Friday, November 28, 2008

8 Fox Fork Modification Warnings, Julich Explains The Pro Cycling Business, and more....


1. INTERNATIONAL TERROR IN INDIA : Very disturbing news across the globe, and my condolences to everyone involved. The virgin-seeking brothers of Muhammad have struck again, this time in a dramatic fashion. In an opportunistic move, taking advantage of intelligence failures and maritime security loopholes, a dozen fearless Islamic fundamentalists got off a speedboat with bags of RDX explosives, automatic weapons and ammunitions. Parting into teams, they then headed into multiple locations in the financial center of India, spraying bullets into streets, killing hundreds of people commando style and then seizing two major hotels in the city and a third Jewish center with many hostages in hand. With 125 dead, the hostage situation is still unfolding as I write, and a fierce and chilling gun battle ensues between terrorists and the government's National Security Guard. Citizens of India, America, UK, Australia, Italy, Germany etc are among the dead.

Live minute by minute CNN webcast here

The Pakistani Connection : NewsWeek

The Terrorist's Tactics Explained : Telegraph UK

A Limited List of Victims (Google Docs, via Twitter. Can You Imagine? Twitter being used extensively in a terror crisis?? Amazing! It shows how powerful blogging can be.)



2. SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH FROM FORK MODIFICATIONS :
Fox has put out a statement on its website for all Fox Shox users against misapplication of its forks. Its pretty interesting. The bottom line is that, in the name of saving money, don't modify forks or use them for the wrong applications. Here's the opening part of their statement :

It has come to the attention of FOX Racing Shox that certain individuals and / or entities are modifying FOX forks to accommodate mountain bike wheel sizes other than those having 26 inch nominal diameter. One such modification includes removing material from the lower leg cross bridge in order to fit a 29 inch tire in the fork. Such modification will ultimately separate the lower fork legs at the cross bridge (i.e. the weakened cross bridge will fracture) and may cause bicycle instability and crash that result in SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Read more here.



3. SHIMANO DI2 WINS 2009 IF DESIGN AWARD : First, it was Popular Mechanics handing them the "Best of What's New 2008" innovation award. Now Shimano's electronic shifting technology has further diversified itself by bagging the prestigious IF Design Award 2009 in the 'Leisure/Lifestyle' category. The basis for the award was upon its innovation, functionality and design level. I wonder what SRAM and Campagnolo are thinking now. Read more on this story here.



4. VINTAGE SHELBY BICYCLE AD : Shelby bikes was made well before my time. But here's an interesting graphic ad showing shocks inside their head tubes.





5. USACYCLING LICENSES ON SALE ON DEC 1 :
Get your hands on one for next season. Just one reminder. They are bumping up their insurance surcharges. Check it out.



6. BOBBY JULICH EXPLAINS THE PRO CYCLING BUSINESS : If you're a talented rider but don't know a nut about the pro cycling business, then retired pro Bobby J. is taking it upon himself to explain it briefly. He reveals how cycling contracts work, what the first salaries are like, the "free agent" market, and his personal experiences on rest and relaxation off the bike. He also admits that getting back into training after the break wasn't always easy. Read his Nov 19 column here.



7. Disgraced cyclist Schumacher will now create a new sensation by deciding to sue the Tour de France. Great!





Lets fight doping, and lets fight sponsored terror!


Have a great and safe weekend.

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:55 AM

    I heard a little about this incident in India from a work colleague. However I didn't imagine it would be on such a massive scale. My heart is with all the hostages and families of victims.

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  2. Anonymous8:38 AM

    Maybe its time India needs to do a USA and bring Pakistan to its bloody knees.

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  3. I hear its been almost 3 days and still no end in sight?

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  4. Anonymous7:40 PM

    I love how they say they 'sanitized' the buildings. Thats just what they are, inhuman germs!

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  5. Anonymous8:56 PM

    The gunbattle is just cool. My prayers are with the Indian commandos. Hopefully those Islamic animals will be shamed in front of the world, in the way they rightly deserve.

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  6. Anonymous11:35 PM

    Bunch of jingo-spouting-American idiots. Watch Fox news much? The world is a bit more complicated than you it is in your fly-over-states. Here's the real deal: terrorism is a desparate attempt to make an impact against an enemy who holds most of the cards.

    Terrorism is a military tactic, not a political point of view. States hate terrorism because it levels the playing field, not because they care about their citizens. If your state did, you'd have the draft, but that would make your military as pale and wealthy as average America, whereas the military is browner, poorer and less educated. Get it?

    You want to encourage terrorism? Keep people poor, disenfranchised, and go to their country and kill some of their family or friends. You want to stop it? Support their legitimate representatives, don't kill people, and throw money at their economies. That's why Japan and Germany did NOT have anti-US terrorism after WWII. Geez, you people once knew how to run an empire.

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  7. Anonymous4:00 AM

    To Anon 11:35

    Give it a rest, dipsh*t. We all know U.S. foreign and domestic policy has some serious, uh, issues. But your rant also offers a dangerously hyper-simplified view of the world.

    Just ride your freaking bike -- sounds like you could use the fresh air.

    Fletcher

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  8. All I have to say is that no terrorist act can be justified based on its political, religious and ideological motives. Killing innocents on the basis of weak Islamic doctrines is no freedom struggle at all. I hope the most atrocious fires of hell don't forgive these bastards.

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Thank you. I read every single comment.