Cycling Biking News April 2010

BMC Cycling Team awarded entry into the Tour de France 2010

"There were three reasons that accounted for this," said Fabio Selvig, BMC's general manager for bicycle development. The first was Cadel Evans. The second reason is Alessandro Ballan. The third reason is George Hincapie," Selvig said.

Biling Across America

The beginning of the summer will find one UK student with the back tire of his bicycle touching the Pacific Ocean, ready to embark on a cross-country bicycle ride to help raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease.

Tour of the North

Stage 1 will be a testing short prologue at Stormont Estate, commencing at 6.30pm on Good Friday.
The event is the biggest of its type in Northern Ireland, promoted by the Northern Ireland Cycling Federation, and attracts over 100 top cyclists from across Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Cadel Evans another shot at Tour de France

''While I was never sure we would be in the tour, I did not have much doubt that we would be left out, as I felt our team deserved to be in the Tour de France,'' he said.

Lance Armstrong, Bradley Wiggins, Evans, all set for 2010 Tour de France

Team Sky Pick the nine chosen for Tour de France

Cyclists on the move!

Australian Cycling Team in Junior World Championships 2010

On Sept. 1, BMC signed Ballan, an Italian who is the 2008 World Racing Champion.

"The third reason is George Hincapie," Selvig said.

Also on Sept. 1, BMC signed Hincapie to a two-year contract. Hincapie is one of the American icons of the sport. A three-time U.S. National Professional Road Champion, Hincapie was the only rider to accompany Lance Armstrong on all seven of Armstrong's French victories. Hincapie will be competing this year in his 14th Tour, the 2,200-mile race which will run this year from July 3 to July 25.

As for any other factors that might have contributed to BMC's selection, Selvig was quick to point one out.

"When it comes to drugs and doping," he said, "we have a very squeaky clean record and we are very proud of that."

What BMC did was the cycling equivalent of a Major League Baseball team stocking up its team to the point that it became a contender in a matter of a few days. High profile athletes, in any sport, give a team instant credibility.

"It was pretty clear early-on from the beginning that BMC was committed to top-level racing," said Chilcott, 47. "This is a big step for BMC."

And also for Sonoma County.

"I could have started the team anywhere but I chose here," said Chilcott, a Cal graduate who earned his doctorate in microbiology from the University of Washington.

"Great weather. Great scenery. Great riding," were Selvig's three reasons for the Santa Rosa training location.

BMC is categorized as a Pro Continental Team, the second-tier on pro cycling's food chain. The first tier is the Pro Tour Teams, then the Pro Continental teams, and then the Continental teams. Typically all the Pro Tour teams are invited each year to the Tour de France and very few Pro Continental teams are asked to participate. This year only 16 Pro Tour teams are competing, thus leaving six selections available.

That certainly increased the odds that BMC would be selected, but given the acquisitions of Evans, Ballan and Hincapie, it was generally assumed BMC would be awarded a spot. It is, however, still a discretionary choice for ICU.

"I think signing those big riders certainly increased our chances," Chilcott said, "but that doesn't guarantee anything."

Chilcott said it was John Lelangue, BMC's Chief Sports Director, and Jim Ochowicz, BMC's co-owner, who provided the big push for signing Evans, Ballan and Hincapie. All three riders, at the time they were signed, were working or could have worked with Pro Tour teams. By signing with a second-tier Pro Continental team, they could have been taking a risk. As it turned out, they didn't.

"This is such a different team from last year," said Scott Nydam, a BMC racer who lives in Sebastopol. "But when you sign guys like that, and then a guy like Marcus (Burghardt), you're telling people you want to take the team to the highest point possible."

Burghardt is an up-and-coming German rider who won a stage at the 2008 Tour de France.

"BMC has been doing everything it can to get to the next level," Nydam said. "And now they are to the point that they are capable of winning any race at any time."

Just weeks before, BMC also was awarded a spot in the 2010 Giro d'Italia, one of three European classics, which runs from May 8 to May 30. The Tour of California will run from May 16 to May 23. Although the rosters have yet to be determined for each race, Chilcott guaranteed BMC will field a strong lineup for the California race.

"We are an American team, and California is a very important race for us," Chilcott said. "We will have a very competitive lineup."

For more on North Bay sports, go to Bob Padecky's blog at padecky.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Columnist Bob Padecky at 521-5223 or bob.padecky@pressdemocrat.com

Bloodshed Killings Homicide Crime in LA

Los Angeles, CA is experiencing a very hard time, both, financially and socially. Crime has increased tremendously making the Los Angeles area residents be a lot more cautious and fearful.

Unfortunately, there is no area in LA to be considered safe and crime free. Even areas that long time ago used to be fun and pretty much very low crime, have now a high robbery/theft rate.

You can check this Google map to pinpoint the areas with a huge burglary problem.

"To counter the bloodshed, the chief has ordered the temporary redeployment of officers from quieter parts of the city to those experiencing the killings. He said he also hoped his recent decision to bolster the ranks of the LAPD’s 21 area stations with more than 150 officers previously assigned to specialized units would help matters."

"The increased number of homicides, Beck emphasized, underscores the difficulty of policing the city during the ongoing fiscal crisis that has taken a toll on department budgets.  Unable to pay officers for overtime hours, Beck is requiring them to take days off from work instead.  The resulting decrease in manpower has made it hard for department commanders to deploy the additional officers needed when violence flares." -Los Angeles Times reported

The hate going on in Los Angeles is very disturbing. African-Americans VS Latinos hating each other. Check out these hateful words from a commenter:

"As an African American woman and native of Los Angeles, this is very disturbing to me. Why do Latinos think that they are better than anyone else? African Americans have long been the target of our fellow Caucasian Americans. The Civil Rights Movement, brought some peace. Now we have to fight for the rights, to live, work, and the pursuit our happiness with some lowlife Latino gang bangers, whose parents are probably illegal aliens. They need to get a history book, and understand whose blood, sweat and tears, built this nation, because it wasn't theirs!" Permalink to the comment

April 2010 Cycling Races Links

April is almost here and it is time to post the most popular international professional cycling races for this month. It is getting pretty exciting, my friends. I hope you are all getting out there on your bikes, improving your physical condition so you all can perform your best this year.
Well, that is certainly my wish. Want to get in very good shape this year, I want to increase my kilometers per year and my climbing capabilities.

