REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY . Lest WE forget ?

TODAY we recognise the FALLEN, from a variety of  World WARS and other conflicts . Many of those were Volunteers and Draftees, but increasingly they are those that chose the Profession . Regardless of their Motivation , those of us in the FREE World, should be thankful for their sacrifice .

Behind those lost on the battlegrounds , are so many more that arrived home with Life Changing Injuries and Health problems . These People also deserve recognition ! Many will have had to rebuild their lives , since they will be missing Limbs or suffering from Mental Issues , which are not readily visible . It is only in recent times that " Post Traumatic Syndrome " is regarded as a REAL Health complaint . Sad that so many were ridiculed , even shot during the World Wars , having been regarded as Cowards and also Malingerers?

Increasingly Paralympic Sport , has been treated as a way , to rehabilitate Troops , returning from the battlegrounds . Since the Sydney 2000 Paralympics , more and more countries are finding that their best Athletes are coming from Military Backgrounds . Somewhere i saw a report , that less than 9% of "Physically Challenged People " , were born with Disability . This surely must demonstrate that there are far too many suffering Accidents and becoming the Casualities of Military actions ?

Even today we are seeing News Reports of the Phillipines Disaster , reports of the DEAD , continue to mount , yet there is no mention of those that suffer Life Changing Injury . Perhaps some of those will succumb to their injuries , due to inadequate Hospital Facilities ? When you look at the scale of the  2004 Sunami Losses and the Haiti Disasters , it is easy to pass onto what is about to happen in Vietnam because of the same Weather System ?

Amongst my Tweets today , there was a reminder of the " Remembrance Sunday " in Canada :

1. Rick Hansen Fdn ‏@RickHansenFdn9 Nov

   @CDNParalympics thinking about the returning veterans who paved the way & inspired me as a young athlete http://cnw.ca/w0WXm  #TrueHeroes

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2. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour3h

   @RickHansenFdn @SO_SL @CDNParalympics @AUSParalympics @AUSOlympicTeam At the going down of the sun...WE will REMEMBER THEM! Lest WE FORGET!

No doubt there will be similar Tweets and Facebook posts throughout the day?


With the IRAQ Conflict over , and the Afganistan Conflict reaching it's conclusion in 2014 , we are still in a Dangerous World ? The Kenyan Outrage demonstrates that there are those that wish to influence our lives ?

Even when we are NOT in a Conflict , there are those that have to adjust to the horrors they suffered in serving US ! Today Phillip Hammond MP , reported from Helmand Base , that for EACH Trooper lost , there were more than 2 sent home missing Limbs . Those " Injured Personnel " , will spend the rest of their Lives , living in a different manner to what their Families had anticipated when they signed up for the " Armed Services "? With even 100% vigilance by the Policing and Security Forces , there will still be the inevitable Casuality , in these modern Guerilla Actions ! Shameful actions of these people , still garner " News Network" attention , regardless of the atrocities perpetrated .

WHILST it is important that Citizens Rights are observed , i feel sure that removing the over the top  "Sensionalism " from the Media Output , would help to reduce the " Terrorists' "  desire for publicity ? Yes we need to know that 5 were arrested for "Questionable Activities " . NO we do not need to know about a "British Woman " , that was married to a known terrorist tied into the " London Bombings "! Yet SKY news use this story as many as twice an hour , to promote their " WE GO WHERE THE STORY OCCURS " , self promotions ! They are not the only Media Outlet , that vigourously pats their OWN BACK by eulogising terrorist !

ADDITION on 11th November !

Tonight i wanted to see the funeral of the 99yo Airman that served with the "Dam Busters " of Bomber Command , in World War 2 ! With the Philippine Disaster front and centre , with ALL News Networks , it was necessary to wait . SKY News being the principal Network for the UK news , i waited . Of course they need to earn revenue to support Rupert Murdoch in the manner that he has become accustomed , so we go to Ads . YOU GOT IT ! Back Pat time , once again , AND , it being The NATIONAL DAY for Remembrance , ARMISTACE DAY , they worked in that " Sicko Widow of the London Bomber" in that Back pat ad , AGAIN !

WHO is the prat that thinks this is WORTHY NEWS Material ?

My tweets :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour9m

Respect. Admiration. Gratitude. To all the veterans who have served our C/wealth! Moving Tribute to 99yo Airman shows a Nation's GRATITUDE !

1. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour17m

   1/2 @skynews POPPY DAY, NOT the time to be eulogising the sicko widow of LONDON Bomber ! 17.19gmt your BackPAT Ad with her then 99yo burial!

