MAXINE

Science, Facts, Fraud, & "Climategate"

2009-11-25T06:51:00.000-08:00

The AGW Myth: An increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, especially a sustained increase great enough to cause changes in the global climate. The Earth has experienced numerous episodes of global warming through its history, and currently appears to be undergoing such warming. The present warming is generally attributed to an increase in the greenhouse effect, brought about by increased levels of greenhouse gases, largely due to the effects of human industry and agriculture. Expected long-term effects of current global warming are rising sea levels, flooding, melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, fluctuations in temperature and precipitation, more frequent and stronger El Niños and La Niñas, drought, heat waves, and forest fires.Image Credit: The Minority Report

Science, facts, fraud, and "Climategate"

What are we to believe? ... what are we to believe?

Is nothing sacred anymore?

The simple answer was spoken by Ronald Reagan in his negotiations with the USSR during the run-up to the end of the "Cold War" ... "trust, but verify"!

Last week, it was discovered to what lengths the science based community (and economy) would go to protect what it held on to most dearly ... the Anthropogenic Global Warming myth (aka AGW).

The conspiracy that was propping up this expensive world CONTROL (Copenhagen) gimmick --- has been suddenly, brutally and quite deliciously exposed after a hacker broke into the computers at the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit (aka CRU) and released 61 megabytes of confidential files onto the internet.
(ht: Watts Up With That)

These exposed hacked emails, exchanged by some of the most prominent scientists pushing AGW theory, suggest conspiracy, collusion in exaggerating warming data, possibly illegal destruction of embarrassing information, organized resistance to disclosure, manipulation of data, private admissions of flaws in their public claims and much more.

One of the alleged emails has a gentle gloat over the death in 2004 of John L Daly (one of the first climate change skeptics, founder of the Still Waiting For Greenhouse site), commenting:

“In an odd way this is cheering news.”

The Gore effect in its full glory: The subject of climate change (formerly known as ‘Global Warming‘ until the planet refused to cooperate) is highly controversial and considered a ‘religion’ in some European circles. This climate change concept has now been exposed as a mass fraud perpetrated to gain money, power, and control over all human activity. Image Credit: CapnBob.us

This excerpted and edited from Pajamas Media -

Climategate: Alarmism Is Underpinned by Fraud (PJM Exclusive)
November 25, 2009 - by Ian Plimer - Pajamas Media

In the geological past, there have been six major ice ages. During five of these six ice ages, the atmospheric carbon dioxide content was higher than at present. It is clear that the colorless, odorless, non-poisonous gas called carbon dioxide did not drive past climates. Carbon dioxide is plant food, not a pollutant.
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In the 600-year long Roman Warming, it was 4ºC warmer than now. Sea level did not rise and ice sheets did not disappear. The Dark Ages followed, and starvation, disease, and depopulation occurred. The Medieval Warming followed the Dark Ages, and for 400 years it was 5ºC warmer. Sea level did not rise and the ice sheets remained. The Medieval Warming was followed by the Little Ice Age, which finished in 1850. It is absolutely no surprise that temperature increased after a cold period.

Unless I have missed something, I am not aware of heavy industry, coal-fired power stations, or SUVs in the 1,000 years of Roman and Medieval Warmings.
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There was warming from 1860 to 1880, 1910 to 1940, and 1976 to 1998, with intervening periods of cooling. The only time when temperature rise paralleled carbon dioxide emissions was 1976-1998. The other warmings and coolings in the last 150 years were unrelated to carbon dioxide emissions.

Something is seriously wrong. To argue that humans change climate requires abandoning all we know about history, archaeology, geology, astronomy, and solar physics. This is exactly what has been done.

The answer to this enigma was revealed last week. It is fraud.

Files from the UK Climatic Research Unit were hacked. They show that data was massaged, numbers were fudged, diagrams were biased, there was destruction of data after freedom of information requests, and there was refusal to submit taxpayer-funded data for independent examination.

Data was manipulated to show that the Medieval Warming didn’t occur, and that we are not in a period of cooling. Furthermore, the warming of the 20th century was artificially inflated.

This behavior is that of criminals and all the data from the UK Hadley Centre and the US GISS must now be rejected. These crooks perpetrated these crimes at the expense of the British and U.S. taxpayers.

The same crooks control the IPCC and the fraudulent data in IPCC reports. The same crooks meet in Copenhagen next week and want 0.7% of the Western world’s GDP to pass through an unelected UN government, and then on to sticky fingers in the developing world.

You should be angry. Very angry.
Reference Here>>

We, at MAXINE, say Pull The Plug!

Pull the plug on almost every (public and private) expensive, well meaning, based on fraud CO2 reduction "EXCHANGE" (read that as cap & trade) program that exists. Investigate Al Gore and others who have profited greatly on this public money supported science enterprise and SCAM. Pull the plug on all activity envisioned through accords reached and projected through meetings in Kyoto and Copenhagen!

Let us all demand that the Science community gets back to establishing tested scientific FACT ... and thereby, get its truth back ... while we demand a refund on all of our tax money that has been spent (fleeced) on this concept and myth of Anthropogenic Global Warming - let us demand our money back!

Today's vote in the Senate - Slavery?

2009-11-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Preventive Service Task Force announced Nov. 16, 2009, that it now recommends against annual mammograms for women 40 to 49 because the potential harms of routine screening in this age group outweigh the benefits. These downsides include radiation exposure, cost and the trauma of false positives. Many doctors agree with the new guidelines. But some breast cancer survivors back the screenings. ABC News asked BreastCancer.org and Breast Cancer Network of Strength for stories from women who believe that mammograms they received before age 50 saved their lives. Here are the experiences of a few of the women who shared their stories with us. Image Credit: Stephanie Scott/Jaclyn Fisher/Joann Long/Susan Lorenz

Today's vote in the Senate - Slavery?

Today, we will see a forced vote in the Senate brought about by the Democrat Political party and the leader in the Senate, Harry Reid (D-NV).

People would like real reform of our healthcare system as it has evolved over these last five decades, but what the Senate is voting on does nothing to reform or correct where our healthcare system has strayed off of the tracks. Instead, this 2,000 plus page monstrosity is designed to make average citizens economic line items of the state while creating a defined ruling class who do not have to subject themselves to the same life determining rules, assistance (or lack thereof), and costs as the rest of us.

The clear signal of what this Administration and Congressional leadership intends for the healthcare management for the rest of us came early this week when a committee working in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Obama Administration’s Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius came out with recommendations to reduce screening for breast cancer in women. The new mammography guidelines, released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Monday, suggest fewer mammograms for those 50 and older and no routine mammograms at all for those younger than 50. For those opposed to the health care bill going before the Senate today, the guidelines have become a rallying cry against comparative effectiveness -- which, simply put, means the comparison of different medical approaches to determine which one delivers the best balance of benefits with the fewest possible downsides.

To add even greater insult to injury, for the second time in a week, another group of medical experts has recommended that some women can be tested less frequently for cancer … in general. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists just recommended that young women can hold off until 21 before getting their first Pap smear and get them every two years through the rest of their 20s, instead of annually. Previously, the doctor group had said young women should get a Pap smear three years after first having sex or age 21, whichever came earlier.

I do not understand why this Government is targeting women and showing them “the door” now, just before the Government is poised to vote to take over all decision-making on healthcare issues while exempting themselves from the process … but these recommendations appear to be sexist at best.

The real problem comes when this type of discernment is applied to all of the citizens in the population while the members of Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Supreme Court remain exempt from being forced into Government run healthcare system sets up a structure of slavery.

This excerpted and edited from Pajamas Media –

Congress: Gov’t healthcare for thee but not for me
By Roger L. Simon - November 20th, 2009 4:52 pm

I guess many Members of Congress secretly realize the Dean of Harvard Med was correct when he attacked the proposed healthcare legislation as a virtual anti-health boondoggle in the WSJ last week, because those members aren’t signing onto the legislation for themselves. They are only signing on for you.

Yes, the healthcare legislation still does not require Members of Congress to be part of the public plan, option, call it what you will, only poor sucker citizens. Those Congressmen are no fools. They know government-run medicine hasn’t worked in Canada and the UK. You think they want their wives lining up for a mammogram?

Here are some interesting tidbits that have been pointed out to me on my current brief visit to DC:

Ways and Means Committee – Rep. Heller (R-NV) offered an amendment to require all (”exchange eligible”) Members of Congress and their families to get insurance through the government-run plan. It failed, by a vote of 18-21, with three Democrats supporting the amendment: Berkley, Davis (AL), and Yarmuth. You can read all about it on p. 518 of this interminable document. (Who says PJM isn’t a full-service media company?) When a similar amendment was offered at the Energy and Commerce markup, it was dismissed by chairman Henry Waxman as “nongermane.” That’s my Congressman, of course. No comment necessary.

Over at the Rules Committee several amendments were filed on this subject, but ultimately not permitted under their rules. Rep. Sessions moved to make an order and provide the necessary waivers for amendment #1 offered by Reps. Fleming (R-LA), Wilson (R-SC), Gingrey (R-GA), and Herger (R-CA), which would automatically enroll all Members of Congress and all Senators in the public option. His motion was defeated on a party line vote of 4-6, with the following Members absent: Slaughter, Matsui, Pingree.
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You won’t read about this nonsense in the MSM, of course, but we’re going to try to deliver more on PJTV and the pages of Pajamas Media.
Reference Here>>

Do your best to end slavery … medical (and life sustaining) slavery now. Call or email your Senator TODAY, before it’s too late!

We need 41 NO votes on cloture!

We need to lean hard on the below Senators, they are our best chance of this getting this stopped in the Senate:

Mark Begich-AK- phone. (202) 224-3004, , toll free. (877) 501 – 6275* fax. (202) 224-2354,
Email: http://begich.senate.gov/contact/contact...

Blanche L. Lincoln –AR-Office: 202-224-4843; Fax: 202-228-1371,
Email: http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/email....

Mark Pryor-AR Phone: (202) 224-2353, Fax: (202) 228-0908
Email: http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/

Joseph Lieberman- CT-(202) 224-4041 Voice,(202) 224-9750 Fax
Email: http://lieberman.senate.gov/contact/

Thomas Carper-DE Phone: (202) 224-2441, Fax: (202) 228-2190
Email: http://carper.senate.gov/contact/

Bill Nelson- FL- Phone: 202-224-5274, Fax: 202-228-2183
Email: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/ind...

Even Bayh-IN (202) 224-5623, (202) 228-1377 fax
Email: http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/email/

Mary Landrieu- LA Voice: (202)224-5824,Fax:(202) 224-9735
Email: http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index...

Susan Collins –( R ) ME-Phone: (202) 224-2523, Fax: (202) 224-2693
Email(http://collins.senate.gov/public/continu......

Olympia Snowe-( R ) ME – Phone: (202) 224-5344,Toll Free: (800) 432-1599 Fax: (202) 224-1946
Email: http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm.....

John Tester-MT Phone: (202) 224-2644, Fax: (202) 224-8594
Email: http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.c...

Kent Conrad-ND-Phone: (202) 224-2043, Fax: (202) 224-7776
Email: http://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform...

Ben Nelson-NE- Tel: 1-202-224-6551, Fax: 1-202-228-0012
Email: http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.c...

Ron Wyden-OR Phone: (202) 224-5244, Fax: (202) 228-2717
Email: http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Robert Byrd-WV- Telephone: (202) 224-3954,Fax: (202) 228-0002
Email: http://byrd.senate.gov/contacts/

Mark Warner- VA- Phone: 202-224-2023, Fax: 202-224-6295
Email: http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cf...

Bob Bennett- UT-Phone: (202) 224-5444 (no fax)
Email: http://bennett.senate.gov/...ex.cfm?p=ContactForm

Byron Dorgan- ND Phone (202) 224-2551 , Fax (202) 224-1193
Email: http://dorgan.senate.gov/...tact/contact_form.cfm

Max Baucus-MT (202) 224-2651 (Office),(202) 224-9412 (Fax)
Email: http://baucus.senate.gov/...ilForm.cfm?subj=issue

Today is the day we end the slavery movement … again. This time without guns.

2009-11-20T20:44:00.000-08:00

Mr Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Anti-corruption, Public enterprises, Industry, Tourism, Trade and Communications, Fiji (left); and Dr Hamadoun Touré, ITU (International Telecommunications Union) Secretary-General (right). Image Credit: ITU / V. Martin

Media Watch: Hugo Chavez, Barack Obama, Mark Lloyd, and Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

What do Hugo Chavez, Barack Obama, Mark Lloyd, and Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum have in common?

Almost everything as it relates to their desires to CONTROL what is broadcast and who broadcasts it.

The big difference here is that Venezuela's dictator President, and Fiji's Military Coup Government appointee have actually asserted Government control over their media outlets where as the Obama Administration and its FCC Diversity Czar, Mark Lloyd are still in the planning stages of its strategy to dictate the terms of broadcasting to media outlets (especially those outlets that offer a balanced, counter-point or conservative political view of current events on the ground) here in the United States.

This excerpted and edited from The Australian -

Fiji strips licences from broadcasters
By Rowan Callick, Asia-Pacific editor From: The Australian - November 21, 2009 12:00AM

THE military-installed Fiji government has removed all broadcasting licences and given Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum the absolute power to renew or redistribute them without any compensation to those whose licences are stripped.
Television and radio stations are broadcasting this weekend on a temporary basis, as the owner, managers, staff and audiences await the determinations of Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.

He is the second-most powerful figure in the government after military commander and prime minister Frank Bainimarama.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is also Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Industry, Investment and Tourism, and Communications.

The action was carried out this week by decree - the chief tool of government since the parliament was scrapped and the constitution abrogated.
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Anyone broadcasting in contravention to the minister's directions can be jailed for five years.

The dominant television broadcaster, Fiji TV, is owned by Yasana Holdings, which represents the 14 ethnic Fijian provinces, and which also owns the monopoly Papua New Guinea TV broadcaster EMTV.

Fiji TV established a reputation for impartial news coverage, although the military installed two officers on its board following the coup three years ago.

It, like the country's other media, is now subject to stringent military censorship.

All the country's VHF TV frequencies are in the hands of Fiji TV.

It is now expected that at least one of these frequencies will be reallocated to the government-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, which operates a radio service and has expressed an intention to establish a TV network, towards which it has allocated several million dollars.

The corporation's chief executive, appointed earlier this year, is Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, younger brother of the Attorney-General and formerly a TV journalist.

The government broadcasts directly from 7-9pm nightly, except on Sundays, on a frequency it pays to rent from Fiji TV.
Reference Here>>

So, hold on to your freedom of the press because it is about to be challenged, just as every other civic right this country has to offer is under assault and being challenged ... we are all just a short stone's throw from becoming ... Fiji!

You know, all of the Government oppression, however, with little of that island paradise.

Paint the Obama Administration with Halliburton brush coated with AIG

2009-11-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

Officials handling the multibillion dollar bailout of insurance giant American International Group Inc. mismanaged an initial rescue attempt and may have overpaid other banks to wind down AIG's business relationships, a government watchdog says. Image Credit: Mark Lennihan

Paint The Obama Administration With Halliburton Brush Coated With AIG

The facts are surfacing about the activities of Timothy Geithner and his transition into the Obama Administration and the bail-out of AIG.

These facts should have the press take out the Halliburton brush and begin painting the Obama Administration with a healthy coat of AIG.

The reference here is to compare the point of view that the Mainstream Media held with respect to the relationship the Bush Administration had with the exclusive contract bid process they used to engage Halliburton Corporation in providing services on a sub-contract basis in the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With Halliburton, however, the argument can be made that this corporation was unique in being able to provide the services required and the Government did, in fact, receive the services contracted for. The American people got what they paid for.

What did the American people get from the management of its money spent on AIG and how was this effort managed.