In the meantime, enjoy some the links provided below.

April 2010

01-04 AprNational Championships Mar del Plata (Ciclismoarg.com.ar)
National Championships Mar del Plata (Infobiker.com.ar)
National Championships Mar del Plata (Atodociclismo.com.ar)Arg
01-04 AprPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhon's Cup Tour of ThailandTha
02-04 AprLe Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux - Frasnes
Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux - Frasnes (Alarrivee.be)Bel
02 AprRoute Adélie de VitréFra
03 AprGran Premio Miguel Indurain / GP Miguel Indurain
Gran Premio Miguel Indurain / GP Miguel Indurain (Edosof.com)Esp
03 AprHel van het Mergelland
Hel van het Mergelland (Romers.nl)Ned
04 AprGrand Prix de la Ville de Nogent-sur-Oise
Grand Prix de la Ville de Nogent-sur-Oise (Profinishservice.com)Fra
04 AprRonde van Vlaanderen / Tour des FlandresBel
04 AprTrofeo Piva Banca Popolare di Vicenza (Ciclonews.it)Ita
05 AprGiro del Belvedere di Villa di CordignanoIta
05 AprRund um Köln
Rund um Köln (Mikro-funk-timing.de)Ger
05-10 AprVuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko txirrindulari itzulia
Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko txirrindulari itzulia (Uciprotour.com)Esp
06-09 AprCircuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la LoireFra
07 AprScheldeprijs
Scheldeprijs (Romers.nl)Bel
08-11 AprCinturón Ciclista Internacional a MallorcaEsp
08 AprGrand Prix Pino CeramiBel
09-11 AprCircuit des Ardennes International
Circuit des Ardennes International (Alarrivee.be)Fra
10 AprAlbert Achterhes Profronde van Drenthe
Albert Achterhes Profronde van Drenthe (Romers.nl)Ned
10 AprRonde van Vlaanderen voor beloften / Tour des Flandres Espoirs
Ronde van Vlaanderen voor beloften / Tour des Flandres Espoirs (Kbwb-rlvb.com)Bel
Trofeo Edil C (Federciclismo.it)Ita
11 AprDwars door Drenthe
Dwars door Drenthe (Romers.nl)Ned
11 AprKlasika Primavera
Klasika Primavera (Uno.es)Esp
11 AprParis - RoubaixFra
11-18 AprPresidential Cycling Tour / Presidential Tour of Turkey / Cumhurbaşkanlığı Uluslararası Türkiye Bisiklet Turu
Presidential Cycling Tour / Presidential Tour of Turkey / Cumhurbaşkanlığı Uluslararası Türkiye Bisiklet Turu
Presidential Cycling Tour / Presidential Tour of Turkey / Cumhurbaşkanlığı Uluslararası Türkiye Bisiklet Turu (Matsport Timing)Tur
13 AprParis-Camembert
Paris-Camembert (Matsport Timing)
Paris-Camembert (Lepetit.fr)Fra
14 AprDe Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche BrabançonneBel
14 AprLa Côte Picarde (UCI.ch)Fra
14-18 AprTour du Loir-et-Cher 'E. Provost'Fra
14-18 AprVolta Ciclistica Internacional de Gravatai (Fgc.com.br)Bra
14-18 AprVuelta a Castilla y Leon
Vuelta a Castilla y Leon (Edosof.com)
Vuelta a Castilla y Leon (Nortecastilla.es)Esp
15 AprGP de Denain Porte du Hainaut
GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut (Matsport Timing)Fra
17 AprLiège - Bastogne - Liège (espoirs)
Liège - Bastogne - Liège (espoirs) (PDF) (Alarrivee.be)Bel
17 AprTour du Finistère
Tour du Finistère (Matsport Timing)Fra
17-20 AprTour of the PhilippinesPhi
17 AprZLM tour
ZLM tour (Wielren.info)Ned
18 AprAmstel Gold RaceNed
18 AprGrand Prix of Donetsk / Гран-при Донецка
Grand Prix of Donetsk / Гран-при Донецка (Sportclub-isd.com)Ukr
18 AprRund um Düren
Rund um Düren (Romers.nl)Ger
18 AprTour of the BattenkillUsa
18 AprTro-Bro Léon
Tro-Bro Léon (Bretagne-vtt.com)
Tro-Bro Léon (Matsport Timing)Fra
18-25 AprVuelta México Telmex (Vueltamexico.com.mx)
Vuelta México Telmex (Vueltamexico-telmex.com.mx)Mex
18 AprZellik - GalmaardenBel
18 AprDwars door het HagelandBel
18 AprNational Championships Los Andes (Ciclismo.cl)Chi
20-23 AprGiro del Trentino
Giro del Trentino (Ficr.it)
Giro del Trentino (Ciclismo-online.it)Ita
21-25 AprGrand Prix of Adygeya (was Grand Prix of Sochi)Rus
21 AprLa Flèche WallonneBel
21-25 AprTour de Santa Catarina (Ciclismosc.com.br)Bra
22 Apr-02 MayTour de Korea-JapanKor
23 AprBanja Luka-Belgrade I (Bss.rs)Bih
24 AprArno Wallaard Memorial
Arno Wallaard Memorial (Wielren.info)Ned
24 AprBanja Luka-Belgrade II (Bss.rs)Srb
24 AprGran Premio Llodio / GP Llodio
Gran Premio Llodio / GP Llodio (Edosof.com)Esp
25 AprEast Midlands International Cicle ClassicGbr
25 AprGiro dell'Appennino
Giro dell'Appennino (Cronoimperia.it)Ita
25 AprGran Premio della LiberazioneIta
25 AprInt. Ronde van Noord-HollandNed
25 Apr-01 MayLe Tour de Bretagne Cycliste - Trophée des GranitiersFra
25 AprLiège - Bastogne - LiègeBel
25 AprParis - Mantes-en-YvelinesFra
25 AprVuelta Ciclista a la Rioja
Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja (Edosof.com)
Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja (Larioja.com)Esp
26-27 AprGiro delle RegioniIta
27 Apr-01 MayJelajah MalaysiaMas
27 AprSubida al Naranco (Lavueltaastuerias.com)
Subida al Naranco (Uno.es)Esp
27 Apr-02 MayTour de Romandie
Tour de Romandie (Matsport Timing)Sui
28 Apr-02 MayVuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez MendoEsp
29 Apr-01 MayThe Paths of King Nikola / Putevima kralja Nikole (EUrace.de)
The Paths of King Nikola / Putevima kralja Nikole (Balkancyclingunion.com)
The Paths of King Nikola / Putevima kralja NikoleMne

