Currently i am watching Two Major Incidents , that have a substantial impact on my life .
Cycling and the UCI .
Gun Control Issues in the USA .
Cycling is going through a Crisis , which should have been dealt with in 1999 , as most people had thought , resulting from action caused by the " Festina Affair "! Seems there was little done then , so for a decade and half , Racers have been able to utilise EPO and Blood Doping to their benefit . Since 1998 , crisis after crisis , have plagued Cycle Racing , so much so , that ALL results from 1990 have been suspect . Even Greg LeMond's 1990 Tour de France Triumph is questioned by a " vocal minority " in the Cycling News Clinic . My impression is that they are deranged , trouble makers . Miguel indurain has had mud thrown at his efforts also , by these same people as well as in other Cycling Forums . Bjarne Riis , has admitted his behaviour and Jan Ulrich has paid out a Substantial amount to the German Government to make a Prosecution cancelled .
We all know of Marco Pantani's unfortuate death from Drugs and his being sent home from the 1999 Giro d'Italia , whether he was using at the 1998 " Le Tour " is suspect . Everyone is aware that Lance Armstrong has been stripped of his 7 TDF Titles as was Flandis in 2006 . In place of Flandis , the Spaniard Oscar Periero was awarded the TDF Victory , a questionable background there , however . Contador was the 2007 " Le Tour " winner but he has been stripped of some of his Victories in recent years due to a " Tainted Meat ingestion "! Carlos Sastre , a Spaniard with a good reputation , won the 2008 " Le Tour ", his Team Managers , however , have questionable reputations . In later years we have Contador , Schleck, Evans and Wiggins all winners of the Tour de France , being splattered with " Mud " by Social Media .
Cycling is a Sport , dominated by the Annual Tour de France , but even the other Annual Grand Tours , Giro d'Italia and Vuelta Espana , have had cases of " Musical Chairs "! With the 3 Major Events , there are supporting Acts , in the form of the " Tour de Suisse , Dauphine Libere and lately the Tour Down Under & Tour of California " being tainted by those seeking " Unsporting advantage by PED usage . Most of these events are UCI Pro World Calender , Sanctioned Events with UCI controlling the " Anti Doping Controls "!
Were i President , i would immediately request the WADA Management to take control of the " Anti Doping Testing " ! Racers would be subjected to a " Truth and Reconciliation Commission " , before they are granted the necessary licence for the New Season . Back Room Staff would ALSO be required to submit to this process , since so many of them were Racers , that have retired from Active Competition .
Teams would be required to continue to meet the current standards that ensure their Licence , but they would be held to a higher standard in respect of communicating " Contractual Agreements with Staff "!
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So many Racers this year are finding out by default , that they have no contract for 2013 . There should be a Website , available to ALL , showing the state of play at 30th September each year .
Winnings by Racers would be placed in a " Suspence Fund " , which would allow them to withdraw Monies after their " Honourable Retirement "! Those that choose to use PEDs to enhance their career , will forfeit ALL Winnings to that point ! Since most Pro World Racers have a Salary in excess of the UCI " Minimum Salary Level , there would be no reason for them to be inconvenienced by this Change of Procedure .
Currently i am aware of the efforts of www.changecyclingnow.org and their Petition , to inspire change in the UCI . Today i became aware of @Gaudryt becoming the President of the Oceania Division of UCI and meeting recently with CCN.org . I would hope this leads to her being persuaded to challenge for the Presidency of the UCI at an early date .
GUN CONTROL ISSUES :
If i were in President Obama 's shoes , i would be , TODAY , calling to the White House the Leaders of both Houses of Congress . I would be asking them to call a Joint Sitting of Congress , TOMORROW , bringing back the Bills repealed in 2004 , and any other GUN CONTROL Bills , that have been set aside in recent years . The Leaders of the Joint Sitting , have the ability to see these Bills are voted back into LAW , at the EARLIEST time possible . As i am not a Citizen of the USA , i am unfamiliar with the procedures that need to be observed , however , there is a " Political Will " available at this time .
The US Public will back this action , since they will agree with Mayor Bloomberg's assessment , that 48000+ people could lose their lives in the immediate future through " Firearms Misuse "! There is nothing to be gained by delaying Legislation of Bills that have been repealed . New Bills will be required to cover a multitude of Issues that need to be addressed by Congress and these should be drafted as a matter of Urgency . Examination of the Laws passed in the Australian and British Parliaments after their " Gun Outrages " will provide a wealth of information to be used as a base for a " US Gun Control Bill "!