For his part, Barack Obama assured us all how the Government would operate in a speech just after the $787 Billion dollar Stimulus Bill was passed by Congress.

With the party-line voting on the stimulus marking a defeat for his push for bipartisanship, Obama shifted focus to something else most un-Washington: making government spending transparent.

"Washington hasn't set a very good example in recent years, and with so much on the line, it's time to begin doing things differently," he said.

"I've tasked my Cabinet and staff to set up the kind of management, oversight, and disclosure that will help ensure that."

Enter (tax-cheat) Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner ... it was revealed today in an article appearing in the Washington Post that he did not negotiate with the AIG corporate primaries, let alone the additional connected web of companies associated with AIG, a discount on the money to be paid to financial institutions to secure their sub-prime portfolio assets in order to save these institutions from collapsing. The taxpayer money committed paid 100% on the value of the assets purchased.

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York didn't even try to get a good deal for taxpayers when it caved to demands from AIG's creditors that they should be paid in full. Image Credit: Clusterstock

This excerpted and edited from the Washington Post -

Fed criticized for not negotiating harder with AIG creditors
Inspector general says decisions during bailout 'came with a cost'
By Brady Dennis, Washington Post Staff Writer - Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Federal Reserve officials made only a passing attempt to negotiate discounts from the creditors of American International Group last fall before directing the company to fully pay what it owed on its troubled derivatives contracts, according to a report from the special inspector general overseeing the government's financial rescue program.

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, who was then the president of the New York Fed, concurred with advisers that it would be impractical to impose losses on AIG's counterparties and that they essentially should be paid at 100 cents on the dollar, the report by special inspector general Neil Barofsky states.
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The government extended an $85 billion loan to AIG in September 2008 as the company struggled to pay obligations related to derivatives contracts at its Financial Products unit. According to Barofsky, that initial loan came with a high interest rate, which "inadequately addressed AIG's long term liquidity concerns, thus requiring further government support."

Later, New York Fed officials agreed to buy tens of billions of dollars worth of complex securities that would allow Financial Products to cancel its most troublesome contracts, and staff members developed talking points that stressed to AIG's trading partners that they were benefiting from the bailouts and asked them to agree to concessions, according to Barofsky.
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Ultimately, AIG's trading partners received more than $62 billion, which many critics have branded as "backdoor bailouts."

In a letter commenting on Barofsky's report, Fed officials called the original AIG loan "appropriate in light of the circumstances at the time." In addition, they argued that the Fed had done what it could in trying to negotiate with AIG's trading partners.

"We believe that the Federal Reserve acted appropriately in conducting these negotiations, and that our negotiating strategy, including the decision to treat all counterparties equally, was not flawed or unreasonably limited," the letter said. It said the Fed actively sought concessions from AIG's counterparties, "but was unable to obtain any such agreements." The officials added that they were wary of using their supervisory authority on behalf of AIG to impose losses on other companies.
Reference Here>>

The American taxpayer got what it paid for ... through the tens of billions of dollars to AIG and its network of companies. A 'still ugly' economy with a group of financial executives that will be giving some of the money they received with their intact multi-million dollar pay bonuses, political contributions to this one-party "CONTROL" Government regime we have three more years (hopefully, only one) to endure.

It is high time to start painting!

Obama As Commander-In-Chief ... From A Law Professor Perspective

2009-11-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

President tells Jake Tapper it was important to let the investigation play itself out so the details as to how and why the rampage happened are known before he comments further [ctrl-click to launch video]. Image Credit: ABC News

Obama As Commander-In-Chief ... From A Law Professor Perspective

Yesterday, Jake Tapper of ABC News had a sit down interview with President Barack Obama at the White House that covered many of the pressing issues of the day from the economy (unemployment at 10.2%), the Congress passing its version of a Health Care system overhaul (that included a ban on Federal funding of abortion procedures), Afghanistan and a slow-paced troop build-up, and a small discussion on the mass murder rampage by Major Nidal Malik Hasan at Fort Hood and its meaning in the face of 9/11, jihad, and acts of terrorism.

One would expect that President Obama, as Commander-In-Chief over all of our American military, would have a profound and decisive response to almost any act that would be damaging to the moral, unity of purpose, and overall readiness of our armed forces. Sadly, Barack Hussein Obam(Mmmm, Mmmmm, Mmmmmm)a's response, and this in light that this Nov. 5 shooting rampage happened 4 days ago, was anything but one that had the steely resolve of a Commander-In-Chief.

No, the response from Barack Obama was one of a Chicago university law professor, ending a discussion where he wanted the students to think of the professor as one burdened with so much knowledge, that a direct and resolved answer would give away too much and spur the students to want to study more.

ABC News is out front on the Fort Hood massacre story. Correspondent Brian Ross is reporting that U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Hasan was attempting to contact associates of Al Qaeda [ctrl-click to launch video]. Image Credit: ABC News

This excerpted and edited from ABC News -

Obama: All Necessary Steps Will Be Taken to Prevent Another Tragedy Like Fort Hood
By JAKE TAPPER, KAREN TRAVERS, SUNLEN MILLER and DEVIN DWYER - Nov. 9, 2009

On Tuesday, Obama will attend a memorial service at Fort Hood for the 13 killed in last week's shooting. Today he reiterated that the nation is "heartbroken" by what happened there Thursday, but said there are many questions to be answered.

The president was asked about an ABC News report that intelligence officials learned months ago that Maj. Malik Nidal Hasan had reached out via the Internet to al Qaeda affiliates, and had passed it into military intelligence, though no official actions seem to have been taken. But he wouldn't say directly whether he was concerned that the U.S. government failed to communicate with itself as was seen in the investigation into 9/11.
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Asked what philosophically separates an act of violence from an act of terrorism, the president said, "I think the questions that we're asking now and we don't have yet complete answers to is, is this an individual who's acting in this way or is it some larger set of actors? You know, what are the motivations? Those are all questions that I think we have to ask ourselves. Until we have these answers buttoned down, I'd rather not comment on it.
Reference Here>>

Obama's statement on May 31, 2009, just hours after George Tiller's death (the assassination of a renowned abortion doctor at the hands of another): "I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."

Why couldn't have Obama issued a statement similar just hours as opposed to days after the murderous act to the statement he issued for the Tiller murder like ... "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as religious freedom and jihad, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."

As Commander-In-Chief over all of our American military, President Barack Obama has an obligation to lead and protect - not to philosophize over what type of mass murder this act represents ... but to make sure it does not happen again beyond any considerations of Political Correctness.

Obama Administration: Horse Trading For Healthcare Control

2009-11-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Nancy Pelosi couldn’t have announced the new House healthcare reform bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), with any more pomp and circumstance. It was certainly more impressive than the Senate’s mouse-like rollout, apparently intended to avoid rubbing salt in the Baucus “bipartisanship” wound. H.R. 3962 is definitely a major milestone in attempting to reform our broken system-less healthcare; it’s historic, certainly. But no, it’s not the best our legislators could do. Image Credit: Wikipedia

Obama Administration: Horse Trading For Healthcare Control

Many have said it over these last several months ... "It's the Chicago way." What pundits have been reacting to is the way Barack Obama and the Administration around him negotiate in bad faith in order to get what they want, politically, even when the outcome will create more damage to our Constitutional country than fix the problems they say they are trying to address.

Just this last week, President Obama was able to come to the microphones Friday and tout the fact that he has received the endorsements of some pretty recognizable health care and special interest advocacy groups in the run up to the close approval of the House of Representatives Bill for the radical overhaul of America's health care insurance industry - HR-3962.

This excerpted and edited from The Doc Is In -

Health Care Reform 2009: Why Did the AMA & AARP Back Obamacare?
by Dick Morris & Eileen McGann

Here are the deals:

* The American Medical Association (AMA) was facing a 21 percent cut in physicians’ reimbursements under the current law.

Obama promised to kill the cut if they backed his bill. The cuts are the fruit of a law requiring annual 5-6 percent reductions in doctor reimbursements for treating Medicare patients. Bravely, each year Congress has rolled the cuts over, suspending them but not repealing them. So each year, the accumulated cuts threaten doctors and as of this point in time, they have risen to 21 percent. With this leverage as blackmail, Obama compelled the AMA to support his bill … or else!

* The AARP got a financial windfall in return for its support of the healthcare bill.

Over the past decade, the AARP has morphed from an advocacy group to an insurance company (through its subsidiary company). It is one of the main suppliers of Medi-gap insurance, a high-cost, privately purchased coverage that picks up where Medicare leaves off. But President Bush-43 passed the Medicare Advantage program, which offered a subsidized, lower-cost alternative to Medi-gap. Under Medicare Advantage, the elderly get all the extra coverage they need plus coordinated, well-managed care, usually by the same physician. So more than 10 million seniors went with Medicare Advantage, cutting into AARP Medi-gap revenues.

Presto! Obama solved their problem. He eliminates subsidies for Medicare Advantage. The elderly will have to pay more for coverage under Medigap, but the AARP — which supposedly represents them — will make more money. (If this galls you, join the American Seniors Association, the alternative group; contact sbarton@americanseniors.org. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it).

* The drug industry backed ObamaCare and, in return, got a 10-year limit of $80 billion on cuts in prescription drug costs.

This represents chump-change to HR-3962's almost $3 trillion projected costs over the next decade. They also got administration assurances that it will continue to bar lower-cost Canadian drugs from coming into the U.S. All it had to do was put its formidable advertising budget at the disposal of the administration.

* Insurance companies get access to 36-40 million potential new customers.

When the Senate Finance Committee lowered the fine that would be imposed on those who don’t buy insurance from $3,500 to $1,500, the insurance companies jumped ship and opposed the bill, albeit for the worst of motives - so the fine stood.

The only industry that refused to knuckle under was the Medical Device Makers (MDM). They stood on principle and wouldn’t go along with Obama’s blackmail strategy for an endorsement. The Senate Finance Committee reacted to this stance by imposing a tax on the MDM marketplace targeting medical devices such as automated wheelchairs, pacemakers, arterial stents, prosthetic limbs, artificial knees and hips and other necessary accouterments and consumables of healthcare.
Reference Here>>

So, these endorsements were not freely given, but were bought and paid for by an administration that is intent on passing its "Control of Healthcare" program at any cost. This is not the American way, you know, for the good of the country ...

... It's the Chicago way!

Bachmann "House Call" Delivers Viral Response To A Sick Government

2009-11-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

Image Credit: anthropocon03

Bachmann "House Call" Delivers Viral Response To A Sick Government

Rep. Michele Bachmann's message for conservatives traveling to Washington to attend her Capitol Hill House Call event today is simple: "Go into the Capitol and find members of Congress," she told activists Wednesday night. "Don't bring your pitchforks, bring your video cameras. And get them on record saying how they're going to vote and why. And tell them, 'Take your hands off my health care!' "

Image Credit: anthropocon03

Bachmann (R-Minn.) gave the marching orders on a conference call of top activists, many of whom planned to board buses in New Jersey and North Carolina Thursday morning to attend the event that the congresswoman thought up last week. "Nothing is more influential than an eyeball-to-eyeball meeting between a freedom-loving constituent and a member of Congress," she explained. "Nothing scares a member of Congress more than freedom-loving Americans."

Image Credit: anthropocon03

Bachmann said the idea came to her as she lamented the speed with which the Democrats' health care reform bills were moving through Congress. "I was near despair," she said. "I was thinking, 'It looks like this bill is going to go through.' But then I thought, 'This is it. This is the Super Bowl of Freedom.' "

Image Credit: anthropocon03

Initial reports of THOUSANDS of people are flooding in ... it may well be over 20,000 by the time Google turns back on its cameras that cover the streets of the Capital Mall! (confirmed on the Sean Hannity radio program)

One hour into the gathering, #housecall just made a "TRENDING TOPIC" on Twitter!

10:30am PT - Twitter is reporting that Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO.) had his constituents arrested when they showed up at his office and asked to meet with him!

The Speaker at the podium has just announced to have the gathered crowd to locate their representative and ask them where they stand on Socialized Health Care.

POTUS just made a "quick-hit" update speech on Obama-Care at the WH press briefing then turned and left without taking any questions.

Representative Greg Wilson (R-OR.) is reported on Twitter to have said "The Pelosi anthem is -'Leave No Child A Dime'"

10:57am PT - On Breitbart TV, Michelle Bachmann tells the gathering that they have two copies of the bill and that each attendee take a page ... or a half-a-page and ask their representative to read and explain what he just read.

This from FOX News - Republican Rep. Joe Wilson proposed an amendment Wednesday that would force all members of Congress to receive health insurance coverage through the government-run plan proposed in the House's reform bill.

Though Republicans oppose the so-called "public option," the South Carolina gadfly -- who gained notoriety for shouting "you lie" at President Obama during his address to Congress two months ago -- is proposing the requirement to draw attention to what he sees as the plan's flaws.

"They know the government-run option will not be in the interest of the American people, either individually or for the American citizens at large," Wilson said Wednesday, arguing that's the reason Congress does not require its members to sign up.

The current House health care legislation states that members of Congress "may enroll" in the public plan. Wilson wants that changed to "must enroll."

Activist organization, "Flip This House" located HERE>>

11:32am PT - Protesters roaming the halls of Congress were heard chanting in unison - "KILL THE BILL"!

House Republicans offer alternative healthcare proposal - Their modest, incremental approach focuses on controlling costs through market-oriented measures. But its larger purpose is to show that they're not just the 'party of no.'It is about time and only 219 pages, compared to the 1,990 pages that the Pelosi plan is. Plus this one addresses TORT Reform and breaking the red tape that would allow us to purchase insurance across state lines.

TOP 10 REASONS TO OPPOSE NANCY PELOSI’S TAKEOVER OF HEALTH CARE.

Additional Photo & Video Assets HERE>>

Tea Party Express II: Bakersfield & Fresno: You're Next!

2009-10-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Tea Party Express II kick-off at Tuna Park, San Diego located next to the USS Midway. Image Credit: Neil Turner

Tea Party Express II: Bakersfield & Fresno: You're Next!

Get ready folks, because the second edition of the Tea Party Express is coming to a grassroots, "Take My Country Back" town near you!

The tour entitled "Countdown To Judgment Day" is scheduled to stop at 38 Cities/Towns across the United States starting yesterday, October 25, 2009 and November 12, 2009.

After two very well attended stops at the USS Midway, in San Diego and Griffith Park here in Los Angeles (thousands in attendance at both venues), the Tea Party Express II - "Countdown To Judgment Day" will be continuing on to Bakersfield and Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley (The Big Valley) through central California today.

Kieth Olberman slams the second edition of the Tea Party Express on his extremely low rated, "Countdown, with Kieth Olberman" ... named this way just in case you did not know the vile nature of the presenter. Video Credit: OurCountryPAC

This Excerpted and edited from Tea Party Express, The Blog -

Bakersfield & Fresno: You're Next!

To our fellow patriots in Bakersfield, CA & Fresno, CA - you're up next!

On Monday we'll have these two rallies. Please bring a friend or two, and let's continue the great turnout we've enjoyed so far for the Tea Party Express II: Countdown to Judgment Day!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26th

9:00 AM - Bakersfield Rally
Heritage Park2320 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Bakersfield, CA

1:30 PM - Fresno Rally
Eaton Plaza2400 Fresno St.
Fresno, CA

The spamming at the website Blog comments has begun in an effort to discredit the strength of the response shown to the Tea Party Express II - "Countdown To Judgment Day" effort.

EXAMPLE:
ltsars said...

There were no signs earlier in the day so I didn't stay. I followed the directions but I never found the spot the TP was supposed to be at. By the way the traffic jam is due to a rock concert in Pasadena. YOu need to put up signs in these types of areas as I am sure a lot of people were early and just turned away I was there around 1 pm.
October 25, 2009 6:59 PM

The comment was left by a potential spammer. There was a concert, but the U2 Concert that was to be held a few hours later was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena ... about 12 miles East of Griffith Park.