Criterium Internationale 2010 David Millar

Criterium Internationale 2010 finished with David Millar taking the final stage but ending fifth  on the final classification.
David Millar says to reporters:

"It felt really good. I really enjoyed it. I spoke to Christian Vande Velde, he’s been coaching me over the last few days. I tend to overanalyze my stuff. He told me: just ride with controlled panic, so that’s what I did. It’s why I rode like a bat out of hell, and didn’t think about it. I just ran hard. Thanks to my size and my aerodynamics, it’s hard for people to go faster than me, when it’s going fast downhill with a tailwind and I used that to my advantage."

Alberto Contador finished 15th and Lance Armstrong 47th place, 5:05 minutes behind the overall winner, Perrick Fedrigo.
Lance Armstrong tells reporters:

“It was not a consistent time trial with lots of turns, and ups and downs and roundabouts but it was much better than in Murcia, much steadier. Yesterday was very hard you don’t usually have such a long hard climb at this time of the year. It would probably have been better to have a longer race than just two days but I always wanted to come to Corsica. It’s just great. Next to Texas there is nothing better than the Mediterranean.” 

FINAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
 
1 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 7:11:59
2 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 0:00:14
3 Tiago Machado (Por) Team RadioShack 0:00:15
4 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:19
5 David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Transitions
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:22
7 Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack 0:00:25
8 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC-Columbia 0:00:26
9 Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack 0:00:35
10 Benat Intxausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:39

This set back of Lance Armstrong finishing 47th does not put me off. I think that the RadioShack Cycling Team is performing very well and I expect a good fight from Lance in the coming Tour de France. He has excellent teammates, technical and tactical experience.
But there are other contenders who are preparing very well to beat Armstrong and Contador, and one of them is Andy Schleck.
One thing for sure. This 2010 Tour de France promises to be quite interesting.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Armstrong vs. Contador will have to wait (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• No drama in Armstrong's first race against Contador (nationalpost.com)
• Pierrick Fedrigo claims victory in the Criterium International (guardian.co.uk)
• Cycling Tour of Murcia Won by Rabon (livingstrongandhappy.blogspot.com)

Funniest Saddest Rudest Smartest Blog Comments

First of all, Happy FDIC Friday. So far, only this year, 41 US bank closures (4 bank failures today)...and counting.
But let us talk about something more...well, less...how can I say it...LET'S FORGET ABOUT BANKSTERS!

By the end of this year I am going to give some kind of award (I have no idea what it would be yet -I'm writing this as I'm thinking about it, but I'm open to suggestions) to the best comments of all, the funniest, the most depressing one, the most aggressive or rude of all (ContrarianByatch, I'm watching you, LOL) and of course, the smartest comment of all.

This idea came to mind after reading this comment in response to my last post:

"My grandfather rode his cycle until he was in his early 90s. I hope to ride until I keel over, preferably in my 100s. A bit weird, but I quite fancy being burried sitting on my bike. That should give future archaeologists something to speculate about early 21C religious practices."

I literally spilled my frappuccino on my frigging new beautiful keyboard!!!!

It is the most hilarious (intelligent too -he cites futuristic archeology speculation!) comment I've read so far this year. Thank you Alex for the laugh. You made my day. :)

Good day to all. Have fun, enjoy your Friday night and...CHEER UP!

Cycling Climbing Hiking Around the World

This is a very interesting article about a couple and their love for nature, people, sports and culture.
They decided to traveled around the world biking, climbing and hiking.

Maryvonne Mauprivez-Mack, 61, and Doug Mack, 75, are marathonists and cyclists. They are in awesome physical condition and I only wish I had their fitness level!. 
These kind of people are of great inspiration for me. These kind of people keep me grounded and make me more energetic, stronger.

My hat is off to both of them, and I want to express my utmost admiration for their braveness, strong mental and physical abilities and for the passion they share together for life.

“We cycled through mountains and villages,” Maryvonne said. “That, too, was a great challenge since most of the roads in Vietnam were under construction and we had to climb up the overpasses. The temperatures ran from 95 to 100 degrees with 95 percent humidity.”
The couple first cycled with Farandaway in the mountains on the island of Corsica in the east end of the Mediterranean. Being French, Maryvonne was interested in the French heritage of the island. They made another cycling trip through the mountains of Spain, and last fall, they biked through Italy.
“They are really exciting trips because you meet so many people,” Doug said. “What I get out of these situations is the opportunity to get educated on the foreign and third-world country cultures and the challenge. So the educational aspect and the challenge is usually foremost in our experience.”

Karen Lungu from the Daily Record wrote the entire article.

NOTE: Unfortunately, no pictures of their journey have been published yet.

Cyclist James Williamson Dies at Cape Epic

Every time a cyclist dies, a part of my fanatic cyclist soul goes with him/her, and today I mourn the death of James Williamson, but celebrate his vibrant life on the bicycle. My heart goes out to his family, friends and cycling mates.
Peace be with you, my friend. I know you will be riding the best bike in cycling heaven. Go and get those angels, I'm pulling right here for you...go, alez, alez...forever!

