke, have smoked, if you have been exposed to asbestos or other toxic chemicals, if you have lived for long time in a polluted city/environment or if there is cancer in your family history I strongly recommend that you pay attention to the following symptoms and of course, I advice you to quit smoking immediately if you haven't done it yet.

Unfortunately, lung cancer does not cause any symptoms in the early stages of the disease. It is only until it has spread that the patient starts manifesting the following:

1.   Chronic coughing that doesn't respond to any medical treatment

2.   Coughing up blood

3.   "Smoker's cough" gets worse, more raspy, more dry, but in some cases it could get very phlegmatic with signs of infection.

4.   Severe shortness of breath, especially when doing some physical activity like climbing stairs, brisk walking, house cleaning, etc.

5.   Wheezing becomes more constant and more severe

6.   Weight loss while eating habits remain the same.

7.   Chest pain

8.   Bone pain

9.   Intense headaches

10. Hoarseness

11. Extreme fatigue without any apparent cause that does not go away.

12. Fever that is more often present at night time.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Fascism at it's Best!

I cannot believe what is going on in the United States of America. President Barack Obama is meddling in the private sector business, when he SHOULD NOT! That is, fascism at it's best!

"We support [Google's] action ... in a decision to no longer censor searches that happen using the [Google] platform. He added that "our concern is with actions that threaten the universal rights of a free Internet." --Robert Gibbs told reporters.

The US had been considered for centuries and around the world to be the "Land of the Free", the "land of opportunities". Where has it gone? Where is it heading?

Bailouts, TARPS, cash for clunkers, all a big manipulation and corruption of the markets, all of that is government intervention and affects the liberties of financial freedom.

When the President of United States starts intervening in private business that should only be handled by PRIVATE entities and NOT governmental, the doors to FASCISM are opening, and rules to control the citizens are starting to settle.

Google until recently has been censoring Google research results on the Chinese Internet and they are not willing to continue to do it anymore. China doesn't want to compromise. This is going to force Google to eventually close its physical headquarters in China and pull out completely from there. Most likely, Google will leave the Chinese business. I am not saying that what China is doing is good or bad, I am not judging Google either in any way. I am criticizing the current administration of the President of the US for getting in the middle of International private business transactions!

The problem comes, I see, when the American government gives speeches of agreement with Google's decisions. What has President Barack Obama administration have to do with a private business???!!!

Get away Obama, step back, mind your own business, stop bailing out the private sector and focus on being a good leader by thinking how to start creating REAL jobs not taxing the citizen of US more and more and more.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Stress and Physical Symptoms

Every day brings new challenges, problems we have to deal with, decisions to make, actions of others that could harm our well being, situations that are out of our control, etc, and anything like this could bring our levels of stress so high that we could start experimenting undesirable physical symptoms.

Everybody copes with stress in a different way. Some drink alcohol in excess, some others smoke cigarettes, over eat, they get mad or angered at others, etc. The problems with our physical bodies start when we don't pay attention to what is the exact cause of our stress, we let it go and then we reflect the pain our brain feels in some part of our body. As a result we might end up with a real disease that could affect our health and quality of life.
To learn everything about stress we have to start by identifying the main and more frequent physical symptoms, which are:

1.   Headaches
2.   Gastritis, heartburn, IBS (irritable, bowl syndrome)
3.   Neck pain (torticolitis)
4.   Insomnia
5.   Fibromialgia
6.   Neurodermatitis
7.   Heart palpitations, arterial hypertension, tachycardia.
8.   Sciatica
9.   Dizziness
10. Hair loss
11. Obsesive compulsive desorders
12. Nicturia (excessive urination at night)
13. Diminished or loss of libido
14. Bronchospasm

Next week I will continue to talk about stress, Part II, how to prevent it and how to manage it to reduce it and get rid of it.

Stay in touch. See ya!

Vuelta Ciclista al Tachira Venezuela

The popular Venezuelan cycling race is about to start today. Photos, commentary and preliminary results to be posted right after the first stage -ITT- ends
.
The ROUTE and STAGES are as follows:

Stage 1, January 13: San Cristóbal team time trial, 15km
Stage 2, January 14: Tariba-Santa Barbara de Barinas, 160km
Stage 3, January 15: Abejales-Guasdualito, 150km
Stage 4, January 16: El Cantón-Cordero, 160km
Stage 5, January 17: Palmira-El Vigía, 140km
Stage 6, January 18: Umuquena-La Grita, 107km
Stage 7, January 19: Seboruco-San Juan de Colon, 110km
Stage 8, January 20: Rubio-Bramon, Concafe time trial, 15km
Stage 9, January 21: San Josecito-Pregonero, 168km
Stage 10, January 22: Pregonero-Santa Ana del Táchira, 175km
Stage 11, January 23: San Antonio del Táchira-Cerro del Cristo, 120km
Stage 12, January 24: San Cristóbal circuit, 115km