I saw a local report on the TV news and there were thousands of people in attendance at the Tea Party Express II event in Griffith Park.

Follow the trek of the Tea Party Express II: Countdown to Judgment Day! over the next 18 days as it winds its way across the US, to end up in Orlando, Florida all in an effort to stop the out-of-control spending efforts of our current political leadership in Washington DC.

Hop on board, the attitude is fine!

UPDATE: You can see a slideshow of photos taken at the San Diego kick-off by local supporter Neil Turner - VIEW SLIDESHOW HERE.

Obama's Weekly Address: Small Businesses Are Next Money Target Of Attention

2009-10-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

In his weekly address, the president has asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and SBA administrator Karen Mills, to convene a conference of regulators, congressional leaders, lenders, and entrepreneurs to come up with additional steps to improve the flow of credit to small businesses looking to expand. Image Credit: cf News13

Obama's Weekly Address: Small Businesses Are Next Money Target Of Attention

That'll work.

These people, these uneducated in economics, Maoist/Marxist true believers ... really do not have a clue how jobs are created and sustained. They honestly think it is about the object, "Money", and not the concept and process of "Needs Satisfaction" that actually causes people to spend the representation of their labors in exchange for something.

We're sunk!

HOPE placards from Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. A scribble on a placard is about all that our nation can "hope" for. Image Credit: TwitPic

This excerpted and edited from Bloomberg -

Obama Says Small Businesses Must Be at Forefront of Recovery
By Catherine Dodge and Julianna Goldman - Oct. 24 (Bloomberg)

President Barack Obama called small businesses the “engine” of the U.S. economy and said too many are still struggling to get the credit they need to operate.

In his weekly address on the radio and Internet, Obama said the nation’s banks, supported by taxpayers in the economic crisis, now need “to stand by the creditworthy small businesses.”
----
The president this week announced measures to open up credit for small business, such as capital injections for community banks to spur lending. Obama also asked Congress to raise the limits for Small Business Administration loans from $2 million to $5 million and as much as $5.5 million for manufacturing.

“The goal here is to get credit where it’s needed most -- to businesses that support families, sustain communities, and create the jobs that power our economy,” Obama said.
Reference Here>>

Two Words: T-A-X C-U-T

But oh, no ... he went on to say:

“It’s time for those banks to fulfill their responsibility to help ensure a wider recovery,” Obama said. “We’re going to take every appropriate step to encourage them to meet those responsibilities.”

This strategy will only keep these businesses alive. Small businesses need to have a strong purchasing environment to succeed and the current leadership has saddled the economy with way too much debt (Stimulus & Omnibus) and uncertainty (Cap & Trade and Obamacare) for operating cash loans to really keep businesses in business.

We have a socialist, black hole economy, and it will get worse when the Bush tax cuts get repealed by the current Democrat Congress Leadership.

This concept of Obama's (Banks lending operating Capital) is like priming a pump that has no water in the well!

This is a bit like the "Sub-Prime" mortgage mess we are trying to come out of, in that, the Government is doing everything it can by throwing money into a place it will do the least good.

Throwing Loans to people who can not qualify or pay for them (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Government money) or throwing loans to small businesses to keep them alive (TARP money from the Government and lowered interest rates from the Government to the Banks) even though nobody has a job or the money to purchase the goods and services they produce.

The Government needs to back away and STOP MEDDLING in our free market economy. Everything they do, no matter how well intentioned or evil intentioned, is the exact opposite of what it takes to get a free market economy back on the tracks ... the one they threw off of the tracks in the first place through social engineering programs and regulatory inaction.

Auto-Culture & Decision Making In A Gen Y World

2009-10-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Magda Wierzycka, the CEO of Sygnia Asset Management, writes on Moneyweb’s blog about Generation Y and their characteristics. Generation Y are those born between 1982 and 1995 of Generation X and Baby Boomer parents. /// She describes this generation as growing up amidst ‘unprecedented prosperity’ with access to ‘better, more rounded education’. Furthermore they are: ‘extreme[ly] technology savvy’, ‘very family orientated’, ‘demanding and outspoken employees’ with an ‘overdeveloped sense of entitlement’, they ’struggle to deal with failure or criticism’ and ‘flounder if left unmanaged or unsupervised’. Caption & Image Credit: dirkvisser/Brightest Young Minds

Auto-Culture & Decision Making In A Gen Y World

In a study released today by AutoPacific - a future-oriented automotive marketing research and product-consulting firm, some interesting and surprising characteristics and purchasing traits reveal themselves and may be useful to those who desire to appeal to an increasingly important market segment.

Many assumptions like the popular belief that the Gen Y crowd exclusively prefers compact and energy efficient cars are somewhat dispelled through the study. Over half of Gen Y are considering the purchase of a mid-size car or mid-size crossover SUV. They expect that technology will improve fuel economy and environmental friendliness and allow them to purchase a vehicle that is sized to meet their personal needs.

“Don’t be fooled by the growth of certain segments over the years,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific, the research firm that conducted the study. “The Compact Car segment shows sales growth, yet a new Toyota Corolla is similar in size to an older Toyota Camry. Vehicles have gotten larger over time but segments have not been redefined. Ultimately, Generation Y consumers are purchasing vehicles that are sized appropriately to their needs and lifestyle.”

The study entitled “The Generation Y Opportunity”, which come from data gathered from AutoPacific’s annual survey of over 32,000 new car and light truck buyers in the United States, looks closely at Gen Y recent buyers of new vehicles and how they compare to older generations. In many ways, Gen Y is following in the footsteps of their Baby Boomer parents, but in more extreme ways. The study details current Gen Y new car buyers and the future market.

$1.5M Russian SUV Features Diamonds, Whale Penis Leather - That's all you really need to know about the $1.5 million Dartz Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition. Yes, the diamond-encrusted white gold gauges and gold-plated bulletproof windows are impressive, but seriously, whale penis leather interior. /// The already bulletproof and wildly over-the-top 8.1 liter GM V8-powered Dartz Kombat T98 is getting a name change to Prombron and along with it will come a complete and brain-maimingly bourgeoisie upgrade with the Monaco Red Diamond Edition. The world's most expensive ultra-luxury SUV will debut at the 2010 Top Marques Monaco show with luxe features crazy enough to make a Maybach blush. Caption & Image Credit: Jolopnik

This excerpted and edited from a press release issued by AutoPacific -

GENERATION Y OPEN TO NEW BRANDS, NEW TECHNOLOGY AND HYBRIDS
Survey Shows Generation Y Frequently Multitasking While Driving
AutoPacific, “The Generation Y Opportunity”, released for publication - October 21, 2009

Willing to embrace new brands, new technology and alternative powertrains, Generation Y will redefine the automotive market. A just released study on Generation Y new vehicle buyers in the United States shows Generation Y consumers are more likely than the generations before them to consider purchasing a Chinese or Indian branded vehicle, more willing to accept hybrid powertrains, and more likely to want the latest entertainment technology in their vehicle.

As the largest generation since the Baby Boomers continues to gain spending power and enter the new car market, which automakers will win their confidence? AutoPacific’s study underscores the opportunities for automakers to reach Generation Y consumers as they move through their Teen, Young Adult and Young Family life-stages.

“Growing up with continuously evolving technology and electronics has given Generation Y a unique ability to adapt easily to change, a willingness to accept new brands, and an expectation that their vehicle provide the best of what is available,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific.

Though many Generation Y consumers would choose a trip around the world over a luxury vehicle, Generation Y does expect that the vehicle they buy will be more than just basic transportation. “Generation Y is more likely than older generations to own portable electronics, more likely to research their vehicle options on the Internet, and an astonishing 29% of those surveyed are more likely to frequently multi-task while driving," continues Peterson. "They know what’s out there, they know the economical and environmental problems we face, and their vehicle expectations reflect that knowledge.”
----
The AutoPacific Generation Y Opportunity is conducted annually to determine who Generation Y buyers are and what they want from their future cars, including size, engine, transmission and attributes like entertainment features, luxury features, in-vehicle communications, comfort, and convenience features.
Reference Here>>

Maybe the Russian-made Dartz Prombron isn't exactly the chief target in the luxury car segment for Gen Y'ers, but, we at MAXINE believe ... at this price ( $1.5 million) it had better have bluetooth iPOD compatibility, integrated hands-free cellphone technology, and a mount to hold the Apple MAC that is accessing the internet via a MiFi internet hotspot so that they can be plugged into Twitter while cruising down to Glamis for a week-end of radical Dune-ing!

Unearthed! Barack Obama's Twisted ACORN Roots

2009-09-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

Anti-ACORN Guerrilla Art goes viral in Los Angeles. Here is an example, stencil spray painted on the side of a signal control box on a typical LA street corner. Image Credit: Publius

Unearthed! Barack Obama's Twisted ACORN Roots

Many of the citizens here in the lower 48 (otherwise known in Canada as Americans), have been treated to a fair amount of change in the political landscape over the last week or so.

It really all started with the fact that a whole lot of people showed up at, and filled the mall park that runs between the Capitol Dome building and the Washington Monument (about one mile long and 1/4 mile wide).

ABC News posted a story dated September 12, 2009 quoting a DC fire department official as estimating the crowd at 70,000 people but upon further investigation, the very first comment was logged at 1:59AM (the actual times have since been scrubbed from the log of comments), the very early morning before the gathering even got started. Maybe ABC News got confused in that the estimate of the crowd may have been for people sleeping in the mall area waiting for the gathering to begin some six hours later!

Then, at the beginning of the week, investigative tapes began to be broadcast by FOX News and Andrew Brietbat's new website "BigGovernment.Com" catching the largest names in media flat-footed. The first tape showed ACORN advisers instructing two young people, one posing as a pimp, and the other, a hooker, on how to fill out the paperwork so that the house they wanted to use as a brothel would qualify for Government/Taxpayer money. This tape, combined with the successful prosecutions of ACORN on the charges of voter fraud, caused the Census Bureau to drop the organization from the list of agencies they planned to use to collect information for them from citizens.

Four more tapes were shown throughout the week and it has become apparent the ACORN suffers from a "culture of corruption", so much so that both houses of Congress decided to vote to de-fund the organization from any Federal monies it may receive and to be placed on a list to never do business with them ever again.

For The Record: The “De-fund ACORN Act” passed the House Thursday, September 17th, 2009 by an overwhelming margin of 345-75. The House vote comes just days after the Senate voted 83-7 to block ACORN from receiving federal housing grants. With these votes, 80% of the members of Congress have weighed in to block ACORN from receiving any more taxpayer dollars.

The President of the United States, Barack Obama, insists that his ties to the organization, ACORN, were minimal but here is some information that might be useful to those who would like to have a complete understanding of the ties that bind this President to an organization that has grown and thrived by building itself on a "culture of corruption".

Anti-ACORN Guerrilla Art goes viral in Los Angeles where Obama “Hope” poster artist, Shepard Fairey, studio wall was targeted with the stencil spray painted image. Image Credit: Publius

This excerpted and edited from WorldNetDaily -

While ACORN remains riddled in scandal, lawmakers have voted to cut off federal funding to the group, the U.S. Census Bureau has severed ties to the organization – and the White House has blasted its behavior as "unacceptable."

But just how extensive are President Obama's personal ties to ACORN?

The following is a timeline outlining some of the purported connections between the president and ACORN through the years:

1990s: Obama meets ACORN

ACORN, or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, first noticed Obama when he was organizing on the far south side of the city with the Developing Communities Project. A March 2, 2008, Los Angeles Times article by Letta Tayler and Keith Herbert, titled "Obama Forged Path As Chicago Community Organizer," explored Obama's pre-law school days as a community organizer in Chicago and his efforts to build a partnership with Chicago's "Friends of the Parks."

"Obama's task was to help far South Side residents press for improvement," the Times article explained.

National Review Online noted, "Part of Obama's work, it would appear, was to organize demonstrations, much in the mold of radical groups like ACORN."

The Times article reveals that Madeleine Talbot, who at the time was a leader at Chicago ACORN, was thoroughly impressed with Obama because "he got people to vote with their feet."

"At the time, Talbot worked at the social action group ACORN and initially considered Obama a competitor," the article stated. "But she became so impressed with his work that she invited him to help train her staff."

Talbott personally led Chicago ACORN's campaign to intimidate banks into making high-risk loans to low-credit customers, Stanley Kurtz reported.

"Long the director of Chicago ACORN, Talbott is a specialist in 'direct action' – organizers' term for their militant tactics of intimidation and disruption," Kurtz writes. "Perhaps her most famous stunt was leading a group of ACORN protesters breaking into a meeting of the Chicago City Council to push for a 'living wage' law, shouting in defiance as she was arrested for mob action and disorderly conduct. But her real legacy may be her drive to push banks into making risky mortgage loans."

MORE AT SOURCE>>

I recovered the copy of the comment that was made by the original ABC News article (referenced at the top) on the attendance to the 9/12 Tea Party Rally on the Washington DC mall:

"The time stamp of the very first comment says it all - it was stamped in advance of the rally, way in advance - comment and stamp here:

obama gave his speech to congress on wednesday, not tuesday as the article states twice.
Posted by: ericgwitte 1:59 AM"
Link>>

9/12 "Million MOB March" A Success Without MSM Help

2009-09-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

9/12 "Million MOB March" - Image Credit: Mary Kathrine Ham

9/12 "Million MOB March" A Success Without MSM Help

Here, in the beginning stages of the 44th Presidency, many thought that life would carry on in a business as usual, politics as usual kind of approach.

Sure, Barack Obama made history by becoming the first man with African DNA in his blood to be elected as President of the United States, and sure, he ran and campaigned on being the one man who could reach across the divides in this country by being the first "post-racial" and "post-partisan" chief executive to hold the office ... but that was not meant to be.

Under his leadership (and the leadership of the Democrat-Party controlled Congress), the debt has quadrupled with the passage of two large spending bills (Stimulus and Omnibus), a further executive spending initiative known by TARP, started by the previous Administration (Bush) but expanded and used as a tool to take-over two of the three domestic automobile manufacturers in the United States and change the ownership matrix away from investors and place labor unions in the majority ownership position, along with the Federal Government. A serious attempt to take-over about one-sixth of our economy and bring into a single-payer Government program of CONTROL making all decisions about ones health the power of government boards (death panels) while driving out free enterprise. And lastly, an energy policy that would make some forms of common energy (coal and petroleum) virtually unavailable if not very expensive and scarce.

9/12 "Million MOB March" - View of Capitol Dome from adjacent grounds packed with small government, lower taxes activists - Image Credit: Twitpiv via Prisminc

Enter the Tea Party movement.

Named after the uprising and revolt that eventually led to the formation of this country after, as a colony of England, the territory occupied by people who, for the most part left England to start a life free from excessive Monarchical control over their lives from the King of England, had large taxes places on many goods and services produced or imported in the country. A revolt in Boston led to the dumping of bales of tea being imported into the country but this tea had new taxes placed on its sale and so, in a show of defiance, the tea was dumped into the harbor and the Boston Tea Party was born into the lore of the United States.

9/12 "Million MOB March" - View of Tea Party Movement protest rally from the Capitol Building Dome down the mall to the Washington Monument tower ... one mile away - Image Credit: Hutch123

Today, people (53% and rising) are not happy that their elected representatives are not listening to them. The representatives are voting on, and passing legislation into law without reading the bills that they are voting on. The government is not even allowing any time or the ability for the people to see and read proposed legislation so that they understand what the representatives are committing WE THE PEOPLE to pay for and to do!

September 10, 2001, our country was safe and life was good. September 11, 2001, our country was viciously attacked by a group of 19 islamo-fascist terrorist that wanted to take away the freedoms we enjoy in this country. The day, September, 12 of any year has stood as a response that our freedoms will never die and we will all stand up as Americans to proclaim this to be true.