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2. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour18m

   2/2 @skynews R U giving Security Forces the finger,allowing terrorists drive your INCOME & set Your NEWS agenda? See http://parrabuddy.blogspot.com 

NOW decided that SKY TV , is the ADvertising Medium for terrorism ! This is another addition , since i returned at 18.17gmt , to find them rerunning an item about the 2011 Moscow Airport Bombing , then immediately there was a rerun of the Ad above ! ARE they giving me, the finger also ?

When so many Kenyans and Boston Marathon Victims were Killed and injured , the story is " THE Perpetrators " , not THE VICTIMS ! It is sickening that these Media Outlets , chose to ignore the plight of the victims ! How hard would it be to show the story of the Dancer , that lost a leg , once a day ? THAT Woman deserves a MEDAL , for her Positive approach to HER NEW LIFE ! She is an inspiration to ALL , yet these News Networks remind the "feeble minded aspirants " to the next atrocities , that they can expect recognition ,for GRUDGES against Society.

 HOW many of YOU , are like me , fed up of the News Networks treating Citizens with disdain ?

TIME we TOLD THEM that " Sensationalism of the SICK MINDED Perpetrators is NOT EVER ACCEPTABLE !

As i watch SKY NEWS present the Ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall , i am awaiting THEIR next "PAT on the Back " info item ! It is a shame that the British Forces lost 10 Service members in the last 12 months AND they share the amount of " airtime time " as that sicko , that is being sought for a connection with atrocities in several countries . One wonders how the Families of those Quietly Recognised today , feel about their " LOST Family Members " being overlooked daily , yet for drumming up viewers SKY TV chooses " perpetrators of Atrocities "?

THE Queen has arrived , the 2 minutes of SILENCE will now be observed !

To those that SERVED , THANKYOU !

To those FALLEN :

  " They shall not grow OLD ...

 .. At the going down of the sun , WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM "!

WIGGO

Brad from my own experience is a retiring sort of Guy ! Nor easy to approach in earlier years from my experience . Remember when he arrived for the Team Time trial in the Giro d’Italia , in the team Jaguar . I was looking to get him to autograph the Maillot that I had awaiting him . Seemed a bit distant , perhaps distracted / huffy , but then his mind would be on the business in hand ,rather than my concerns . Recently after the conclusion of the Dauphine Libere in Les Chablets I rode alongside him as he was going from one place to another and he was quite friendly as I wished him luck at the TDF . Same response from Cadel who was carrying his son on the bike as he was heading back to the Team Pullman .

Remember being in Pau at the Novotel one  “ Le Tour “ rest day , saw Lance going in from the Training ride which I had missed having been with another Team . Called out for him to autograph a Maillot , but he too was hurrying . Knowing where he would be having lunch in the hotel I sat in that foyer for perhaps an hour . Knew that he would arrive eventually I was content to wait but had not realised he had gone out the other door until Eki told me as he passed .

Racers have lives and they do some things like ordinary people , but they give up a lot of their free time , to give the Media and “ fans “ the attention THEY DEMAND ! Yes , demand ! Fact is , WE THE PUBLIC , are not entitled to demand their time !  That they give up their time is a bonus ! So many want a moment with a “ personality “ from whatever activity they choose to follow , guess it gives them “ bragging rights “ ?

In these Blogs  you will find numerous examples of my contact with “ personalities “ even some have asked to be introduced to me , yes me !  Happens some of their family will say “ Get his Photo or autograph “! Won’t embarrass the Aussie Cycle Racer that recently told me he needed my photo .

Seem to recall in earlier years photos of Stuey O’Grady and Robbie Mc Ewan exchanging autographs in Cycling news ! Recall the 2001 Vuelta rest day when Jimenez asked for my autograph as we rode around Barcelona , this started the others asking and it was a nightmare with me wobbling all over the road as I tried to oblige .

Reading the CNF “ Clinic “ makes you realise the depths , people will descend to in their vitriol towards those , on whom they choose to turn the spotlight . Lance of course is their No 1 target . The jealousy and hatred they exude is unbelievable , on a scale of 1 to 10 it would be 110 !  Whenever a cycle Racer wins an event , the scrutiny starts , yet to look there to see what and how much has been heaped on Dave Millar’s shoulders , after yesterday’s victory !

Millar time was the theme of his fans at Futurescope , when he won the  Time Trial on his first ride in the “ Le Tour “ , and it continues a decade later . Would not surprise me if he won another Etappe before Paris , certainly he will have raised the morale of the team , which was damaged by Christian losing 10 minutes in the first week and Ryder going home injured .  Read an article last night on Dave that  written earliy in the week , computer crashed overnight and it was lost !