Monday, January 11, 2010

Collapsing US VS Collapsing Venezuela

Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, has decided to devaluate the bolivar -Venezuelan peso- and threatened to seize private businesses. His economic and political policies are quite similar to those ones going on in the US right now.
Mike Shedlock -a registered investment advisor- writes today the most interesting post using few words of his own [at the bottom in bold] and a Washington Times article but, in a very intelligent way he crosses out specific sentences to make his point clear.

Collapsing Venezuela

Flashback January 21, 2007: The Washington Times nails it with Collapsing Venezuela.

If ~~Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez~~ President Obama deliberately intended to sabotage his nation's economy, he would be hard-pressed to do anything different from what he is now doing to his country.

It has been widely reported that ~~Mr. Chavez~~ President Obama has been increasingly taking control of the ~~oil, telecommunications and energy~~ housing, banking, auto, and insurance sectors, as well as the media. What has not been reported is the full extent of the corruption in ~~Venezuela~~ the United States and how this ultimately will destroy the economy.

The financial scandal taking place is far bigger than Enron, and may ultimately even exceed the U.N. "oil-for-food" scandal, the biggest financial disgrace of all time.

Since 2004, the ~~Venezuelan Central Bank~~ Fed has transferred ~~about $22.5 billion~~ untold $billions to accounts abroad ~~by the Chavez government~~ held by foreign governments, and ~~about $12 billion~~ all of that remains unaccounted for. It has also been reported that the gold reserves have been removed from the Central Bank.

While the rest of the world has been moving away from socialism for the last quarter-century for good reason, ~~Venezuela~~ the United States is becoming socialist. We know governmental use of central banks to basically print money to cover expenditures results in rising inflation and eventually monetary meltdown.

And, finally, we know that when a state becomes totally corrupt an economic collapse always follows. ~~Mr. Chavez~~ President Obama and his cronies had already been spending far more than they were taking in and you can bet the blood from the innocent ~~Venezuelan people~~ United States citizens will be drained long before those on the take from ~~Mr. Chavez~~ President Obama agree to have their looting stopped.

The original Washington Times article was extremely good, but a few minor changes would have made it the most prophetically accurate post the world had ever seen.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Stupid Facebook Cyclists Hate Group

Just three words to all of you stupid-brainless cyclists haters: GO TO HELL!

I ask all my kind readers and blog members to join this group in Facebook to HELP REMOVE this HATE GROUP against cyclists!

This hate group is promoting violence and bodily harm against road cyclists, and I just can't believe that Facebook does not want to remove this hateful fan page. Anyways, it seems that WE ROAD CYCLISTS have taken over the page. The haters are behind the wheel stuffing their mouths with donuts.

These are some of the criminal insane comments:

"I will fatally collide with you fucks on purpose if you get in my way! die!" --posted by Luke Darcy-Evans

"I beep the horn nd scare the shit out of cyclists fuk em" --posted by James Whiteley

"I WANT TO PUSH THE USLESS PRICKS OFF THIER CYCLES" --posted by Josh Sirr (NOTE: I copy and paste their words, that's how bad they write.)

What gives me comfort and a good laugh it's the way that thousands of cyclists are responding to the attack. Here are some examples:

"When I look at the fans for this page it looks like quite a few of you are overweight. You really need to ride a bike or at least eat better. If I was a fatass and stuck in traffic I'd hate cyclists too." --posted by David A. Roy

"I loooove it when peeps in cars yell at me as they drive by me. When I surprise them by catching up at the next red light and pounding on their window, the look of terror on their face is priceless. Once a car ever floored it through the red light to avoid me. Such gutless weasels :) :)" --posted by Curtis Clark (HA, I have done this one several times. It feels so good)

"While the threats of physical violence exhibited by these morons is disturbing, it is comforting to know that slowly but surely the tide is changing, as evidenced by the CA road rage loser who took it upon himself to try to kill some cyclists. Take note people, hittting a cyclist with your car deliberately is no different then shooting someone with a gun, you WILL rot in jail where you belong. ... " --posted by Suzanne Marcoe

I will keep riding my bike everywhere I want, no matter how many crazy drivers I encounter. I will keep feeling better, looking better, being healthier and fitter, and if that makes them angry and envious, too bad, their problem, their hate, their [poor] health.