September 12, 2009, a perfect storm of grass-roots protest came together in Washington DC and it did not have the sponsorship of any political party, no support from special interest groups and/or unions, and absolutely no help from the established "Fourth Estate" known in this country as the Main Stream Media (MSM).

This excerpted and edited from Michelle Malkin -

Celebrating the 9/12 rallies; Turnout estimated at 2 million
By Michelle Malkin • September 12, 2009 10:06 AM

It’s been an unprecedented year for limited government activism. It would never have been possible without the early initiative of grass-roots leaders in the #tcot community on Twitter, Smart Girl Politics #DontGo — and concerned women like Keli Carender and Amanda Grosserode who stood up in their communities against reckless spending in Washington before anyone was listening. Before the cable news was paying attention. Before it became fashionable for politicians to latch on.

Activists were derided as amateurs who couldn’t turn out a crowd. Then they were smeared as corporate shills. They were criticized for not having a coherent message. Then they were mocked for ideological single-mindedness. They are resented by professional strategists who accuse them of organizing empty protests that won’t translate into electoral gains. But the movement has given birth to a new generation of movers and shakers who have rejected establishment partisan politics for nimble, Internet-facilitated, issues-based advocacy.
----
The Tea Party Express blog is here.

12:34pm Eastern: Police estimate 1.2 million in attendance. ABC News reporting crowd at 2 million — tweets Tabitha Hale from D.C.

Teeny, tiny fringe, huh?
----
Update: Tabitha Hale says Parks & Rec estimated 1.2 million. An ABC News correspondent says it wasn’t national ABC News network that reported 2 million figure. I take them at their word — and am checking to find out more info.

So, how many were there? Allah looks at the numbers reports here.
Reference Here>>

9/12 "Million MOB March" - Taking it to the streets in Washington DC - Image Credit: Twitpiv via Brooks Bayne

COMMENT (on attendance article made at a social media portal):
ABC News, citing the DC fire department, reported that between 60,000 and 70,000 people had attended the tea party rally at the Capitol. By the time this figure reached Michelle Malkin, however, it had been blown up to 2,000,000. There is a big difference, obviously, between 70,000 and 2,000,000. That's not a twofold or threefold exaggeration -- it's roughly a thirtyfold exaggeration.

The way this false estimate came into being is relatively simple: Matt Kibbe, the president of FreedomWorks, lied, claiming that ABC News had reported numbers of between 1.0 and 1.5 million when they never did anything of the sort. A few tweets later, the numbers had been exaggerated still further to 2 million. Kibbe wasn't "in error", as Malkin gently puts it. He lied. He did the equivalent of telling people that his penis is 53 inches long.

Malkin, who to her credit later corrected the error, frets that it might be used to by liberals to "discredit the undeniably massive turnout". She's right to be worried -- it absolutely will be used that way. If you don't want to be discredited, then don't, as Kibbe did, tell a ridiculous (and easily disprovable) lie.

RESPONSE (to comment by blog author on attendance article made at a social media portal):
The photos do not lie but maybe the MSM did a little pumping up so that people who still support this style of leadership could make the counter-argument that you are making.

The truth is that the New York Times, the Washington Post and many other MSM print outlets are embargoing (not mentioning) the fact that a march ever took place. The photos confirm that one of the largest gatherings EVER in the mall at the nation's capitol took place.

Just because official estimates have been done away with through policy after the much hyped "Million Man March" (remember that socialist and race-focused fiasco? ... 200,000 at best) was such a bust, let us just half the estimate of a few broadcast MSM outlets and call it a solid million people ... and report it as a very successful protest against the policies of a One-Party rule government.

Obama's Socialist Re-Branding Of 9/11 Remembrance

2009-09-11T13:19:00.001-07:00

President Obama, the First Lady and White House staff observe a moment of silence. Image Credit: White House Photo, Chuck Kennedy, 9/11/09

Obama's Socialist Re-Branding Of 9/11 Remembrance

On the morning of September 11, 2001, four passenger jets were hijacked by islamo-fascist terrorists in a plot devised by al Qaeda to disrupt the economic security of our country and to bring our society down.

Today, eight years later, Barack Obama and his executive Administration are attempting to dilute and hijack the importance of this day that, at best, was an act of war and recast the remembrance of "9/11" into something completely different ... something unrecognizable from its original intent.

This excerpted and edited from Thaindian News-

Obama proclaims 9/11 as “Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance”
September 11th, 2009 - 2:29 am ICT by BNO News

I call upon all Americans to join in service and honor the lives we lost, the heroes who responded in our hour of need, and the brave men and women in uniform who continue to protect our country at home and abroad. In April, I was proud to sign the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which recognizes September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Originated by the family members of those who lost loved ones on 9/11, the National Day of Service and Remembrance is an opportunity to salute the heroes of 9/11, recapture the spirit of unity and compassion that inspired our Nation following the attacks, and rededicate ourselves to sustained service to our communities.
----
Working together, we can usher in a new era in which volunteering and service is a way of life for all Americans. Deriving strength from tragedy, we can write the next great chapter in our Nation’s history and ensure that future generations continue to enjoy the promise of America.

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as Patriot Day, and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2009, as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.
----
I invite the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and interested organizations and individuals to join in this observance. I call upon the people of the United States to participate in community service in honor of those our Nation lost, to observe this day with other ceremonies and activities, including remembrance services, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Reference Here>>

What this recast ... re-branding of the original proclamation for a Patriot Day really means can be found in this following description of an activity that happened only one month ago.

This excerpted and edited from The American Spectator-

Obama's Plan to Desecrate 9/11
By Matthew Vadum on 8.24.09 @ 6:08AM

This effort to reshape the American psyche has nothing to do with healing the nation and everything to do with easing the nation along in the ongoing radical transformation of America that President Obama promised during last year's election campaign. The president signed into law a measure in April that designated Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service, but it's not likely many lawmakers thought this meant that day was going to be turned into a celebration of ethanol, carbon emission controls, and radical community organizing.
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The administration's plans were outlined in an Aug. 11 White House-sponsored teleconference call run by Obama ally Lennox Yearwood, president of the Hip Hop Caucus, and Liv Havstad, the group's senior vice president of strategic partnerships and programs.
----
The plan is to turn a "day of fear" that helps Republicans into a day of activism called the National Day of Service that helps the left. In other words, nihilistic liberals are planning to drain 9/11 of all meaning.

"They think it needs to be taken back from the right," said the source. "They're taking that day and they're breaking it because it gives Republicans an advantage. To them, that day is a fearful day."

A coalition including the unsavory left-wing pressure group Color of Change and about 60 far-left, environmentalist, labor, and corporate shakedown groups participated in the call. Groups on the call included: ACORN, AFL-CIO, Apollo Alliance, Community Action Partnership, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs, Friends of the Earth, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Mobilize.org, National Black Police Association, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Council of Negro Women, National Wildlife Federation, RainbowPUSH Coalition, Urban League, and Young Democrats of America.
Reference Here>>

Basically, the new "brown shirt" leagues of the Obama Administration will do anything to hijack any vestige of what would pass for an American culture and patriotism and co-opt the effort to capture private efforts and turn them into service to, and for, the state envisioned by Barack Obama.

The largest insult from all of this activity, is that it assumes that Americans are not giving ... especially not giving to their communities and their neighbors. This assumption shows the depravity of understanding of self-reliant human beings and the cynical political philosophy of the person we have elected to become the 44th President of these United States.

However subtle, this re-branding proclamation of April 21, 2009 and series of conference calls by organizations aligned with the politically radical (communist) left in this country poses a far greater threat to freedom-loving life in this country than anything al Qaeda could muster up at this time. Barack Obama wants to consume and end this Constitutional country from within.

Please, REMEMBER 9/11 for what it really was, an act of war ... and REMEMBER the culture that made this country great.

Moore Gaining More Through "Capitalism"

2009-09-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

'CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY' - In Wide Release October 2nd /// "It's a crime story. But it's also a war story about class warfare. And a vampire movie, with the upper 1 percent feeding off the rest of us. And, of course, it's also a love story. Only it's about an abusive relationship. /// "It's not about an individual, like Roger Smith, or a corporation, or even an issue, like health care. This is the big enchilada. This is about the thing that dominates all our lives — the economy. I made this movie as if it was going to be the last movie I was allowed to make. /// "It's a comedy." — Michael Moore [ctrl-click to launch movie trailer]. Caption & Image Credit: mmflint

Moore Gaining More Through "Capitalism"

As much as Michael Moore hates capitalism (you know - Product, Price, Place, and Promotion), he sure keeps going back to the well to churn out more product which he can sell to his loyal, fearful, and hateful hoards.

In his latest project titled "Capitalism: A Love Story", Michael leaves no doubt how much he loves the money he makes by never straying from his basic formula. A Documentary style, smattered with dubious "FACTS" and a confrontation from Michael Moore, himself, the true love story of this latest (or any, for that matter) effort.

With Michael Moore, he is not happy unless he has a villain(s) upon which to heap disgust and insult as he sets himself up as the showman arbiter of a proper social justice. Politically, socialism is always the answer for Moore as he drags in the capitalist cash from his little, yet very profitable film enterprise!

U.S. director Michael Moore (L) and his wife Kathleen Glynn pose for photographers on the red carpet at the 66th Venice Film Festival September 6, 2009 [ctrl-click to launch movie trailer]. Image Credit: Tony Gentile

This excerpted and edited from Reuters -

Michael Moore's "Capitalism" economical with facts
By Deborah Young - Mon Sep 7, 2009 8:22pm EDT

Simplifications are Moore's stock-in-trade, and his documentaries are not known for their impeccable research and objectivity. But here his talent is evident in creating two hours of engrossing cinema by contrasting a fast-moving montage of 50s archive images extolling free enterprise with the economic disaster of the present. Given the desperate state of the world economy, this provocative film should find attentive audiences along with many angry detractors who will give it free publicity.

As in his previous films, Moore is himself the chief character, offscreen narrator and investigator. Wearing his inseparable baseball cap and T-shirt, he pretends wide-eyed surprise as his interview subjects recount personal dramas related to America's economic meltdown. These are genuinely moving stories: a couple whose farm is in foreclosure, a family that discovers the father's company has taken out a lucrative insurance policy and earned $5 million on his premature death, tearful workers whose factory is suddenly shut down, commercial airline pilots so underpaid they live on food stamps.

Moore has assembled a collection of nearly unbelievable horror stories to illustrate why capitalism and democracy do not go hand in hand.
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The second half of the film is even more chilling in suggesting, through interviews with a number of worried members of Congress, that the country's $700 billion bailout was legalized bank robbery, a "financial coup d'etat" run through Congress just before elections and engineered principally by Goldman Sachs and Henry Paulson.Though it blames all political parties, including the Democrats, for caving in with the bailout, the film is careful to spare President Barack Obama, who remains a symbol of hope for justice. His support for the workers who stage a sit-in at their factory is paralleled to Franklin D. Roosevelt's call for a new bill of rights -- never implemented -- guaranteeing universal health care.
Reference Here>>

Over the next few weeks to months, we will see how much stomach our movie-going society has for Socialism as we discuss the Public Option and Triggers when the Obama Administration and our Democrat Party led Congress tries to shove socialized universal health care down our collective tax-payer throats with impossible promises and 51 Senator "Yes" vote reconciliations.

As far as Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story" ... the Paramount Vantage/Overture project opens in limited release on September 23 in New York and Los Angeles. With any luck, due to political overload caused by health care and other Obama Administration and Democrat Party leadership agendas, the movie will go straight to DVD/Blu-ray after the first week due to lack of interest!

Retrospective on Michael Moore by Cox & Forkum: "Blowing Smoke"

The importance of being Michael Moore by Mark Steyn at London Telegraph

State Run "Obama TV" Strikes Deal to Broadcast At Gas Stations!

2009-09-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

GSTV's installation is completely painless and all-inclusive. We take care of the management, the equipment, the network, and content, including creating your product promotions. So you and your customers can sit back and enjoy the show (it is a little like how the Obama Administration would like the American people to feel as he implements his radical political agenda). Partical Caption & Image Credit: GSTV

State Run "Obama TV" Strikes Deal to Broadcast At Gas Stations!

Gas Station TV chosen to provide NBC content to 30 million on-the-go viewers.

That's right, it is not bad enough that Chris Matthews talks about a strange feeling running up his leg on his seldom viewed show on the equally unattended cable outlet MSNBC ... now we all may be treated to the same type of incisive reflections at the gas pump as we have to stand there and fill our tanks with the politically "hated" elixir.

This excerpted and edited from NACS Online -

NBC Universal and Gas Station TV Form Partnership
NACS Online (National Association of Convenience Stores) - Posted: Sep 1, 2009

NBC Everywhere and Gas Station TV announced earlier this week that they have formed an exclusive advertising and content partnership to bring NBCU content to gas stations across the country. As of yesterday, NBCU content is available to more than 30 million viewers each month during visits to gas station pumps.
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Gas Station TV is available in more than 100 U.S. DMAs (and more than 800 US cities), including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.

“Gas Station TV continues to be sought out by the top advertisers due to our reach and ability to conduct both national and local campaigns,” said Gas Station TV CEO David Leider. “We chose NBC as our partner as they are the only major network truly committed to giving their loyal viewers the quality programming they enjoy — and now expect — when they are away from the home.”

Each GSTV screen features a four-and-a-half minute combination of local and national NBCU content, as well as content from ESPN and AccuWeather. Gas Station TV’s technology allows geo-targeting down to the station and daypart, appealing capabilities for advertisers.
Reference Here>>

Our Administration does not have an energy policy other than the recent appointment of a Politically-Radical Green Jobs Czar, Van Jones ... and there lies the rub. General Electric, as a company, views the green initiates put forward by the Obama Administration as THE way to save a dying company from itself.

Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and chief executive of General Electric leads a discussion with business leaders at an Ecomagination news conference at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California May 24, 2007. Image Credit: Fred Prouser

Ever since Jeffery Immelt became the CEO of the multinational conglomerate, General Electric, it has lost profits, and its rather large media holdings, NBC Universal, have given its viewing public a 24/7 barrage on the "greening" of America in order to pursuade and propagandize the public into supporting Barack Obama's Cap & Trade plan. If Cap & Trade were to become law it would mean hyper-large Government contracts for alternative power generating technologies of which General Electric would be first in line to benefit from ... Profit From!

Of course, this new deal now indemnifies Gas Station TV from scrutiny by the newly appointed Radically-Political FCC Diversity Czar, Mark Lloyd (officially - diversity officer of the Federal Communications Commission) ... we are sensing a theme here. Yes, this is the same Mark Lloyd who was very fond of Hugo Chaves and his political take-over and control of Venezuela. Mark Lloyd stated while participating in a 2008 conference on "media reform," what a wonderful leader Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, was, and wincing at an unpleasantness the dictator had to deal with, the uppity owners of media, people who had some objections to the outright take-over of their property in mind.

He spoke of Chavez's "incredible revolution, a democratic revolution," and of the "property owners and the folks who then controlled the media in Venezuela" who "rebelled" and who "worked to oust him." Still, said Lloyd, Chavez "came back with another revolution, and then ... began to take very seriously the media in his country."

NBC Universal media properties list in alphabetical order [ctrl-click photo to enlarge]. Image Credit: NBCU

We, at MAXINE, know Quid Pro Quo is the order of the day, and Gas Station TV just became another cog in the wheel of the state run outfit headed by the very compliant NBC Universal aka "Obama TV"!

Pssst, Bush Volunteered For Viet Nam Theater Duty, Really!