Brad’s behaviour at the Press Room was greeted with many supportive Tweets from other of the TDF Racers but one wonders what Sky Management had to say on the subject . It’s a free for all in the Press Room , most ONLY get paid when their article is used so it is necessary for them to create controversy . They got it in spades that night , may even have pushed the Lance story aside for a period . Even more speculation was created when the “ WAGS “ started tweeting about the day’s events after Froomy made an attack from the rear .

Each morning  when the Team Pullman arrives in the “ Ville Depart “ the team have a meeting and discuss “ Broad Strokes “ for the day’s Etappe . Duties are assigned and “ what ifs “ are discussed in some detail . Cadel is a thorn in the side of the Sky team and they plan how to negate his plans . With Chris being by Brad’s side they have the chance to cause Cadel problems . Who is to say that Froomy dropped back as planned and then attacked , so as to cause Cadel and the others , to waste energy in a fruitless chase ?

With the TV in each team car and France 3 TV doing such a good job , Sky’s DS was able to see Cadel’s negative response . Could he then have decided that there was little point in Chris continuing the attack ? Could Brad have been left adrift in the last 4km ? If he was left alone would he have lost some time to others whilst Froomy chased hard on the possibility of taking the Etappe victory  ? Critical decisions that only a Team DS can make BUT subject to the wild speculation of outsiders , particularly the media !

Much has been made of the events surrounding Sky this week and Brad has tried to help outsiders understand his POV in his blog to the English Guardian newspaper :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jul/13/bradley-wiggins-dope-drugs

An interesting and articulate exposition of his point of view ! Doubt that he wrote all , no doubt dictated and then transcribed by the PR guy on the Team Pullman . Perhaps it has been playing on his mind all week and thus several versions were then polished until he was satisfied . When you see him oh the bike he looks pensive and now we see the result .

From my POV it was a well thought out article and covers most of the questions that anyone would wish answered .

I think all Pro Cyclists have a responsibility to be forthright on the subject of doping, the culture of “ Omertá “ is one that cannot be allowed to continue. My blogs are full of calls for the Racers to take responsibility and call for a “ Sports Moratorium “!

On the other hand, there is a right and wrong way of questioning cyclists about it, and  half an hour after a tough mountain stage probably isn't the best time to antagonise the person who gives up their Personal time to help you earn your living  .

Because of “ le Tour “ there is increased interest at this time of the year, people will still continue to point the finger because they don't appreciate that there are “ clean Racers “ and racing  can be done another way .   Things are slowly changing ,but  it's through the strict policies of teams like Sky and Garmin that doping will be driven into a smaller segment of the  minority of “ Chancers .

Was interested to read of his experiences with Team Cofidis and his decisions in Pau airport . Regrettably this was the same team that lost a Racer during this TDF . Yet so many will praise David Moncoutie for his opposition to Doping and remember also that notables such as Stuey O’Grady , Matt White , David Millar and Lance Armstrong have been members of this team over the past 15 years .

Speculation has surfaced in the last days as to who should lead the Sky Team until Paris . Bjarne Riis was replaced by Jan Ulrich some years back during the 1996 “ Le tour “ but one hopes that there is no substance to those thoughts . One thing is clear from Chris’s comments , and that is that he follows Team Orders . When the TDF is over there will be time for the Media to consider who should employ his talents ! I think that SKY will reward him for his efforts and he will lead their other teams as a Captain if he chooses that path .

During the Dauphine libere i asked you to voice support for the " PARALYMPIC GAMES " . Your PR guy , to whom i also addressed this request ,  would also have mentioned this request to you . With your Foundation you are able to help many people but the Media need to be reminded , constantly , that there are many less fortunate than you or i needing " Sponsors " to achieve their best in Sport .

Calling on John Fahey of WADA and Jacques Rogge of IOC , to put an end to " Doping " by introducing a " Sports Moratorium " is perhaps the best approach to cutting the " gordian knot " ! My articles http://bit.ly/Obuo0C & http://goo.gl/fb/q7UXl   ask them to ACT ! TIME PEOPLE got a grip on the situation and made those with " skeletons in the closet " confess and reveal their disdeeds , so that those in Sport are aware of whom they are dealing with !

As Johan Bruyneel said " It's windy at the Top "! Whilst you have the audience , you can achieve what few others would like to be able to get , a result !

Brad as I said to you , on our last meeting , “ Be the best you can be , everything else is icing on the cake “!

Best Wishes for your safe arrival in Paris !