An Australian journalist and former World Solo 24 Hour mountain bike champion has died while taking part in the Absa Cape Epic stage race in South Africa.

James Williamson, 26, editor of Enduro magazine and winner of the World Solo 24 hour mountain bike Championships in Canmore, Canada in 2008, was taken to hospital this morning after his riding partner, Shaun Lewis, could not rouse him.
Despite prolonged attempts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at 6.47am local time.
Williamson had not received any medical treatment during the race and fellow competitors said he was “perfectly fine” last night and had eaten well.
Sonja Güldner-Hamel, international media director of the Cape Epic, said: “James was a very enthusiastic mountain bike journalist who had expressed interest to ride the race over the last few years. 2010 was the year that he could fit it into his publishing schedule and he was thrilled to finally be participating in the race.
“After yesterday’s Stage 2 through singletrack paradise he was all smiles, repeatedly expressing how he enjoyed yesterday’s route. He’ll be deeply missed in the mountain biking media fraternity.”
Race director Kevin Vermaak expressed his most sincere condolences to James’s partner Nicky, his family and his riding partner Shaun.
Medical staff must decide whether to carry out a post mortem in South Africa or Australia. The body will then be repatriated to Australia. Williamson’s father, aunt and uncle are due to arrive in South Africa tomorrow.
Williamson was riding as part of the two-man team Swell - Enduro Magazine together with Lewis in the Cape Epic. The pair had finished 22nd on the race's second stage on Monday afternoon.
Williamson maintained his own website at jameswilliamson.com.au, and had blogged about the Cape Epic.
BikeRadar wishes to express its condolences to James Williamson's family and friends. 

You can follow BikeRadar on Twitter at twitter.com/bikeradar.

 Article Source

If You Love Cats and Animal Life Opposse Rozol

Misty, RIP -click to enlarge-

The problem continues. We need to spread the word to stop this nonsense.

The EPA -Environmental Protection Agency- is about to approve a terrible poison called Rozol. This venom is a rodenticide that produces the death of rats and mice through internal hemorrhage because Rozol -Chlorophacinone- is a very potent anticoagulant.

The problem is that this awful poison, if approved, will be used not only in the wild (where it will kill prairie dogs, ferrets, swift foxes, badgers, bald eagles, burrowing owls and ferruginous hawks, in ten states across America with this blood-thinning poison), but also will be used in:

1. Lawns, Golf Courses, Parks, Other Ornamental Turf Areas, Ornamental Flower & Shrub Gardens.

2. Border Areas & Buffer Strips Adjacent to Crops

3. Christmas Tree Farms, Commercial Nurseries, Tree & Forestry Plantations

The potential of great harm to the wild animal life is severe, and the possibility of terrible damage to the life of our wonderful cats, dogs, rabbits, birds is seriously dire.

Rozol, when ingested, causes prairie dogs to slowly bleed to death – a painful and awful way to die.

PLEASE, if you love animals oppose to the approval of this poison.

I already did:

Not only prairie dogs will be horribly killed since this terrible poison will be used in golf courses and farms, I'm afraid that many of our cats, pet dogs, birds and rabbits will be horribly killed.
DO NOT APPROVE IT, PLEASE!

There are only 3,926 petitions signed, we NEED MORE!

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• Prairie Dog and Black-Footed Ferret Populations Plagued By Plague (treehugger.com)
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War on Drugs Obamacare Global Economy

I came across with this interesting article and I decided to share it with you. In these times of global financial crisis, lies, corruption and deceit, it is imperative that we educate ourselves about global economy, history and social trends.

This is a fascinating analysis about the problems that we are currently facing. You might agree or not, but these facts are true and undeniable, and they are unraveling right in front of our faces and many people are simply not paying attention.

Try to keep an open mind and draw your own conclusions.

This is just an exert from the article (direct link at the bottom of the post)

"Reich points out, quite rightly, that while America seems to be rising out of a deep but manageable recession, the reality may be otherwise. He believes what the American government and Federal Reserve have done is to print money and use that money to create public industrial make-work programs that give the perception the economy is growing when it is not. If people are put to work building a bridge to nowhere, the revenue shows up in the gross national product, perhaps, but the net result is useless and unsustainable.
....................................................................................
This is no mere recession but a Great Unraveling. The economy in America (and, really, in the West) cannot grow until distortions are fully unwound and the market itself can perceive what is apt to survive and thrive and what is withering and slowly dying. This time, such perceptions may take years to realize, especially since America and the West generally continues to retard the inevitable culling.
....................................................................................
...This explains why Western economies are such a mess and why President Barack Obama in America, for instance, continues to press for nationalized health care even though the evidence is overwhelming that such a system would only, eventually, exacerbate America's health care dilemma.

Not only is the Obama administration gearing up to nationalize health care, it may also have in mind, via legislation, to open up America's borders in the south and attempt to give illegal immigrants various benefits that have hitherto been restricted to US citizens. Health care, no doubt, will be an attractive lure to millions of Mexicans, and thus will exacerbate the situation if passed. The stakes are so high that the Democrats in Washington are literally willing to blow up their own party to pass a nationalized health care bill and - next up, reportedly - to create an open-borders situation.


It can be argued (and the Bell does) that there is an Anglo-American elite standing behind both the Democratic and Republican parties that is orchestrating all this. It seems, in fact, to be a carefully crafted plan to merge America with Mexico and Canada - just the way Europe has been merged into a single (struggling) enterprise. The Bush administration laid the groundwork for some of this (though extant plans go back to Reagan) and indeed attempted to make additional Mexican-American industrial intercourse a functional reality before the effort was turned back by outraged Americans.


Now, using various parliamentary maneuvers - some of which are already on display as regards health care - the Obama administration will doubtless try to accomplish what the previous administration could not. It will continue socializing American society with the brute force of the federal government and it will do its best to tear down the border between America and Mexico. The war on drugs – which basically boosts the price of drugs and creates criminal classes out of whole cloth – has so destabilized Mexican society that many Mexicans may welcome a de facto merger with the US. The Canadians, thus far, would not, but that may change in the future. And that's why the Anglo-American elite might be said to be partying in Washington DC! Plans proceed toward regional centralization of the Americas.