2009-08-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Dan Rather - The "Poster Boy" for the cover of the scheduled release of "Media Bias For Dummies"! ... it's not happening, just kidding. Image Credit: liberalities.com

Pssst, Bush Volunteered For Viet Nam Theater Duty, Really!

An outside panel CBS brought into to get to the bottom of the so-called “Rathergate” mess says on Page #130 on an online report resource that George W. Bush had volunteered for fighter pilot service in the Viet Nam theater.

This little known information discovery was first brought forward on "The O'Reilly Factor" Tuesday night in an interview between Bill O'Reilly and Bernie Goldberg. What is interesting about this uncovered piece of information is that it shows to what lengths the producers and tellers of this story, that aired just 55 days before an election, went to hide an important fact about George W. Bush and his military service (beyond the phony documents).

This edited and excerpted from Bernie Goldberg's Between Manhattan and Malibu -

A "Lost" Fact in the "Rathergate" Mess
By Bernard Goldberg - Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at 7:58 pm

What seems like a long, long time ago Dan Rather was a very powerful force in American journalism. He not only was the anchorman of the CBS Evening News, he was also the face of the network’s renowned news division — the “Tiffany” network of bigger-than-life legends like Ed Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Eric Sevareid, Mike Wallace and many, many others.

That was then.

Now Dan Rather is suing the network that employed him for 44 years, asking for $70 million dollars in damages. Technically, the lawsuit is about a dry legal issue — breach of contract. But it is also about something much more personal to Rather: his legacy. It is a lawsuit, fundamentally, about saving Dan Rather’s reputation.

That reputation took a turn for the worse back in 2004. As has been widely reported, just 55 days before a very close presidential election, Dan Rather and his producer Mary Mapes put a story on the weekday edition of 60 Minutes that brought on the media equivalent of World War III. There were accusations that Rather, Mapes, and maybe the entire CBS News Division had set out to deliberately destroy George W. Bush and get John Kerry elected President of the United States – a charge everyone at CBS vehemently denies.

The story was about how the young George Bush got preferential treatment during the Vietnam War; how he wangled his way into the Texas Air National Guard back in the 1960s to avoid service in Vietnam; and how he was able to do it because his father was a big-shot, a United States Congressman from Houston. The story portrayed the Bush as a slacker. Others have said it portrayed him as a “cowardly draft dodger.”

And to bolster their story, Rather and Mapes got their hands on “never-before-seen” documents (as Rather put it in his story) that supposedly backed up their months (and in Mapes’ case, years) of reporting. But in no time flat the documents came under attack, mainly by conservatives on the web who examined the typeface of the memos and concluded they were fakes.
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In 2007, Rather filed his $70 million lawsuit against his old company saying he wasn’t allowed to defend his story because the top management of CBS’ parent company, Viacom, wanted to appease the Bush Administration and protect its business interests.

Until now, the controversy over the Rather/Mapes story has centered almost entirely on one issue: the legitimacy of the documents – a very important issue, indeed. But it turns out that there was another very important issue, one that goes to the very heart of what the story was about – and one that has gone virtually unnoticed. This is it: Mary Mapes knew before she put the story on the air that George W. Bush, the alleged slacker, had in fact volunteered to go to Vietnam.

Who says? The outside panel CBS brought into to get to the bottom of the so-called “Rathergate” mess says. I recently re-examined the panel’s report after a source, Deep Throat style, told me to “Go to page 130.” When I did, here’s the startling piece of information I found:

Mapes had information prior to the airing of the September 8 [2004] Segment that President Bush, while in the TexANG [Texas Air National Guard] did volunteer for service in Vietnam but was turned down in favor of more experienced pilots. For example, a flight instructor who served in the TexANG with Lieutenant Bush advised Mapes in 1999 that Lieutenant Bush “did want to go to Vietnam but others went first.” Similarly, several others advised Mapes in 1999, and again in 2004 before September 8, that Lieutenant Bush had volunteered to go to Vietnam but did not have enough flight hours to qualify.

This information, despite the fact that it has been available since the CBS report came out four years ago, has remained a secret to almost everybody both in and out of the media — one lonely fact in a 234- page report loaded with thousands of facts, and overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the documents.

I made an online check and discovered that while a few websites noted the CBS finding, the story got no ink (that I could find) on the news pages of any big mainstream paper. I did manage to find two opinion pieces about the CBS mess – one in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the other in the Miami Herald — that briefly, and only in passing, mentioned the “Bush volunteered” angle. But that was it! A check of network newscasts turned up nothing. And when I questioned two journalists with intimate knowledge of the story, both said Mapes never shared her information with them.

For the record: George W. Bush has always maintained that he joined the National Guard not to avoid service in Vietnam but because he wanted to be a fighter pilot.
Reference Here>>

Right there on Page #130 on an online resource it clearly states that George W. Bush had volunteered for fighter pilot service in the Viet Nam theater.

We, at MAXINE felt, the 43rd President of the United States may have been one of the most confounding Presidents this nation has ever seen given border security and Government spending ... at least until the current Administration took over, but George W. Bush did not join the Air National Guard to escape having to be put in harm's way in Viet Nam ... he actually volunteered for combat duty and this information was purposely suppressed because it just did not fit the direction of the intent of the 60 minutes piece!

HR615: Congress Should Live Under Health Care Plan They Create

2009-08-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) - As Rep. Fleming says, “If it’s so great for the rest of America, why can’t congress be a part of it as well?” Image Credit: House of Representatives

HR615: Congress Should Live Under Health Care Plan They Create

Has anyone noticed how the one-party leadership running the American government enjoys forcing their ideas on everyone else while not having to personally live with the consequences of those ideas themselves?

The socialized health care plan being debated in congress right now is no exception. They want to force Americans into their inefficient, costly, freedom-robbing plan while they continue living high on the taxpayer-funded hog of a different, privately managed plan.

This excerpted and edited from dakotavoice.com -

"Rep. John Flemming (R-LA) proposes to make all the animals on the “Animal Farm” truly equal. He has proposed HR 615 which says

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Members who vote in favor of the establishment of a public, federal government run health insurance option are urged to forgo their right to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and agree to enroll under that public option.

As Rep. Fleming says, “If it’s so great for the rest of America, why can’t congress be a part of it as well?”

He has 43 Republican co-sponsors,yet despite reaching out to Democrats to sign on, not a single Democrat has joined as a sponsor. What’s good for the goose is apparently not at all acceptable to the gander.

He says that if Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families,it’s only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they advocate and pass for the public, so they should have to live with the consequences, too."

SOURCE>>

"Madoffing America" - The Marketing Of ObamaCare

2009-08-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama - President Obama asks supporters to declare their support for his three core principles for health care reform, and to share their personal stories to help build support for the reforms that are so desperately needed. [ctrl-click to launch video] Learn more at http://my.barackobama.com/healthcare

"Madoffing America" - The Marketing Of ObamaCare

The atmosphere here in America is laden heavy with the feel of Caveat Emptor ... let the buyer beware.

We are being told almost daily, that the Government needs to get what the Obama Administration wants to get done in terms of (name program here) legislation immediately, otherwise (name imperative here) will befall all of us and people are suffering.

Further, the Obama Administration is responding to the information that is leaking out about some programs they are fighting for with plastered over non-truths in order to be able to give the patina of cover for the Congress as they go back to their districts during the summer recess.

Linda Douglass - In this video, Linda Douglass, the communications director for the White Houses Health Reform Office, addresses a story that makes it look like the President intends to eliminate private coverage, when the reality couldn't be further from the truth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0XCl6OHgiM

The Obama healthcare agenda, ObamaCare, is rife with misrepresentations and lies that are designed to have people believe that what this Administration is proposing is not a single payer, a one-size fits all healhcare system, that will push out and eliminate free market solutions that exist today.

Just like Bernie Madoff, who induced investors to give his company money with promises of unbelievable returns, the Obama Administration, with the help of the Democrat Political Party leadership in Congress, are promising something they can not, and do not intend to deliver.

The principles, as outlined on the wbsite - http://my.barackobama.com/healthcare - claims the following so that we citizens can feel comfortable about the proposed Government take-over of one-sixth of our economy - the healthcare system.

Example:

The Principles

President Obama has announced three bedrock requirements for real health insurance reform:

* Reduce Costs — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals and families and they must be brought under control

* Guarantee Choice — Every American must have the freedom to choose their plan and doctor – including the choice of a public insurance option

* Ensure Quality Care for All — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care

All of the above principles are not only untrue ... they are impossible promises to deliver given the text of H.R 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (currently 1,018 pages) passed through the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a 31-28 vote last Friday.

Obama to Jane Sturm: Hey, take a pill - Jane asks the President if her 100 year old mother (now 105) would have gotten a pacemaker under his plan. Well now that's a tough one ... that costs a lot and maybe we will have to say, just take a pill. Priceless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-dQfb8WQvo

This excerpted and edited from the Charlotte Conservative Examiner and About.com -

Obamacare: death and taxes
Hailey Wilson - Charlotte Conservative Examiner - August 4, 12:13 AM

House Democrats have narrowly pushed Obama’s Healthcare bill - H.R 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 - through a key congressional committee this past Friday.
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The official vote [by all of Congress] should be sometime in September, leaving little time for representatives and Americans to learn what the bill is really about.

Here is a start:

This new healthcare plan will take the independence you have in deciding where and how you get your healthcare and put those decisions into bureaucratic hands.

Think about it this way: going to your doctor will be like going to your DMV—long waiting lines, substandard service and inefficient care.

There is one very important difference, however: you or your loved one will be sick, hurt or dying. The inevitable delays in government-funded healthcare mean death, pain or a worsened condition. And what is worse, the government will decide what quality of healthcare is acceptable.

Here are some of the provisions in Obama’s Healthcare bill:

Page 29: Health care will be rationed.

Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)

Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.

Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
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About.com:
Page 57, under section 163, there is something that would give the government power to reach into benefits recipients' bank accounts. It is called "Administrative Simplification," and Subsection 1173A of this measure, "Standardize Electronic Transactions" has a provision (a)(2)(B) that ensures that this new governmental power:

"be authoritative, permitting no additions or constraints for electronic transactions ..." (C) "be comprehensive, efficient and robust, requiring minimal augmentation by paper transactions or clarification by further communications;" and, finally, (D) enable the real-time (or near real-time) determination of an individual’s financial responsibility at the point of service and, to the extent possible, prior to service, including whether the individual is eligible for a specific service with a specific physician at a specific facility, which may include utilization of a machine-readable health plan beneficiary identification card;" ... (E) "enable, where feasible, near real-time adjudication of claims ..." (Emphasis added)
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Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.

Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.

Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)

Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.

Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.

Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.

Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.

Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.

Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.

Page 167: Any individual who doesn’t have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).

Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.

Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."

Page 241: Doctors: no matter what speciality you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)

Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.

Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.

Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!

Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.

Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.

Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited for owning and investing in healthcare companies!

Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.

Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.

Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.

Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.

Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia.

Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.
Reference Here and Here>>

There is more ... a lot more (and will be updated here from time to time) and it is not pretty.

Single Payer as articulated by now President Barack Obama at an AFL-CIO union meeting.

People are up in arms, showing up in record numbers at politician summer recess community meetings and having their voices heard. Last weekend, 10,000 people showed up at one of these gatherings in Ohio and the press reported that only 200 citizens were in attendance.

The Democrat Political Party leadership have drafted up some talking points to confront this display by condemning it as a manufactured response organized by "Big Insurance" companies, yet AARP, one of the biggest insurance marketers, is on record in supporting the Obama Administration's efforts - no matter what.

We, at MAXINE, are reminded of an anthem song produced by Bob Marley and the Wailers - "Get Up, Stand Up ... Stand Up For Your Right! [ctrl-click to launch music video] - don't give up the fight!" The time is now to not be duped by the efforts of our one-party leadership scheme and its efforts to nationalize healthcare, no matter how minimal their intrusion. Medicare and Medicaid are government programs that have failed, and all the Democrat leadership wants to do is give all of us this type of program as our only option.

Be very aware of the efforts of the one-party leadership represented by the Obama Administration and the Democrat Political Party led Congress to convince us to invest in their healthcare (big, bigger, biggest government control) ponzi scheme ... their Madoffing of America.

The Killing Of Innovation In Obamaworld

2009-08-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama (ahead), Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sergeant James Crowley walk from the Oval Office to the Rose Garden of the White House, July 30, 2009 to join in on the President;s invitation to the "Beer Summit". Notice that it is Officer Crowley who is interested in the needs of the hobbled Professor Gates ... and not the friend and President. Image Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

The Killing Of Innovation In Obamaworld

American exceptionalism and what the expression actually means are key to how the United States became the most powerful and successful country in the history of mankind.

Now that six full months of the one-party rule leadership regime of Carter's Second Term are in full effect, Barack Obama decided that the "Spirit of Innovation" is the key to the future and the country's economic prosperity.

To quote President Obama, "Innovation has been essential to our prosperity in the past, and it will be essential to our prosperity in the future."

Little does President Obama and the Democrat Political Party vote-locked led Congress understand that they have already snuffed the spark that ignites the flame of innovation which would be the payoff that risk offers the innovator.

Basically, by increasing the size and scope of Government in everyone's life, the mother's milk of innovation created through investment and the level of return on an investment that is judged by the risk involved ... has been turned upside down.

Increased taxes and fees, Federal takeover of major sectors of a once free enterprise business, laying waste to contract law precedents that helped to structure the confidence of the investor through business uncertainty, and the pursuit of policies that would actually kill off some of the energy producing sectors of our economy have done everything but produce an atmosphere in which innovation could grow yet survive.

Obama said he will discuss the foundation he wants when he makes a second visit to Elkhart, Ind., on Wednesday (8-5-2009). Layoffs in the recreational vehicle industry account for much of the job loss in northern Indiana, which is struggling with an unemployment rate near 17 percent.

If people do not have money to spend or invest in, bright, educated, and talented people to create and innovate, they will not have an environment that fosters creativity and return on the risk for their investment.

President Obama evokes the scepter of innovation after over 3 minutes of excuses and descriptions of how bad the economy is doing ... oh!, and did we mention that we inherited this recession? Video Credit: whitehouse.gov

This excerpted and edited from Yahoo News! -

Obama: 'Spirit of innovation' key to the future
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press Writer - 8-1-2009

President Barack Obama, citing fresh evidence the recession is winding down, says the country's future economic prosperity depends on building a new, stronger foundation and recapturing the "spirit of innovation."
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The president cited Friday's Commerce Department report showing that in the last few months the economy overall has done "measurably better than expected." He credited his $787 billion economic stimulus program for much of that progress.

"This and the other difficult but important steps that we have taken over the last six months have helped put the brakes on this recession," Obama said.
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"Even as we rescue this economy, we must work to rebuild it stronger than before," he said. "We've got to build a new foundation strong enough to withstand future economic storms and support lasting prosperity.

That means having the best-educated, highest-skilled workers in the world, a health care system that fosters innovation by holding the line on costs, building a clean energy economy and investing in research and development," Obama said.

"It is only by building a new foundation that we will once again harness that incredible generative capacity of the American people," the president said. "All it takes are the policies to tap that potential — to ignite that spark of creativity and ingenuity — which has always been at the heart of who we are and how we succeed.
Reference Here>>

President Obama believes that innovation and growth are fostered through Government programs and directed Government spending. Never, in the history of man has innovation been the product of an over-reaching managed effort put forth by any Government.

This approach will only lead to a killing of innovation in an Obama led world. This was not the approach that made the rise of the United States exceptional in the first place.

We, At MAXINE, believe that this template is the opposite of what it really takes to create an environment of innovation. Personal freedom is the key and smaller Government in all areas of a citizens life is the only way to recapture what made America great and exceptional in the first place.

Restore the growth of personal freedoms through self-reliance and innovation will naturally follow.

Reset America by resetting what made America the land of opportunity in the first place. It is time to re-read and apply the Constitution of the United States and grow to a program of Federal Government minimalism!