Copy Cat Killing Sprees come about because some of their Perpetrators are seeking " Postumous Notoriety "! Why should these misguided people be recognised in history ? Each " Atrosity " from this time forward should be governed by a decision by the Media to call the perpetrator " Person X " , thus depriving the public of a way to identify with their exploits . When the perpetrators commit " suicide " , what benefit do they gain by the enquiries generated by the Media ? With the " Newtown Incident " , the perpetrator appears to have been carrying the brother's " ID " , does the family have to suffer , the public retribution for an incident , of which they had no part ? Media delved into areas that had no benefit to the Law Officers , who were trying to control the Information flow , so that they could finalise their investigations in a satisfactory manner . What benefit to you or I , was the Interview of a young neighbour about the personality of the perpetrator ?
Personally i could care less about the perpetrator , knowing his motives are of no value , it does nothing to help bring back those that died . More time seemed to be spent by CNN on the perpetrator than on the Victims . Only after president obama paid tribute to the young victims , did we see more about them . I guess part of this may have been due to the Law Enforcement Officers , trying to shield the Families from Intrusive efforts from the Media ?
Over too many years , the " National Rifle Association " has bought the allegiance of " Politicians " , they are Human Beings , that are lucky not to have had Tragedies in their Families ! How many of the " Board Members of NRA " would forgive the " shooter " for killing their Family "? The 2nd Amendment was incorporated in the Constitution , in the belief that it was the right thing to do , when the US Constitution was Created . That was the 18th Century , when Americans were trying to throw off the yoke imposed on them by King George and his Troops . This is the 21st Century and circumstances have changed . The USA is the Policeman of the World , it has a Professional Armed Service , not a rag tag bunch of people who would be called to arms when danger threatens !
Would that i could , i would require ANY Owner of a Gun , that can discharge more than one round without being reloaded , to be on a National Register , the weapon to be kept in a Locked Cabinet , preferably requiring two key holders . Those that have Weapons in their homes should be required to turn over to the National Guard , the Magazines of those weapon , for safekeeping , until their " New Permit " has been issued .
The National Data base , would be loaded from existing State Registers , there would be additional information required of each Gun Holder . To obtain the " New Permit " , my belief is that TWO separate Agencies should be involved in investigating the background of those seeking to obtain the necessary " New Permit " . By this procedure , most of the " Old Boy Networking " could be voided . Health Checks should Also be subjected to an Independent Panel , avoiding placing Family doctors in an Invidious situation !
Law Enforcement Personnel and those involved in the Security of Higher Level Political Entities would be exempt , initially from these requirements , but in the fullness of time be required to meet the Annual Review .
Currently the " Gun Control " situation appears to be laughable , since , a " NRA spokesman " advised last night , on the " Piers Morgan Show of CNN , that there is a register of those " Banned " from owning a weapon "! Was he joking ? I can understand that " Criminals and those subjected to medical Sanctions ", SHOULD NOT be allowed to possess weapons , but who else are added to this register ? Regardless of any actions taken , there will always be the problems of the " Criminal Elements " gaining possession of Weapons !
Australia initiated a " Buyback scheme for weapons " , that had a very successful result . To encourage people to turn over their weapons to the National Guard , i would offer each household the option of a " TAX rebate " of Twice the Monetary Value of the weapon in the first month of the scheme , 150% in the second month and 100% in the third month ! Those choosing to try to obtain their " New Permit " , should have to pay a substantial Upfront Fee for the " New Permit " , increasing in expense in relation to the calibre and size of the magazine ! " New Permits " should be available from a decision made within six months of application .
Gun Shop Owners will of course be screaming " Blue Murder " as will the " NRA " , but if they had to walk the halls of the " Newtown Elementary School " and seen the carnage , i am sure they would prefer to suffer a financial loss rather than be the " Victim of a shooting incident "!
Whatever i have missed , in my inexperience in such matters , i am sure there are many , that can add to my knowledge and sensible additions to this post would be welcomed .
Once again my Sympathies to the Families of People that have lost Family/ies and Friends in Past Outrages !
Updating my thoughts on " Copy Cat situations "! last night i watched the Newtown Catholic Church evacuated because of a " Bomb threat " and just now , CNN report the " Lock Down of A neighbouring Town's Schools , as a result of Suspicious behaviours !
In the next months it is my belief that there will be too many more of these situations !
Would like to wish ALL the Compliments off the Season and a PEACEFUL NEW YEAR !
Those wishing to make a point , can sign my Petition :
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/president-of-united-states-of-america-repeal-the-2nd-amendment
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