I am always aware of the dangers out there. I know that there are hateful people who are given driver licenses and could be potential criminals on the road, some others are just too worry and behind the wheel, too busy talking on their celular phones and not paying attention to the road, other drivers are just drawn in alcohol. I have learned to identify the reckless/hateful automovil drivers and avoid them everytime.

One thing is for sure, nothing will keep me from cycling, NOTHING!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Thank God It's Friday Cycling Video

Are you guys ready for the weekend? What are you going to do, biking, running, swimming, or are you going to take a break?
I am definitely city-road-highway-flat-climbing biking Saturday and Sunday morning, but for now I'm enjoying a quiet evening watching a depressing movie -The Hours- and at the same time I'm watching funny cycling videos.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Andy Schleck Tarmac Commercial Video

This video of Andy Schleck is so cool. This is exactly what I love about cycling. The effort, the dedication, the passion a cyclist has to have towards this beautiful sport of cycling.
Sometimes a short cycling video well done tells me more and makes my heart vibrate of emotion more than a long poorly made cycling video.
Go Andy, I want you on the podium of the Tour de France 2010!

Cycling Race Scody Australian Open Road 2010

Robbie McEwen
Photo credit, Shane Goss The Scody Australian Open Road Championships have began, and Aaron Kemps is the winner of the criterium. Kemps shows his sportsmanship and class thanking Bernie Sulzberger for leading him out and helping him to get the crown.

"I am very happy with this win and very thankful for Fly V, a new team for me this year, and very happy for the first race of the year and to get a win for them," said Kemps. "It is a team for Australians and I'm proud to be in an Australian team and now I am proud to take this jersey overseas and represent Australia.
“If it came down to a bunch kick then obviously Jonathan Cantwell and Ben Kersten were the key, but they said to try and be as aggressive as possible,” he added. “My legs felt good today. Bernie Sulzberger did a great job leading me out, I can’t thank him enough since he was last year’s Australian criterium champion.”

Robbie McEwen is working pretty hard, unstoppable, trying to build endurance so he can perfome better this year in the Tour de France, unfortunately he's not having great results. He just finished Jayco Bay Cycling Classic on the the 5th of January on 5th place and now he just participated in the Australian criterium. He did not finish today -DNF-
Tomorrow Friday is rest day for Scody Australian racers, Saturday and Sunday are for road racing. 122 kms for Elite men and 102 kms for Elite women.

Australian Criterium final results

1 Aaron Kemps (QLD)
2 Dean Windsor (NSW)
3 William Clarke (TAS)
4 Chris Steffanoni (VIC)
5 David Pell (VIC)
6 Bernard Sulzberger (TAS)
7 Lachlan Norris (MTB)
8 David Kemp (QLD)
DNF Dylan Newell (VIC)
DNF Sam Moorhouse (NSW)
DNF Robbie Mcewen (QLD)

Remembering Cyclists Killed in 2009

The white bike is the GHOST BIKE
in memory of Julian Miller, cyclist
killed in Brooklyn, Sep. 2009

On Monday January 4 several hundreds of cyclists gathered in New York to ride few miles in memory of all the cyclists killed in the city in 2009.
New York, like many other cities in the US, and many other countries in the world, has serious problems with traffic, road rage and car drivers not looking out for cyclists. All this causes many fatalities amongst bicycle riders year after year, and in many cases, the car driver never gets charged, not even with manslaughter.

It is a shame that we, as humans, have advanced so much in other areas like medical technology, robotics, spy ware, Internet, Astronomy, science in general, but still so pathetically behind in terms of civility, manners and respect towards each other.

"Five years ago, many of us hoped this ride would no longer be necessary in 2010. But we're still here, and we still have to do this to remind our neighbors and our city that these preventable deaths keep happening all around us. Five years from now, we hope to see a magnitude of change on our streets that makes this ride a thing of the past." - said Leah Todd, a Street Memorial Project volunteer.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of all cyclists killed by irresponsible car drivers in 2009.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Chris Sutton and Rochelle Gilmore win Jayco Bay Cycling

Rochelle Gilmore

It is time to get busy, my friends, because cycling news is all over the world, professional racing, amateur competitions, gossip, new bicycle models...there is so much to talk about cycling!
So let's start, should we?