The New Name For Stupid? - "MAHER", Bill Maher

2009-07-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Comedian Bill Maher told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the United States is stupid. How so, Bill? Because this country can elect someone like Sarah Palin, Maher replied. Blitzer gave Maher a few chances to backpedal, but the comedian stood his ground [ctrl-click to launch video]. Image Credit: faithcenter.wordpress.com

The New Name For Stupid? - "MAHER", Bill Maher

Humankind has a fun habit for naming things, traits and events in this world. They love to attribute a trait or quality of something by honoring it with the name of a person that holds this trait or quality so that they never forget their response. Then this person shares their story for this thing, trait or quality of something with everyone else for their approval. If the story fits ... the name sticks ... like a Brand Name.

A few common examples of this would be:

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del., on left), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a candidate for his party's 1988 presidential nomination, said today that he had "made a mistake" by announcing his opposition to the nomination of appeals court Judge Robert H. Bork (pictured on right) to the Supreme Court before giving an in-depth explanation of his rationale. But in a speech here today to the Association of State Democratic Chairs, Biden reiterated that opposition and said the Senate has a constitutional responsibility to play an equal role with the president in choosing Supreme Court justices. Caption Credit: The Washington Post, July 19, 1987 - Image Credit: Terry Ashe/Time Life Pictures

"BORK", as in attempts to BORK Clarence Thomas were unsuccessful. - To totally mis-characterize someone, trash their record and character so that they would not be able to be taken seriously for anything. This naming came from a tactic employed by elected officials from the Democrat Political Party when they were in opposition to the nomination of appeals court Judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court back in 1987. Under the Constitution, the President has the power to nominate people to various offices. The Senate's role is to give "advice and consent." But in the case of Robert Bork, the Senate did a whole lot more. It unleashed a public relations campaign viciously attacking Judge Bork.

The story of Thomas Crapper and his achievements has been somewhat confused by Wallace Reyburn's 1969 book Flushed With Pride: The Story of Thomas Crapper, a heavily fictionalized satirical biography in the style of scholarship. Caption and Image Credit: Wikipedia

"CRAP", as in someone is full of CRAP ..., or, I feel like taking a CRAP! - This expression was derived from the last name of an enterprising person who decided to go into business. He founded the Thomas Crapper & Co. Ltd. in London and popularized the use of the flush toilet. Further, he developed some important related inventions, such as the ballcock. He was noted for the quality of his products and received several Royal Warrants. For this, he was honored with the slang term ... "CRAP"!

"MAHER", as in I'm so MAHER that I took a CRAP on the United States! - Actually, the term - MAHER - could qualify as a two-fer! After seeing the video of his statements made from his questioning by Wolf Blitzer on CNN's Situation Room, Bill Maher redefined both words of Stupid and Hateful, for claiming all Americans ... and America is a stupid country, and the example he cites is that he believed that this country would actually vote for Sara Palin as President and that made this country "Stupid" - that is hateful, not funny.

I have a question, if the United States is such a stupid country, why doesn't Bill Maher move to another country?

Answer - This country is so "MAHER", that it is willing to give stupid and hateful Bill Maher a television show ... when no other country would.

I guess this should sum it all up:

Basically, Maher "BORKS" the United States and Sarah Palin on CNN in one fell swoop ... and that makes his statements a load of CRAP! It's just Bill Maher being MAHER!

TDF Stage 21 - The Finale - Contador, Schleck, Armstrong, & The Rising Sun

2009-07-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

From left: Astana teammates Lance Armstrong, Sergio Paulinho and Tour champion Alberto Contador drink champagne during the final ride into Paris. Caption and Image Credit: Getty via Universal Sports

TDF Stage 21 - The Finale - Contador, Schleck, Armstrong, & The Rising Sun

The Stage 21 template is set, Team Astana will have two riders, Team Saxo Bank with one rider in the Peloton that will be on the final Podium in Paris - Alberto Contador as winner of the Tour de France with Andy Schleck of Team Saxo Bank, 2nd, and Lance Armstrong placing 3rd.

One story that might be missed by most who were following the happenings of this epic athletic test over 21 days of competition in the month of july in France, Spain, Andorra, and Switzerland, is the fact that riders from the nation of Japan have competed and completed the Tour de France for the first time ever this year. There have been two other riders from Japan to start the Tour in its 96 year history, but this is the absolute first time that any rider (let alone two) has competed and completed this epic event and ride the final eight laps on the cobblestone pavement of the Champs Élysées in Paris.

Yukiya Arashiro riding for Team Bbox Bouygues Telecom (France) - In 2005 he was the Japanese U23 National Time Trial and Road Race Champion and in 2007 he was National Road Race Champion. Caption Credit: Wikipedia Image Credit: Universal Sports

Fumiyuki Beppu riding for Team Skil-Shimano (Netherlands) - In June 2006, Beppu was crowned the Japanese National Champion of both the Individual Time-Trial and the Road Race, he turned professional with Team Discovery Channel, with whom he stayed until 2007. Caption Credit: Wikipedia Image Credit: Universal Sports

Lance Armstrong can credit his podium finish over rider Bradley Wiggins of Team Garmin-Slipstream to the day he had in Stage 3 - http://my.nowpublic.com/sports/tdf-stage-3-lance-armstrong-makes-wind-aided-big-move - of the Tour de France.

The Peloton - On an unassuming Monday afternoon heading to the luxuriant coastal town of La Grande-Motte, the Columbia-HTC team decided to take the Tour de France on and hit it for six. /// Before the 96th Tour began, many commented on the apparent strength of Astana which boasts general classification contenders Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer in their midst. But combined and riding as one today was not Astana, but the American-owned team who last week picked up a new sponsor, HTC. Columbia-HTC proved most powerful team during stage 3. Caption Credit: CyclingNews Image Credit: Roberto Bettini (2009)

General Classification Standings After Stage 2:
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 04:49:34 (38.77km/h)
2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana +:00:-18
3 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream +:00:-19
4 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana +:00:-22
5 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto +:00:-23
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana +:00:-30
7 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas +:00:-32
8 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - High Road +:00:-33
9 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas +:00:-37
10 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana +:00:-40

Team Columbia with George Hincapie decided that if the teams wih sprinters were not going to take the race to the smaller, original four rider breakaway, then this team was going to place their rider, Mark Cavendish, in a position to take the stage. Team Columbia took advantage of an echolon move, where the nine riders of the team block the wind by riding in an angle, in kind of a half-chevron, to shield from the wind which caused another breakaway which eventually caught up with the smaller breakaway and on to the end to have this lead group gain 39 seconds against the rest of the field. Lanch Armstrong saw what Team Columbia was attempting to do and along with two other Team Astana teammates Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia, rode with this wind aided break to move at the end of the day from a 10th overall position to 3rd in the overall classification.

Bradley Wiggins, however, did not recognize what was happening and got caught out and ended up finishing with the Peloton, finishing in the pack, losing 1min. 40 sec. to Lance Armstrong.

General Classification Standings After Stage 3:
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 09:50:58 (19.96km/h)
2 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - High Road +0:00:33
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana +0:00:40
4 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana +0:00:59
5 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream +0:01:00
6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana +0:01:03
7 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram +0:01:03
8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto +0:01:04
9 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - High Road +0:01:10
10 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana +0:01:11

Bradley Wiggings will finish 4th in the General Classification at a mere 37 seconds behind 3rd place Podium finisher after 21 days of racing through Spain, Andorra, Switzerland, and France!

This final 15km excerpted and edited from VeloNews -

1:14
CPelkey: As we said, today's stage will be a easy ride into Paris, with riders taking a somewhat relaxed approach to these final kilometers in what has been a long Tour de France.

Here's a quick shot of the peloton as they prepare to head to Paris.

5:21
CPelkey: With 15km remaining, the gap is down to 20 seconds.

5:21
[Comment From Doug from Wyoming ]
Do you think Columbia is holding off on catching the break-away to prevent the counter attacks?
5:22
CPelkey: Yeah, they have to know someone is going to counter as soon as the catch happens.
5:23
CPelkey: With 14km to go, the gap is down to 16 seconds. They have some serious horsepower on Columbia.
5:23
CPelkey: Two laps to go, 13km
5:23
CPelkey: The gap is now just 15 seconds.
5:25
CPelkey: With 12km to go, the gap is 11 seconds and the counter attacks are starting.
5:25
CPelkey: Garmin is moving up on the side of the peloton. Gonna try something?
5:26
CPelkey: With 10.5km to go, the gap is 13 seconds.
5:28
CPelkey: With 9.5km to go, the gap is 11 seconds.
5:28
CPelkey:

Michael Rogers has flatted. Bad news for Columbia
5:29
CPelkey: Our leaders are breaking apart... we have three up front, heading for the last lap.
5:29
CPelkey: One of them is Beppu.
5:30
CPelkey: Nice. Okay, we'll show our bias. Beppu! Beppu! Beppu!

It would be cool to see a Japanese winner.
5:30
CPelkey: Three leaders, Beppu, Veikkannen and Wegmann are now one lap from the end, and lead by 10 seconds. The others have been caught.
5:31
CPelkey: Ding Ding Ding.... one lap and it's nine seconds.
5:32
CPelkey: With 6km to go, the three leaders are 10 seconds ahead of the field.
5:32
CPelkey: Here comes Garmin....
5:32
CPelkey:

Caught...
5:33
CPelkey: Columbia is leading the charge with 5km to go.
5:33
CPelkey: Cavendish is the picture of concentration.
5:34
CPelkey: With 4km to go, the peloton is still together.
5:34
CPelkey:

Garmin sets up it's lead-out crew.
5:35
CPelkey:

Vande Velde is powering at the front.
5:35
CPelkey: 3km to go... Contador has won the Tour... we're in the safe zone.
5:35
CPelkey: Garmin up front. Columbia is fighting to organize.
5:36
CPelkey:

Vande Velde and Millar are doing hard work up front.
5:36
CPelkey: Into the tunnel
5:36
CPelkey: 1.8km to go
5:36
CPelkey: Garmin leads the way
5:37
CPelkey: Hincapie Counters with 1km to go.
5:37
CPelkey: It's a drag race
5:37
CPelkey:

Final turn....
5:37
CPelkey:

Renshaw gives the lead out...
5:38
CPelkey: Cav' gets it!
5:39
CPelkey: Number six.... wowie... he just flew off the front. Long, long sprint, but Cavendish and Renshaw had a huge gap on the rest of the field. Renshaw takes second.
5:40
CPelkey: Contador is celebrating his overall win. He crossed the line with his arms raised in victory.

As expected, there were no changes in GC.
5:41
[Comment From Breck ]
Safe zone?
5:43
CPelkey: Yeah, I knew that would elicit a question ... or 10.

I was referring to the UCI rule that awards field time to anyone who crashes or suffers some sort of mishap in the final three kilometers of a stage ... but with things happening as fast as they were, it would have taken a bit to type all of that in, eh?
5:44
CPelkey: It looks like Hushovd finished close enough to protect his hold on the green jersey.
5:45
[Comment From Bikeman ]
I thought the safe zone was 1km, when did it become 3?
5:45
CPelkey: I think in '05 or '06. I am old and my memory is beginning to fade.

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up.
5:47
CPelkey: Preliminary Stage Results:

# 1. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia - Htc
# 2. Mark Renshaw Team Columbia - Htc
# 3. Tyler Farrar Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00
# 4. Gerald Ciolek Team Milram at s.t.
# 5. Yauheni Hutarovich Francaise Des Jeux at s.t.
# 6. Thor Hushovd Cervelo Test Team at s.t.
# 7. Joaquin Rojas Jose Caisse D’epargne at s.t.
# 8. Marco Bandiera Lampre - N.g.c at s.t.
# 9. Daniele Bennati Liquigas at s.t.
# 10. William Bonnet Bbox Bouygues Telecom at s.t.
# 11. Lloyd Mondory Ag2r La Mondiale at s.t.
# 12. Geoffroy Lequatre Agritubel at s.t.
# 13. Nicolaï Trussov Team Katusha at s.t.
# 14. Cyril Lemoine Skil-Shimano at s.t.
# 15. Leonardo Duque Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne at s.t.
# 16. Sebastian Lang Silence - Lotto at s.t.
# 17. Matteo Tosatto Quick Step at s.t.
# 18. Steven De Jongh Quick Step at s.t.
# 19. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank at s.t.
# 20. Yukiya Arashiro Bbox Bouygues Telecom at s.t.
# 21. Saïd Haddou Bbox Bouygues Telecom at s.t.

5:48
[Comment From Daniel in PDX ]
Off to my ride. Thanks for the great coverage -- and humor!!
5:49
CPelkey: Oh man, we should all spend the next month riding our bikes during those times we spent here in July.
5:51
CPelkey:

The final top 10:
# 1. Alberto Contador Astana, 85:48:35
# 2. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank, at 4:11
# 3. Lance Armstrong Astana at 05:24
# 4. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 06:01
# 5. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 06:04
# 6. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 06:42
# 7. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 07:35
# 8. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 12:04
# 9. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 14:16
# 10. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at 14:25

5:56
CPelkey: Nice to see that Yukiya Arashiro (Bbox Bouygues) not only finished today, but made top-20 in the stage. Two Japanese rider become the first from their country to finish the Tour de France. Terrific work and congratulations to both.
5:56
[Comment From Ken Stevens ]
KOM?
5:57
CPelkey: Pellizotti had a lock on it today. All he had to do was finish and he did.
5:59
CPelkey: Hushovd is on the podium now. He's getting the green jersey.
6:00
CPelkey: And Franco Pellizotti is on the stage with his son. How cool would that be, being able to share a moment like that with your kid?
6:01
CPelkey: Best young rider... Andy Schleck, the white jersey winner from last year. Good work.
6:02
[Comment From Dave ]
What is the age limit for the White jersey?
6:02
CPelkey:

Under 25.
6:03
[Comment From Wow ]
I want to kiss a podium girl
6:03
CPelkey: You can! Just win a stage at the Tour de France.
6:04
[Comment From guest ]
did cav's dq made a difference?
6:05
CPelkey: The relegation cost Cavendish 13 points. The final difference was 10 points, but who knows how it would have shaken out if the race would have been closer.

Hushovd's march through the mountains sure made a statement.

# 1. Thor Hushovd Cervelo Test Team 280 points
# 2. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia - Htc 270 points
# 3. Gerald Ciolek Team Milram 172 points
# 4. Joaquin Rojas Jose Caisse D’epargne 145 points
# 5. Tyler Farrar Garmin - Slipstream 136 points
# 6. Nicolas Roche Ag2r La Mondiale 122 points
# 7. Oscar Freire Rabobank 119 points
# 8. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas 104 points
# 9. Alberto Contador Astana 101 points
# 10. Andréas Kloden Astana 89 points

Team Astana teammates Alberto Contador (left) and Lance Armstrong greet each other on the final podium as they assume positions 1 and 3 respectively. Image Credit: Reuters via Universal Sports

This article excerpted and edited from VeloNews -

'Old Fart' Armstrong secures his spot on the podium
By Andrew Hood, VeloNews - Published: Jul. 25, 2009

Maybe Lance Armstrong will like Mont Ventoux a little more now.

Armstrong hung tough on the mountain that’s always given him trouble to fend off attacks from the Schleck brothers and secure a podium spot with third place going into Sunday’s finale at the 2009 Tour de France.

“I cannot complain for an old fart coming here,” Armstrong said after the stage. “Getting third on these young guys is not so bad.”

During his seven-year Tour reign, Mont Ventoux proved elusive. In 2000, he “gifted” the stage to Italian rival Marco Pantani in a gesture that backfired. In 2002, Richard Virenque won out of a breakaway ahead of the chasing Armstrong, who crossed the line third.