In fact, while the various bailouts and other actions taken by Washington may seem to be aimed at "rescuing" Americans from an unfortunate financial crisis, they are actually doing exactly the opposite. We note, recently, that Fed chairman Ben Bernanke suggested that major banks operate without any financial reserve at all so as to more efficiently inject money into the long-suffering American economy. This is just another destabilizing financial measure so far as we are concerned. The elite acts to "alleviate" the problems faced by the average American, but in reality the actions taken are destabilizing and end up making things worse. Here's a report on what Bernanke has suggested:


Now Bernanke Wants To Eliminate Reserve Requirements Completely ... Up until now, the United States has operated under a "fractional reserve" banking system. Banks have always been required to keep a small fraction of the money deposited with them for a reserve, but were allowed to loan out the rest. But now it turns out that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke wants to completely eliminate minimum reserve requirements, which he says "impose costs and distortions on the banking system".


At least that is what a footnote to his testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services on February 10th says. So is Bernanke actually proposing that banks should be allowed to have no reserves at all? That simply does not make any sense. But it is right there in black and white on the Federal Reserve's own website....


The Federal Reserve believes it is possible that, ultimately, its operating framework will allow the elimination of minimum reserve requirements, which impose costs and distortions on the banking system. If there were no minimum reserve requirements, what kind of chaos would that lead to in our financial system? Not that we are operating with sound money now, but is the solution to have no restrictions at all? ... What in the world is Bernanke thinking? But of course he is Time Magazine's "Person Of The Year", so shouldn't we all just shut up and trust his expertise? Hardly. The truth is that Bernanke is making a mess of the U.S. financial system. ( - The Economic Collapse.)"

Party Time for the Anglo-American elites?

RIP Kitty Micah Love You Forever

This post is to remember who in life was a wonderful kitty-cat, Micah.

She was born in May 2009 and was rescued by my sister and her husband. My sister found Micah one cold rainy morning when she was coming to work. The sweet kitty was so little, so fragile, we always wonder how she got there. She was hungry and lonely, but found food and love after my sister carried her and took her home.

Unfortunately, accidents happen, and sometimes is inevitable to avoid them. Micah was killed last night by a car driver when she was only 10 months old. My sister and my brother in law are very sad and miss her so much. I want to tell them I understand their pain and that I am with them.

I also want to tell them that Micah has crossed the rainbow bridge and that I hope that she has found my Misty (I lost my 14 year old cat on August 14 2007...and I still miss her so much) somewhere in the vast universe where kitty angels play and live forever.

Until we meet again, little precious Micah.

Happy FDIC Friday

The powers that be say that "we are in a recovery"...YAY! Let's jump, up and down, like Mrs. Pelosi behind Mr. President Obama...and clap, for the Greatest Recovery has come to town!

...or...should we doubt them, should we not believe them? What do you say?

Today, 7 more banks were closed by the FDIC -Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-. So far this year 2010, 37 banks have closed their doors.

State Bank of Aurora, Aurora, MN
First Lowndes Bank, Fort Deposit, AL
Bank of Hiawassee, Hiawassee, GA
Appalachian Community Bank, Ellijay, GA
Advanta Bank Corp., Draper, UT
Century Security Bank, Duluth, GA
American National Bank, Parma, OH

US BANKS CLOSED BY THE FDIC
since the Greatest Recession started

2008: 25 US banks
2009: 140 US banks
2010: 37 ...and keep counting...

You can read the complete list of US bank failures. Enjoy! [sarcasm]

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• FDIC Closes Appalachian Community Bank In Ellijay, GA (cehwiedel.com)
• FDIC Closes First Lowndes Bank In Fort Deposit, AL (cehwiedel.com)
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• Regulators shut 7 banks in 5 states; 37 in 2010 (sfgate.com)

Rosarito-Ensenada Cycling Ride

The time to do the Rosarito-Ensenada Party on Wheels has come again this year. It's a cycling ride that is part of the culture of Baja California since 1979, when it began.

The 50 mile bicycle ride [is fun and people from different parts of the world come to celebrate life on a bike] goes along the Pacific Coast all the way from downtown Rosarito to downtown Ensenada. At the finish line, there's a fiest with mariachis, plenty of food and drinks, right across a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean.

If you haven't done it at least once in your lifetime, come this year and participate, you won't regret it.

I have done it in the past years and it was quite fun and  an original experience that I cherish in my heart. Now I have built an excellent physical condition I do it on my own once a month, both ways.

Rosarito-Ensenada Bicycle Ride 2010
Next Rides

April 17, 2010

September 25, 2010

Round-Trip Buses from San Diego

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Tirreno Adriatico 2010 Finals

Boasson Hagen takes final stage of the Tirreno Adriatico, but can't put himself on podium.

"Milan-San Remo is a very long race and anything can happen," he said. "I'll do my best. My form's not perfect, I'm a bit tired and I'm not at 100 percent but I'll give it a go. I could attack alone but if the team works well I could do the sprint, we'll see happens on the day.
"I rode last year and this year I trained on the route before Tirreno-Adriatico but I know that there are other riders with far more experience than me. I'll try and take advantage of my teammates' experience. I know they'll help me and I know I've got to be at the front for the climbs. I just hope to do well."
Boasson Hagen has studied his main rivals during the seven days of racing at Tirreno-Adriatico and has picked his own favourite.
"My favourite is [Tom] Boonen because I saw him riding really well on the climbs. Although it's difficult to say because a lot of riders can win it. Milan-San Remo is always a wide open race."

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION after stage 7

1 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone 30:51:36
2 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:12
4 Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana 0:00:22
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:00:27
6 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 0:00:29
7 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:00:33
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:42
9 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 0:01:04
10 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 0:01:07

54 George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:22:49
78 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 0:43:30
83 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:47:27
104 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 1:02:12 

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Lance Armstrong Tour de France Secret

If you want to win the Tour de France, you have to get this helmet. I am sure that Lance Armstrong wore it 7 times.