The finest Jayco Bay Cycling Classic has ended with great results, except that Robbie McEwen couldn't be on the podium and finished on 5th place. Last year he finished on 2nd place overall, he lost 3 places in his first classic.
It doesn't look too good. I hope he [McEwen] can give us some sprinting winning stages in the Tour de France, although I kind of doubt it, Mark Cavendish was the king of sprinting last year and I'm sure he will try to maintain his place in 2010.

Graeme Brown, who won last year's criterium, didn't withstand the strong challenges made by Chris Sutton and finished on 3rd.
Chris Sutton was determined to win this one and said he was going to win Jayco...and he did!

"I'm in yellow and we're going to defend it, I know we will. We'll keep it." --Sutton said.

"I'm just going to ride my own race. I've got a great team around [in] all the boys from Skilled/Lowe Farms, so they're going to put me up for the sprint. Baden Cooke is one of the best sprinters in the world - green jersey winner at the Tour de France and multiple stage wins. You name it, he's done it all."--Chris Sutton.

"I know they're going to do everything to help me win the stage tomorrow and hopefully win overall," he said.

General Classification – Final

1. Chris Sutton (Skilled/Lowe Farms)
2. Greg Henderson (Mazda)
3. Graeme Brown (Urban)
4. Baden Cooke (Skilled/Lowe Farms)
5. Robbie McEwen (Mazda)
6. Matthew Goss (Degani Cycling Cafe)
7. Joel Pearson (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
8. Tom Scully (John Trevorrow Cycles/Chifley Hotel)
9. Jack Bobridge (SASI team O’Grady)
10.Koen de Kort (O2 Networks)

General Classification – Final

1. Rochelle Gilmore (Honda)
2. Chloe Hosking (MB Cycles)
3. Megan Dunn (Jayco VIS/NSWIS)
4. Peta Mullens (Honda)
5. Isabella King (Plan B Racing WA)
6. Belinda Goss (Pitcher Partners)
7. Helen Kelly (Jayco VIS/NSWIS)
8. Kirsty Broun (Jayco AIS)
9. Emma Mackie (Race)
10.Tiffany Cromwell (Honda)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Will Lance Armstrong go to Oaxaca Mexico again?

I so wish that Lance Armstrong goes back to Oaxaca, Mexico this year again. He went last year with his Trek LIVESTRONG Cycling Team on February 27 at La Vuelta Mexico Telmex and it all was a success.

"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." --Livingstrong 2009

La Vuelta Mexico Telmex will reveal its roster for 2010 on the second week of January, it will have 10 foreign cycling teams and 9 Mexican cycling teams. It will run from February 28 to March 7th, so please, please, please...stay tuned!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Rhode Island Unemployment Worsening Tax Increases

Tent Cities in Rhode Island
Photo by Shannon Moriarty

Mainstream media keeps on hiding the fact that the US is still going through hard financial times. Recession is not over, recovery is not happening in America, the Fed, the banksters and the current administration lie to the American people and the world. This is NOT a conspiracy theory, the decline of financial assets and wealth in America is getting worse right in front of our eyes and, the worse thing of all,, is that the majority of the American citizens are not aware of how severe this situation is.
All I can do is to keep on educating myself about economy and pass this knowledge to my readers by writing about it on my blog.

This news is just in...and disturbing. Read it, assimilate it and make your own decisions after asking yourself the following question: Is there really a recovery going on?

Even before the recession struck, Rhode Island employers had to pay a comparatively high tax to provide benefits to the unemployed.

Now, with the state’s 12.7-percent unemployment rate the second-highest in the nation (behind Michigan), and as thousands of out-of-work Rhode Islanders keep drawing benefits, the tax is higher — and could increase further.

“There’s a potential that business, under these very difficult times, will be incurring an additional tax,” he said.

But partly because of Rhode Island’s persistently high jobless rate, the fund has been depleted and cannot pay benefits on its own. As a result, since March, the fund has had to borrow from Uncle Sam — for the first time since the late 1970s.

As of Dec. 29, Rhode Island owed more than $126.9 million. The state Department of Labor and Training projects that the fund will have to borrow more this year, too, and the loan balance could more than double, to $234 million, by December 2010, said Sandra M. Powell, the agency’s director.

The borrowing is triggering a complex series of events, some or all of which could force Rhode Island’s employers to pay more in state unemployment tax in the years ahead.

“It’s a very delicate and difficult balance” between the unemployed, who need benefits, and businesses, which are trying to survive.--State Rep. Dr. Arthur J. Corvese, D-North Providence, a member of the advisory group, said.

Read complete article by Neil Dening