On Saturday, the stakes were dramatically different and Armstrong was riding to defend his hold on third-place.

Some 38 seconds separated Armstrong from sixth-place rival Frank Schleck, with Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream) and Andreas Kloden (Astana) sandwiched in between for a four-way battle for third.

The Saxo Bank tandem needed to dislodge Armstrong, Wiggins and Kloden if they wanted to move Frank Schleck from sixth to third to join Andy Schleck on the final podium in Paris.
----
Astana sport director Alain Gallopin said the longer, steeper slopes of the unrelenting Mont Ventoux climb better-suited Armstrong’s style.

“We are very pleased with the confirmation of Armstrong to finish on the Tour. First and third is not bad for us! It was impressive what Armstrong could do today, but we were confident,” Gallopin said. “Arcalis and Verbier were shorter and faster than a climb like Ventoux, so we expected him to be able to fend off the attacks. He's better on the longer climbs like Alpe d'Huez.”
----
Armstrong settled into third place at 5:24 back, a remarkable achievement following his three-year retirement.

At 37, Armstrong is one of the oldest podium finishers ever. His experience and race savvy proved decisive throughout the race, most evident in key moments when he snuck into the front group when the pack split in stage 3 to Le Grande Motte.

With new sponsor RadioShack, Armstrong promises to be back next year even stronger.

“I will race next year with my team and I think I will be even stronger,” Armstrong said. “We will have a strong team. I am already looking forward to next year.”
Reference Here>>

Total ReCap of the 23 days of the 2009 Tour de France>>

TDF Stage 20 - The Final Test For Contador, Schleck, Armstrong, Wiggins, Kloden, and Schleck

2009-07-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Yup, this is a biggie, folks. Today’s stage features five climbs, ending with only the third mountain-top finish of this Tour. And to make things more interesting, organizers saved the hardest for the day before the finish in Paris. To quote Octave Lapize from the 1910 Tour de France, when the race first went up the Tourmalet: "Assassins!" Image and Caption Credit: steephill.tv

TDF Stage 20 - The Final Test For Contador, Schleck, Armstrong, Wiggins, Kloden, and Schleck

At 20km to the final summit in the final climb and the teams of the lead riders are at the front of the peloton, ripping it away from the rest of the field. We pick up the final mountain stage in the penultimate stage of the Tour de France at the bottom of Mont Ventoux with the Teams of Team Garmin-Slipstream for Bradley Wiggins (4), Team Astana for Alberto Contador (1), Lance Armstrong (3), and Andreas Kloden (5) and Team Saxo Bank for Andy Schleck (2), and Frank Schleck (6).

They are flying up Mont Ventoux with the jersey's unzipped and flapping in the wind. Pumping peddles and challenges from the Schleck brothers are taking it to Contador and Armstrong and both riders are covering every move!

The unrelenting gradient, the length, and the exposed terrain make Mont Ventoux one of the more difficult climbs in cycling. From Bédoin, the Mont Ventoux gains 1622 meters and requires 22.7 kilometers of uninterrupted climbing. The average gradient is 7.6%, but nearly half the climb ascends at gradients between 9% and 10%. Though lower slopes ascend under a pine forest canopy, the majority of the climb passes through exposed open terrain as the road snakes through white limestone scree to the summit. Wind is a frequent visitor to Mont Ventoux. The Mistral winds, a dry wind out of the north, blow through the Provence region and can hit speeds exceeding 100 km/hr. When they occur, the high winds exponentially increase the difficulty of this climb. Image and Caption Credit: steephill.tv

This excerpted and edited from steephill.tv-

Profile Details - Montélimar → Mont-Ventoux

This year's edition of the Ventoux stage takes a hilly route to the Géant. It sets out from Montélimar and begins a gradual ascent to the first climb of the day, the category 3 Côte de Citelle. The Côte climbs 5.2 kilometers at a relatively easy gradient and summits at kilometer 14. It offers a nice warm-up and may send the early breakaway on its merry way.

A brief descent follows this early climb and the stage crosses bumpy terrain as it passes through Salles-sous-Bois, Montbrison-sur-Lez, and Rousset-les-Vignes. The first intermediate sprint takes place in Les Pilles at kilometer 48. From Les Pilles, the course climbs gradually to the second categorized climb of the day. A picturesque climb on narrow roads, the Col d’Ey carries at category 3 rating. It lasts 6.7 kilometers and climbs at a steady gradient of 4.8%. The narrow road wraps around the hill and offers a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside cultivated with Lavender and vineyards.

After descending the Col d’Ey, the stage climbs again almost immediately. After passing through Eygarliers, the riders will climb the Col de Fontaube, a category 4 col. The Col de Fontaube climbs 4.7 kilometers at an average gradient of 4.2%. This is not an especially difficult ascent and none of the favorites will have any difficulty here. The Col de Fontaube summits at kilometer 87.

The next 30 kilometers cover rolling terrain. The stage passes through Aurel at kilometer 105 before climbing the fourth climb of the day. The Col des Abeilles lasts 7.7 kilometers and has an average gradient of 4%. Though some riders may be feeling the effects of the repeated climbing, the Col des Abeilles is nothing to fear. The organizers have given the climb a category 3 rating as a consequence of its length more than its pitch, which is not especially difficult. From the summit of the Col des Abeilles, there remains 45.5 kilometers to race, including 21.1 kilometers of hors catégorie goodness.

The road descends for the next 17 kilometers to the second intermediate sprint at Mormoiron at kilometer 138.5. The road begins to climb just after the sprint, and 5.5 kilometers later, the riders will reach Bédoin. This town signals the start of the final climb of the day, Mont Ventoux.
Reference Here>>

This from VeloNews(VN), CyclingNews(CN), Versus(VS), and various resources -

(CN) 1.
13:32 GMT - 20km to go for the breakaway. Garmin are also riding hard behind, showing that they too can put the pressure on.
2.
13:34 GMT - The Roche group is now 1'05" back...that's a pity, he had a chance of getting into the top 20 in his first Tour.

Cancellara has blown now. Cavendish sits up from a group...probably the second group on the road, not certain. He smiles at the camera - no worries.
3.
13:35 GMT - Posthuma leads the break, 18.6km from the top of the climb. They have just 3'57" now, so it's very unlikely any of those will win today.

David Millar now hits the front of the Contador group, driving the speed up again. Wiggins sits on his wheel.

Up front, Arrieta jumps...Martin goes after him.
4.
13:37 GMT - Garate, Riblon and Martin are together now. They have a sidewind but it's just 14km/h at this point.

Will be interesting to see if this acceleration in pace behind will affect Contador. He's lighter than most of the other riders and might be more affected by the wind.
5.
13:38 GMT - Garate goes again....he gets a gap on Martin and Arrieta. They get him back.

Millar still leads behind, Wiggins and VDV on his wheel. They have to give their all on this climb - Wiggins has a chance to be the best-ever British finisher in the Tour if he can finish higher than fourth. Robert Millar has that distinction until now.
6.
13:40 GMT (15.9km remaining from 167km) - Millar is getting every last bit of energy out.

The leading riders have 15.9km to go...3'24 is the gap. That's not enough.
1.
13:44 GMT (14km remaining from 167km) - The crowds are really big here....huge.. Hincapie has been dropped from the Contador group. Saxo Bank are driving it now...
2.
13:45 GMT - Vande Velde, Karpets, Astarloza (Euskaltel), Jurgen Van Den Broucke (Silence Lotto) are with the Contador group...so too the Schlecks, Wiggins, and about 20 others..
3.
13:46 GMT - This is going to be absolute mayhem...the group will explode on the climb.
4.
13:49 GMT - Chris Anker Sorensen is dropped, so too Cyril Lemoine (Skil Shimano). Karpets is also gone now...
5.
13:50 GMT (12km remaining from 167km) - Martin and Garate have slightly distanced Riblon.
6.
13:50 GMT - Frank Schleck attacks! He's jumped...Armstrong goes with him...
(VN)3:51
CPelkey:

Frank Schleck is still taking digs... Contador is staying with him, too.
3:51
EuroHoody:

One Garmin got popped, looks like Vande Velde
3:51
EuroHoody: Wiggins still there
3:51
CPelkey: Andy goes!
3:51
EuroHoody: Vandenbroucke is there for Silence
3:51
EuroHoody: Andy Schleck takes over!
3:51
CPelkey:

Andy Schleck is at the front, setting tempo. He has Contador, Armstrong, Frank ....
3:51
EuroHoody: Astaloza, VdV off back
3:52
CPelkey: Wiggo is there, too.
3:52
EuroHoody: Andy Schleck ramps it up again, AC marks the move
3:52
EuroHoody: Danglers are 2:37 off the front with 12km to go
3:52
CPelkey: And again... Andy Schleck goes again. Contador is with him.
3:52
EuroHoody:

Armstrong fighting back
3:53
EuroHoody: ASchleck ramps it up again!
3:53
CPelkey: Armstrong chases... almost joins and Andy hits the gas again.
3:53
EuroHoody: Contador glued to his wheel
3:53
CPelkey: Frank Schleck is back with Armstrong who is losing seconds...
3:53
EuroHoody: Kloden OFF the back
3:54
CPelkey: Armstrong has regained contact. Frank Schleck and Wiggins are there, too.
3:54
EuroHoody: Andy S, Contador, Nibali, LA, Kreuziger, FSchleck and Wiggins
3:54
EuroHoody: ASchleck ramps again!
3:54
EuroHoody: Contador follows
3:54
CPelkey: Andy Schleck has only Contador with him.
3:55
EuroHoody: Watch for Frank Schleck to bridge up - if he can
3:55
CPelkey: Frank Schleck has Armstrong glomped on to his wheel.
3:55
EuroHoody: 5 at front: LA, AC, the two Schlecks and Wiggins
3:56
EuroHoody: Nibali is there, too
3:56
EuroHoody: 6 at front for GC group
3:57
CPelkey: Frank Schleck takes a dig... Armstrong goes with him, though, as does the rest of the group.
3:57
EuroHoody: Looks like orders are for Contador to mark ASchleck, and LA to mark FSchleck
3:57
EuroHoody: Garate and Martin are still dangling at 2:15
3:57
EuroHoody: Kloden 45sec off the AC-LA group
3:58
CPelkey: The two leaders are 10km from the finish.
3:58
EuroHoody: Contador group is picking up some leftovers from the breakaway
(CN) 1.
13:57 GMT - Frank Schleck goes, Armstrong marks him... Contador, Wiggins and Nibali are there....and Andy Schleck, of course...
2.
13:59 GMT (10km remaining from 167km) - The leaders are just 2'15 ahead.. Kloden is coming back, so too Van den Broeck..

10 km for the leaders...
3.
14:00 GMT - Wiggins looks good...he's just followed so far, saving his energy....
#
14:03 GMT (8.8km remaining from 167km) - Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador, first and second overall, are clear and leaving the others behind... Van den Broeck attacks...

The Armstrong/Wiggins group are going quite slow now....they have been cracked by Schleck's acceleration.. But those fighting for third overall are all together.

----------
Situation:

Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) and Tony Martin (Columbia HTC)

Joost Postuma (Rabobank), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Anthony Geslin (Française des Jeux), Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis), Daniele Righi (Lampre), Maxime Bouet (Agritubel), Cyril Lemoine (Skil Shimano), Mickael Delage (Silence Lotto) and Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne) at 0.32

Alberto Contador (Astana), Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin), Lance Armstrong (Astana), Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank) at 2.00

Bradley Wiggins and Frank Schleck only need to gain from 16 to 18 seconds respectively in order to take a podium position from Lance Armstrong.

(VN)4:04
EuroHoody: LA is 20sec behind Contador, ASchleck, with Bouet hitching a wheel from the break
4:05
CPelkey: Man, Martin looks shelled up there. He is still hanging with Garate, but the boy looks tired.
4:05
EuroHoody: Nibali is reaching ASchleck and Contador, Bouet's "free ride" is over
4:06
CPelkey: Wiggins is stepping it up at the front of the Armstrong/FSchleck group
4:06
EuroHoody: Wiggo on the front, with FSchleck, LA, Kloden, Van Den Broeck, Kreuzisger about 20sec back
4:06
EuroHoody: Garate, Martin still dangling at 1:46
4:17
CPelkey: The wind is considerably lighter .... but it is a headwind.
4:18
EuroHoody: Pellizotti has trimmed leader's gap to 1:24
4:18
CPelkey: It's Kloden and Armstrong setting tempo at the front of the yellow jersey group.
4:18
EuroHoody: Andy Schleck attacks!
4:18
EuroHoody: Frank Schleck on his wheel!
4:18
CPelkey: Andy Schleck attacks!
Frank goes too!
4:19
EuroHoody: Kloden popped
4:19
EuroHoody: Wiggins pulls up, Contador and Armstrong
4:19
CPelkey: Contador and Armstrong fight back on.
4:19
EuroHoody: Nibali there, too
4:19
CPelkey: Nibali, too
4:20
EuroHoody: As many are commenting, those four seconds that Armstrong "won" yesterday could pay huge dividends
4:20
CPelkey: Garate and Martin are about 3.3km from the summit. They look like they are marching to an execution ... and here comes Pellizotti.
4:21
EuroHoody: The Schlecks cannot shake Armstrong ... not yet, at least
4:21
CPelkey: Wiggo pops
4:21
EuroHoody: Wiggins struggling!

4:21
EuroHoody: Nibali on Wiggins' wheel
----
4:27
EuroHoody: He has 45sec gap with 1km to go
4:28
EuroHoody: Schlecks have to drop Armstrong if they want to move FSchleck up on the podium
4:28
EuroHoody: Wiggins is clawwwwwwwwwwwwwing back
4:28
EuroHoody: Andy setting tempo, Contador grimacing
4:29
CPelkey: Oh man... the Schleck/Contador group is coming up on Pellizotti
4:29
EuroHoody: Now we have the two Schlecks, Armstrong and Contador
4:29
EuroHoody: Martin counters!
4:29
CPelkey: Wow...
4:29
EuroHoody: Catches Garate
4:29
EuroHoody: Of these two, my personal choice to win would be Martin
4:30
CPelkey: Martin at the front. A Strong cross wind.
4:30
EuroHoody:

Pellizotti about to be caught by chasing foursome
4:30
CPelkey: And they're not that far behind the two leaders, either.
4:30
EuroHoody: Martin and Garate have gap to win the stage

4:31
EuroHoody: Pellizotti caught by Schleck group
4:31
CPelkey: Pellizotti is in there.
4:31
EuroHoody: Garate attacks on last switchback
4:31
CPelkey: Garate goes again... He wins
4:31
EuroHoody: Wins!

4:31
EuroHoody: Looking good for Armstrong to conserve third!

4:31
EuroHoody: Andy Schleck sweeps into final switchback, sprinting for third
4:31
CPelkey: Andy Schleck comes across for third.
4:32
CPelkey: Contador, then Armstrong
4:32
EuroHoody: Contador fourth, Armstrong fifth, FSchleck 6th

4:32
CPelkey: Wiggo is fighting to hold his GC spot... good work
4:32
EuroHoody: Wiggins might have kept 5th

(CN)14:31 GMT

Pellizotti has been caught...Andy S. and Contador sige by side...