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War vs Peace

Peace or war, hate or love, order or chaos. I wonder what really turns human beings on. There's so much talk about peace and war, and it seems to me that war is always the answer to solve the problems of humanity.
And I'm not talking only about the world wars, fake wars, Iraq bloody war civil wars, guerrillas and revolutions that have existed since the beginning of times. No, I'm also talking about the wars that go on in our own families, in our own neighborhoods. Humans seem to have a huge appetite for war...not for peace.
Few people in the past have fought the wars with peace, and where are they? John Lennon, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, where are they? DEAD
Oh, and the real peaceful makers are so few, only three came to mind, but there are probably few more that I'm missing right now...so few anyways.

And what has changed through out the years? A lot of technology in medical science, physics, astronomy, biology, chemistry. But the human greed for power and money still grows everyday, like cancer, and humans seem to love this deadly disease, don' t they? Oh please, don't tell me otherwise. Don't tell me that you accept all human races in the world to be equal, don't tell me that you accept gays and lesbians to be friends with your sons and daughters, don't tell me, white American, that you think that "Mexicans" are as clean and smart as you are, don't tell me, you Mexican citizen, that you think that Mexican Indians are YOUR equal, and what about the Israelis hating the Palestinians and the Palestinians hating them back, the Muslims, North Korea vs US vs South Korea, China trying to surpass United States to become the maximum power in the world (oh, that lust for power and money sounds good, doesn't it?). And how much land in the world still belongs to England? And the African regimes that enslave their own. Please, don't tell me that you like peace and love, don't tell me more lies because I AM TIRED OF LIES! For once, let's accept the truth. Let's accept that we have huge boundaries and prefer to be enclosed and surrounded by "our own people", but not to live in peace but to enslave them and make money from them. Let's accept the fact that the majority of human beings are selfish bastards who don't give a damn about anybody else but themselves.
And so, the wars win again.

I used to promote peace, I still do...sometimes. But it's getting tiring. When I see how Peace Nobel prize winners actually make war...well, what else, what hope is left there, none that I can see. And the worst thing of all, there's nowhere to turn. Hate prevails, even amongst Peace Nobel winners and Peace Nobel givers. What a corrupt system that is.
And so, the lies win again.

Now, don't tell me that there are a lot of peaceful activists, do not dare to mention Angelina Jolie, Bono, Al Gore -with his ridiculous global warming propaganda. Those type of activists are in the business of "promoting peace", they are not promoting peace without making millions of dollars from it, and that I guarantee you. And you might say, "it's better something than nothing". Well, I say: I rather truthful peace making or nothing at all. I rather truth, even if it hurts.

But what can we expect. We are being fed lies since the moment we are born. We are just a product of society, a product of consumption. That's what they want us to be. We have to fit in, within our family, in our society, in our schools, otherwise we get teased and bullied, either by an 8 year old classmate or by President Barack Hussein Obama. We have to fit in, otherwise we get rejected and mistreated, either by the righteous moralistic society or church we belong to, or by horrible dictators like Hitler, Stalin, Augusto Pinochet, etc, etc.
And so, the wars win again.

See, accepting blindly what has been washed into our brains is very easy. It makes us stupid and sheeple, but so what, if by accepting the lies we can fit in and live happily ever after, right? We just have to follow and don't have to understand nor rationalize anything. If we do that, we are in it, we are part of that society that is hateful and that eventually will take us to war. But who cares, we are at war all the time anyways! We are at war with our own family members, we are in the midst of an ugly divorce, we have just kicked out of the house our 15 year old lesbian daughter and sent her to the streets because "she's a sinner", we have just called all religious people "insane" because our atheistic way to be makes us smarter, we think that atheists are going to hell...unless they convert of course, we denigrate women, don't respect the purity and innocence of children, abuse animals and forget the elderly, the physically disable are...not as good as Mr. President Obama.
And so, the wars win again.

Listen, I am not making a case for peace with this rant. I am not making a case for war either. I am just fed up with the lies, the greed, the power that controls us and the infinite loneliness that all these actions have caused to humanity.
But we have survived, some of us are stronger now and should pledge to be stronger, happier and healthier. But to do that we all have to get rid of all this dirt of hypocrisy and embrace our own selves, We should want to become better human beings, but to do that, we have to be truthful...even if it hurts.
And so, the calm begins.

Cycling Nothing Can Keep Me From Cycling

Some people think I'm crazy because I like to go out cycling even in the worst weather conditions, even when the traffic is really heavy, even when I'm still recovering from a severe torn muscle (right shoulder rotator cuff ). And I have to agree with them. I am crazy about cycling, totally in love with this sport. I love everything about it and I am so thankful and feel privileged because I am able to practice it everyday of my life.

Cycling has changed me, it has definitely changed me inside and out, hey, even my heart is bigger now because of cycling! Does this make me a better lover?...tsk, nope, but tweaking my body is a wonderful experience. It makes me feel and look younger, it keeps my blood pressure under control and my brain super-oxygenated.

One thing is for sure: Hnothing, nothing can keep me from cycling...NOTHING!

Tom Boonen Tirreno-Adriatico Lover Boy

I just love Tom Boonen. Who wouldn't? He might not be the perfect strongest cyclist in the world but he's certainly one strong sprinter, handsome, charismatic and down to earth son of a gun cyclist!
I don't want to down play Gerdemann efforts leading this cycling competition, so there it goes my most sincere respect to him...but I hope that Boonen wins!

"I'm extremely satisfied," said Boonen. "Throughout my career I've won at all latitudes, a little all over the world, but I had never won in Italy. I like Italy a lot and I also like Italian races; with this success I've made up for a little something that was missing on my resume, and I'm really happy.
"It’s an important victory that gives me and all the team some hope and faith. The next few days here at the Tirreno-Adriatico will be very important to further fine-tune our condition as we look forward to the great events of the starting season, the first of which will surely be the Milano-Sanremo. I was motivated for the classics before I even arrived in Italy and now, after this success, I'm even more so." -Tom Boonen told reporters.

General classification after stage 2

1 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram 7:50:18
2 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
3 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:00:04
4 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
5 Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
6 Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:06
7 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
8 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram 0:00:08
9 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:09
10 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:00:10

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Alejandro Valverde Paris Nice Cycling 2010

Alejandro Valverde, second place in the overall classification after stage 4. Good for you Ale! You are DA MAN!

1. Alberto Contador                                                           
2. Alejandro Valverde +10
3. Kruizieger
4. LL Sanchez                             
5. Samuel Sanchez
6. J Voigt

American Cancer Society Closing Holland MI Office

I hope that Lance Armstrong finds out about this troublesome news. He is a full time cancer fighter and I am sure he wants to be informed about anything related to cancer, good or bad. The American Cancer Society in Holland, Michigan, is closing its doors for good due to the severe financial crisis going on.

“Hopefully in the future they’ll be able to reopen a branch in Holland, but right now the economy drives a lot of things,” -said  Bob Everett, facilities manager for Lakeshore Area Radiation Oncology Center.

The American Cancer Society helps patients who are in the risk of developing cancer, patients who already are battling cancer, supports several cancer research programs, promotes cancer prevention through agressive information and education programs. They also support detection, diagnostic and treatment procedures.

I  have the need to blog about this because NOBODY IN THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA IS REPORTING IT!
CNN, Fox News, Bloomberg, CBC, NBC, ABC, and the rest of the national TV channels, what are they talking about?!
I'll tell you. Lies, manipulation, financial 'wreckovery'...oh,  of course, and American Idol!

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Unfortunately Alberto Contador Wins 5 Seconds

Peter Sagan -Liquigas- takes stage 3 today in an amazing sprint at the finish. Unfortunately, "El Piss-tolero" wins 5 seconds in the overall classification and moves up to 7th place from 8th, yesterday.
As long as he doesn't win a stage I won't see him doing his ridiculous hand-gun shooting thingie.

General classification after stage 3

1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 12:40:26
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas - Doimo 0:00:06
3 Luis-Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:00:09
4 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Transitions 0:00:12
5 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas - Doimo 0:00:14
6 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 0:00:20
7 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana
8 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack 0:00:24
9 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:00:28
10 Xavier Tondo (Spa) Cervélo Test Team

Tomorrow, stage 4 will be a 172 km mountainous stage Maurs-la-Jolie to Mende.  The following picture is the profile and you can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish.

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Contador Crashes in Paris-Nice First Stage Loses Time

Alberto Contador and Heinrich Haussler crashed during the first stage of Paris-Nice 2010. Both fell off their bikes and Contador hurt his leg which made him lose important time on the leaders. Not that he did very well during the prologue either, since he couldn't beat Boom in the time trial -leader of the race- and came in 4th place. But after the first stage he felt back even more, to 8th place.

Video showing Contador crashing at 3:11

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Lance Armstrong Concedes Tour de France to Contador

Based on what Lance Armstrong has released to the Spanish press:

"It would be very difficult. I'm 38, Alberto is 27 and he's improving every year. I know it, people know it, Alberto knows it," -Lance told Spanish newspaper El Pais."

"...If I am at my the best for age 38, do not make mistakes, do not suffer crashes, not get sick or peak at the wrong time. If I don’t have bad luck and can do my best, I’ll have no regrets." -Lance said.

Is Lance Armstrong practically:

1. Conceding the Tour de France 2010 win to Alberto Contador, or
2. Playing mind games -appearing innocuous to fool the rival and then attack full force?

What do you think?

Lance Armstrong Loses Murcia Won by Rabon

Lance Armstrong is not very happy with a 7th place he got in the Tour of Murcia, and he shouldn't! He had been preparing for long time to make this year an special one, and now I wonder if he'll be able to take the crown away from Alberto Contador in this years' Tour de France. I hope so, because even though I recognize that Contador is a great cyclist, I just can't stand the way he acts when he wins a stage. I hate the hand gun-shooting thingie he displays every time he wins. It is so pathetic and vulgar, the hand-gun shooting, what does that have to do anything with cycling?! I dislike Contador very much, and that is not a secret, so there.
Frantisek RabonHopefully, Andy Schleck or Bradley Wiggins will give Contador a real hard time in the Tour de France and win it, in case that Lance is not capable of doing so anymore.

"In the time trial my position on the bike was good, but I lacked strength," explained the 38-year-old to Sporza. "But I'm not concerned. I am aware of the level of my performance, but I'm not stressed." -Lance Armstrong todl reporters.

In my personal opinion, Lance Armstrong should CONCENTRATE ONLY on competitive cycling. He is getting off focus. He's too busy meeting kings, queens and political powers of the countries he visits. No wonder he needs to be escorted by the Spanish Guardia Civil no.
A huge distraction for Lane Armstrong: did he meet with Nelson Mandela yesterday?! 


Bruyneel has one thing right:

Bruyneel said he thinks the problem is the lack of racing days, and told Sporza they're considering adding some races to his schedule. "Lance needs to race more," explained Bruyneel. "His condition is good, but he's lacking the speed and and changes in rhythm [he would get from racing]."

...but still, Bruyneel needs to tell Armstrong to stop all this political figure world tour visiting, or he'll never win the Tour de France anymore!

Congratulations to Frantisek Rabon for his Tour of Murcia fantastic win!

Final general classification

1	Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team HTC - Columbia	16:01:24
2	Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank	0:00:38
3	Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky	0:00:53
4	Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack	0:00:57
5	Josep Jufre (Spa) Astana	0:01:21
6	Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank	0:01:23
7	Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack
8	Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank	0:01:41
9	Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram	0:01:42
10	Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice	0:01:59

Gerald Celente Survives Chile Earthquake

I have great respect for Mr. Gerald Celente, Director of the Trends Research Institute, and I am very happy to know that he survived the 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake that devastated that wonderful country (Chile) last week.
I usually look for Mr. Celente's interviews all over the Internet and read his Trend Alerts. He is an amazing guy with so much class and elegance, he is so smart and well educated, he is kind and understanding, he has so much compassion for humanity but at the same time he lives in reality with dignity.

It is an honor for me to be able to share with you his latest Trend Alert. In fact, he wants us to spread the word around, he wants us to know what he knows best and not to believe him blindly, but to continue to do research, ask questions, learn and educate ourselves about economy, finances, history of the world, science. Remember, knowledge makes us free..

CELENTE SURVIVES CHILE EARTHQUAKE:
NEO-SURVIVALISM TREND IN ACTION

KINGSTON, NY, 4 MARCH 2010 — Among the Top Trends we had forecast for 2010 was “Neo-Survivalism.”

With so many once-dependable “Systems” taking a battering and breaking down – and with the certainty that there will never be a return to “normal” – The Trends Research Institute foresaw the need for new types of survivalist thinking designed to cope with future emergencies.

Our Winter 2010 Trends Journal^® provided practical guidelines and escape strategies applicable to a gamut of crises from economic meltdowns to terrorist attacks. (See Top Trends: Breaking Point 2010. “Neo-Survivalism” Click here.)  The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile on February 27^th put those theoretical guidelines and strategies to an acid test.

Institute Director Gerald Celente and colleague Gary Abatelli, on the last leg of a South American fact-finding mission, arrived in Santiago, Chile on Thursday, February 25^th.  Shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday, though in a 14^th floor room with all windows closed, they were awakened by the wild howling of the innumerable dogs that roam Santiago’s streets.  In retrospect, it was a wake-up-call … a harbinger of the mega-quake that would strike minutes later.  The 5-star Crown Plaza Hotel lurched and rocked.  Within the room the TV toppled, lamps crashed, drawers shot out of their bureaus.

Both close-combat black belts, Celente and Abatelli’s decades of physical and psychological training would serve them well.   Aware of Chile’s long history of quakes, at the first tremor, Celente bolted from bed, put on his pants, slipped on his shoes, grabbed his jacket and ran for the stairwell.   The two had just one thought in mind:  get out of the hotel before it collapsed.  Nothing else counted.  Personal possessions (passports, wallets, money, watches) became instant non-essentials.  When it comes to life and death, the only things to leave behind are everything.

During 90 seconds of violent quakes, they put into practice years of “wobble board” training: the art of maintaining balance while continuing to move forward no matter what is being thrown at you.  Flying down 14 stories of convulsing, pitching stairs, in just minutes (Celente reckons no more than three), they were first to reach the bottom.

Astonishingly, except for the hysterical cries of Madre de Dios coming from an escapee from a few floors above them, the stairwell was totally empty!  They would later learn, from interviews with hotel guests, that the majority froze in panic.  Some called the front desk for instructions, others waited for tour guides to direct them, a few huddled under desks, found refuge in bathtubs, or sought shelter in doorways.
Trend Institute lesson #1: We put our motto, “Think for yourself,” into action.  Luckily, though seriously damaged, the hotel stood.  Had it collapsed, those within it who were waiting to follow orders from tour guides or hotel personnel would have perished.  When survival is at stake – physical, fiscal or psychological – the only leader to follow is yourself.
Trend Institute lesson #2:  Prepare for the worst.  If the worst doesn’t happen, nothing is lost.  But if the worst happens and no preparations have been made … everything is lost.

The life-threatening element of the quake was past, but not the threat to life.   In the few minutes it took Celente and Abatelli to make it downstairs, out into the street and back to the hotel lobby entrance, wolf-packs of screaming young men materialized, seemingly out of nowhere, even though it was 4 AM.  Rampaging through the streets, they bowled over and mugged anyone unlucky enough to get in their path.  Police were nowhere to be seen.

Out of harm’s way for the moment, the next priority for Celente and Abatelli was finding a way out of Chile.  The devastation was vast and the airport shut down.  It was obvious that any sort of cleanup, to say nothing of repair and a restoration of services, would be slow to come.
Phase two of the Neo Survival Guide, as outlined in the Trends Journal^®, now came into play: “Communal spirit intelligently deployed is the core value of 'Neo-Survivalism.'”

Abatelli’s laptop was working and an email was fired off to John Perkins, their Attackproof.com close-combat mentor back in NY.  Immediately, Perkins sent out an SOS to his worldwide list of martial arts practitioners.  Within hours, advice was streaming in through a far-flung web of primary … then secondary and tertiary sources.

There were names and phone numbers of high-level Embassy officials; personal contacts in Chile and Argentina ready to help with funds and lodging.  Access to the AttackProof.com network assured them that they would not have to weather the crisis alone.   Among the dozens of suggestions, one held the promise of immediate escape: hire a car and driver to take them to Mendoza, Argentina, a ten hour drive from Santiago.  From there they could fly to Buenos Aires and in fact were actually able – despite other unforeseen complications – to catch their scheduled flight back to New York.
Trendpost: The “Neo-Survivalism” principles carefully developed by The Trends Research Institute had been put into action and passed a crucial test.  While the odds of being caught up in another major earthquake may be remote, analogous crises are not only possible, but probable in the near future.
We foresaw “Neo Survivalism” as a Top Trend for 2010, because in these critical times a range of socioeconomic calamities and geopolitical upheavals will require individual and collective responses beyond any government’s ability to address.  Terror attacks, economic meltdowns, crime waves, food shortages, infrastructure-disrupting cyber attacks, extended power outages and wars are all possibilities that the “on-trend” should be preparing for.This is a link to the online version

Mr. Gerald Celente is founder and director of The Trends Research Institute, author of Trends 2000 and Trend Tracking (Warner Books), and publisher of The Trends Journal. He has been forecasting trends since 1980, and recently called “The Collapse of ’09.”
 
Copyright © 2010 Trends Research Institute