Garate goes for it! He gets the win...wow, that came up fast. Martin next.
5.
14:32 GMT

Andy Schleck leads them around the last bend.....he's going for second....
6.
14:33 GMT

He gets third, with Contador on his wheel...looking very comfortable. He waves at the crowd. Armstrong is gapped but is next across the line, securing third in Paris. Frank Schleck was also there, but Wiggins lost time... He was perhaps 30 second back...
--------
Situation:

Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) and Tony Martin (Columbia HTC)

Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) at 1.42

Alberto Contador (Astana), Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Silence Lotto), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin), Lance Armstrong (Astana), Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne) and Andreas Kloden (Astana) and Maxime Bouet (Agritubel) at 1.59

(VN)4:34
CPelkey:

# 1. Manuel Garate Juan Rabobank, 167km in 4:39:21
# 2. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc, at 0:03
# 3. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:38
# 4. Alberto Contador Astana at 00:38
# 5. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:41
# 6. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:43
# 7. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 00:46
4:34
EuroHoody: Great ride by Armstrong - keeps podium spot - not bad for a guy pushing 38!
4:35
# CPelkey: 1. Manuel Garate Juan Rabobank, 167km in 4:39:21
# 2. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc, at 0:03
# 3. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:38
# 4. Alberto Contador Astana at 00:38
# 5. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:41
# 6. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:43
# 7. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 00:46
# 8. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas at 00:56
# 9. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 00:58
# 10. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 01:03
4:35
EuroHoody: Garate's win saves a disastrous Tour for Rabobank
4:36
EuroHoody: Wiggins keeps 4th by 3sec
4:37
# CPelkey: 1. Manuel Garate Juan Rabobank, 167km in 4:39:21
# 2. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc, at 0:03
# 3. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:38
# 4. Alberto Contador Astana at 00:38
# 5. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:41
# 6. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:43
# 7. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 00:46
# 8. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas at 00:56
# 9. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 00:58
# 10. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 01:03
# 11. Broeck Jurgen Van Den Silence - Lotto at 01:39
# 12. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 01:42
# 13. Christophe Riblon Ag2r La Mondiale at 01:47
# 14. Joost Posthuma Rabobank at 01:56
# 15. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at 02:26
# 16. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 02:34
# 17. Maxime Bouet Agritubel at 02:42
# 18. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 02:44
4:39
CPelkey: Well here's a look at the GC picture after this tough, tough stage:

# 1. Alberto Contador Astana, 3295.5km in 81:46:17
# 2. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank, at 4:11
# 3. Lance Armstrong Astana at 05:24
# 4. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 06:01
# 5. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 06:04
# 6. Andréas Kloden Astana at 06:42
# 7. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 07:35
# 8. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 12:04
# 9. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 14:16
# 10. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at 14:25
# 11. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 14:44

4:41
CPelkey: Well, we usually reserve that one for the end of an escape attempt, but as far as the GC picture is concerned, this Tour is over. All that's left is the parade into Paris.
END OF UPDATES

TDF Stage 19 - Transition To The Final Mountain Showdown

2009-07-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

Fans wait for the riders behind a banner reading 'Long Life the Tour 2009' on July 24, 2009 in Bourgoin-Jallieu before the start of the 195 km and nineteenth stage of the 2009 Tour de France cycling race run between Bourgoin-Jallieu and Aubenas. Image Credit: Getty via Universal Sports

TDF Stage 19 - Transition To The Final Mountain Showdown

Stage 19 Profile - Image Credit: VeloNews

PROFILE Stage 19:
The road tips up within a few kilometers begining with a climb up the Category 4 Côte de Culin, a 2.6km climb that averages 5.6 percent and summits at 6.5km.

Next on the road comes the Category 4 Côte de la forêt de Chambaran, a 3.1km climb with an average grade of 6.4 percent that summits at the 40.5km mark.

After cresting an unranked climb at 52km, the peloton will cover some fairly moderate terrain until reaching the 148km mark. At that point, the road tips up for the Category 2 Col de l'Escrinet, a 14km climb that averages just 4.1 percent and summits at 162km. Given that the top of the climb is just 16km from the finish line, the climb may be a perfect spring board for a late attack, so riders hoping for a stage win – or even those hoping to preserve a spot on GC – will have to remain attentive.

Stage 19 Route Map - Image Credit: VeloNews

This excerpted and edited from VeloNews -

3:43
CPelkey: The five up front are 45km from the finish, with 1:28 on the main field.

The rest of the original break is back in the peloton.
3:44
BonnieFord: This looked like a slam-dunk breakaway stage on the profile and I think it still still be given the Cat 2 near the end.

Crowd gathered at the Team Astana bus just before Stage 19. Image Credit: Neal Rogers/VeloNews

3:44
[Comment From Scott from Amish-ville ]
For Bonnie or Charles... Any word on teammates for Lance on RadioShack?
3:45
CPelkey: I don't believe that aside from Armstrong, there have been formal announcements on that front... lots of speculation though.
3:46
CPelkey: Our leaders are 42.5km from the finish. The Rabobank team is still doing the work and the gap is down to 58 seconds.
3:46
BonnieFord: Watch closely for pens and paper exchanging hands in the peloton today. I'm sure TRS didn't go into this with a blank chalkboard.
3:50
CPelkey: With 41km remaining in today's stage, the five escapees are just 50 seconds ahead of the peloton. Rabobank is still chasing ... frustrated, no doubt, by the fact that this stage would certainly have suited a rider like Juan Antonio Flecha. Rabobank has not had a good Tour ... and poor Menchov has especially suffered.
3:51
CPelkey: Actually, the latest time check puts our escapees just 18 seconds ahead of the field, with 39km to go.

The Schleck brothers just before the beginning of Stage 19. Image Credit: Neal Rogers/VeloNews

3:51
CPelkey: The universal sign of surrender - the glance over the shoulder. It's almost over.
3:53
BonnieFord: Well, I said it would be a breakaway, maybe just not THIS group...
3:53
CPelkey: Duque nails the sprint ... which means there will not be another sprint out of the field for those six points.
3:54
CPelkey: Duque is trying to stay away, but I wouldn't bet my wine budget on his chances.
3:54
CPelkey: The other four are now back in the field, with 36km to go.
3:56
CPelkey: Rabobank and the Liquigas teams are massed at the front. Duque is 16 seconds up the road.
3:57
CPelkey: Brave soldier that he is, Duque is not giving up. He's 34km from the finish and still has a 12-second lead.

Tour de France merchandise at the start of Stage 19. Image Credit: Neal Rogers/VeloNews

3:58
BonnieFord: Rumors spreading in Aussie press that Cadel Evans might jump to TRS. My Belgian friends in the press peloton are skeptical.
4:00
CPelkey: Even if he holds off the peloton for a while, it's quite likely that Duque will be snagged on the climb. He's a good sprinter, but he's one Colombian who is not known for his climbing prowess.
4:02
CPelkey:

Time for your close-up Mr. Duque .... here comes the peloton.

4:02

4:04
CPelkey: Well, this could be interesting.
Columbia has riders moving up. It's the sort of climb that Milan-San Remo winner Mark Cavendish can easily handle. We'll see.
4:05
BonnieFord: Evans/TRS seems like an odd fit to me... but then again, it hasn't been all wine and roses at Silence-Lotto (where he is, technically, under contract for next year). Thoughts from the VN faithful?
4:05
CPelkey: Up ahead, the Category 2 Col de l'Escrinet, a 14km climb that averages just 4.1 percent and summits at 162km, just 16km from the finish line.
4:06
[Comment From Ray from Texas ]
Does TRS mean Team Radio Shack?
4:07
CPelkey: It's a workable acronymn, but it's also an allusion to the old TRS80 reporters of my generation knew many years ago ... but Bonnie is so much younger than I am, I am surprised she knows about that one.
4:09
CPelkey: Mmmm Pellizotti has been dropped.
4:10
BonnieFord: Two weeks younger, to be exact!
4:11
[Comment From Inspector Renault ]
Cuddles will join TRS right after David Walsh signs on as PR chief, with Greg LeMond as assistant DS.
4:11
CPelkey: Well, there's a thought. Thank you for that thought, inspector.
4:12
CPelkey: We're seeing action at the front. BBox's Lefevre is trying to scamper off the front.
4:12
CPelkey: With 25km to go in the race, Lefevre has 10 seconds and nine km of climbing left.
4:13
CPelkey: The slope isn't bad. It averages just 4.1 percent.
4:15
BonnieFord: Just got asked to predict top three for tomorrow. I waffled extensively.
4:16
CPelkey: Lefevre is holding on to a small lead. It's doubtful that he'll stay away.

Off the back of the field, there is a gruppetto forming up, but it looks like Cavendish and Hushovd are still in the peloton.
4:18
CPelkey: Lefevre is 22km from the finish. He is just seven seconds ahead of the peloton.
4:18
BonnieFord: It's been a Tour where "predictable" stages haven't played out predictably, that's for sure.
4:19
CPelkey: Well, Bonnie, let's see if our readers are willing to pick a winner for tomorrow.
4:19
4:20
[Comment From Fritz Belly ]
Gruppetto on a flat stage? I think it's just a lazy echelon
4:21
CPelkey: Ya know, Fritz, I've been sittin' on my ass for three weeks, so I am not gonna call anyone out there "lazy."
4:22
CPelkey: 20.5km to go and Lefevre is still seven seconds ahead of the peloton. Remember this climb summits with 16km to go. The finish is a tad on the dicey side, not one particularly designed for a field sprint, I'd say.
4:23
CPelkey:

Lefevre has company... With Ballan, the world champion, is up there with Lefevre, with 20km to go.
4:24
CPelkey: The move gave Lefevre a bit of a rainbow boost. The two are now 16 seconds ahead of the field.
4:24
CPelkey: With 19km to go, Ballan and Lefevre are 19 seconds ahead.
4:25
CPelkey: Rabobank is setting tempo in the field. Freire is in there, and he has to be a favorite for a win, if the get the two escapees, who are still 19 seconds up the road.
4:26
BonnieFord: The skies just opened here at the finish. We're glad about that, but I'm not sure the riders will be.
4:27
CPelkey: With 17km to go, the leaders are on the final kilometer of the climb. Big crowds.

The gap is now 13 seconds.
4:28
CPelkey: As a reminder, folks, the two green jersey contenders are in the mix in the peloton.

Cav' and Hushovd are in there. There are 35, 30, 26, 24, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points available to the first 25 finishers.
4:29
CPelkey: Ballan hits the top of the climb first, with Lefevre on his wheel. The peloton - led by Egoi Martinez - are over at 13 seconds.
4:29
CPelkey: Luis Leon Sanchez is trying to move out of the field.
4:31
CPelkey: Sanchez is driving hard on the descent, but not making a lot of progress.

Up front, our two leaders are just 10 seconds ahead of the field, with 14.5km to go.
4:33
CPelkey: The two leaders are not very far ahead of the main field. .... 13km to go.
4:34
CPelkey: With 12km to go, the gap is 10 seconds. Sanchez is back in the field.

Columbia is driving the chase.
4:35
CPelkey: Less than 10km to go, the gap is holding at 10 seconds.
4:36
CPelkey: Bumped up... 15 seconds with 8.5km to go, the slope is easing off a bit.
4:36
CPelkey: Hincapie is doing a lot of work in the field. Not bad for a guy who has buggered up his clavicle.

4:37
CPelkey: You can see some of the streets are on the narrow side.
4:37
CPelkey: With 6.5km, the gap is 11 seconds.
4:37
BonnieFord: Folks, thanks for letting me sit in -- think I'm going to focus on the action now...
4:38
CPelkey: Take care, Ms. Ford. You're always welcome here... we can always have Paris.
4:39
CPelkey: With 5km to go, the gap is still down to 9 seconds.
4:39
[Comment From patrick from az ]
how'd she figure out the radio shack thing?
4:39
CPelkey: She's smarter than the rest of us.
4:40
CPelkey: The roads are a bit damp with 4km to go. The gap is 8 seconds.
4:41
CPelkey: With 3km to go, the gap is five seconds.
4:41
CPelkey: On the twisty bits, the two leaders are now four seconds.
4:42
CPelkey: 2.3km to go, and it's five seconds.
4:42
CPelkey: 2km to go. It's close...
4:43
CPelkey: Hincapie driving hard....
4:43
CPelkey: Ballan is charging... but.... it's just one second.
4:43
CPelkey: Catch

4:43

4:43
CPelkey: 1.2km to go.
4:43
CPelkey: 1km to go
4:44
CPelkey: Columbia is at the front. We see Cav' and Hushovd, Friere and Farrar.
4:44
CPelkey:

A bit of a hill...
4:44
CPelkey: Cavendish goes

From left: Hushovd, Cavendish and Milram's Gerald Ciolek battle in the final sprint. Ciolek wound up third. Image Credit: Getty via Universal Sports

4:45
CPelkey: And he nails it.
4:45
CPelkey: Cavendish.... and a drag race against Hushovd. Cavendish gets it.

Cav' gets his fifth stage win of this Tour ... his ninth TdF stage win. Wow.
4:46
CPelkey: Hushovd did get second.
4:47
CPelkey: So, the points race looks like Hushovd has 260, to Cavendish's 235.
4:50
CPelkey: Provisional top 20:

# 1. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia - Htc, 3:50:35
# 2. Thor Hushovd Cervelo Test Team, same time
# 3. Gerald Ciolek Team Milram at 00:00
# 4. Greg Van Avermaet Silence - Lotto at s.t.
# 5. Oscar Freire Rabobank at s.t.
# 6. Jérôme Pineau Quick Step at s.t.
# 7. Fumiyuki Beppu Skil-Shimano at s.t.
# 8. Nicolas Roche Ag2r La Mondiale at s.t.
# 9. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at s.t.
# 10. Martijn Maaskant Garmin - Slipstream at s.t.
# 11. Geoffroy Lequatre Agritubel at s.t.
# 12. Lance Armstrong Astana at s.t.
# 13. Serguei Ivanov Team Katusha at 00:04
# 14. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 00:04
# 15. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:04
# 16. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 00:04
# 17. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc at 00:04
# 18. Vladimir Karpets Team Katusha at 00:04
# 19. Rinaldo Nocentini Ag2r La Mondiale at 00:04
# 20. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 00:04
4:52
CPelkey: Top 10 Overall, after stage 19

# 1. Alberto Contador Astana, 77:06:18
# 2. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank, at 4:11
# 3. Lance Armstrong Astana at 05:21
# 4. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 05:36
# 5. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 05:38
# 6. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 05:59
# 7. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 07:15
# 8. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 10:08
# 9. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at 12:37
# 10. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 12:38

5:01
CPelkey: Well that was interesting. Cavendish now holds the record for most stage wins by a British rider. Nice work.

Many have noticed the little four-second gap in the final result. Indeed, that did result in some of the GC riders losing a bit of time at the finish. Of course, four seconds aren't going to make a lot of difference on that little climb at the finish of tomorrow's stage.

It's a five-climb stage tomorrow, but the one that will really matter is the Mont Ventoux, a 21.1 km climb that averages 7.6 percent. Ouch.
END OF UPDATES

So, the final challenge to settle the podium lies before us on Stage 20 tomorrow. Will Lance Armstrong and Team Astana be able to thwart attempts by the American team, Team Garmin-Slipstream to place their British rider, Bradley Wiggins ahead of Lance at third place? Will Andy Schleck of Team Saxo Bank falter from his second place overall at 1:10 seconds ahead of Lance, opening up a shuffle at the top? ... doubtful!

The drama continues tomorrow before the "parade lap" into Paris on Sunday.

TDF Stage 18 - "ITT" Around Lake Annecy For A Podium

2009-07-23T07:49:00.001-07:00

Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara, winner of the Stage 1 time trial, rides near the shore of Lake Annecy [ctrl-click to launch VeloNews stage wrap-up video]. Image Credit: Reuters via Universal Sports

TDF Stage 18 - "ITT" Around Lake Annecy For A Podium

This is the day that the podium for the Tour de France may just be decided. At the top of the General Classification after seventeen days of bicycle racing, several riders have a chance at securing their position for their ride into Paris and the loops around the Champs-Elysées.

Stage 18 Route Map [ctrl-click to launch "map my ride" map] - Image Credit: Universal Sports

Today’s stage covers a relatively flat route, with the sole exception being the Category 3 Côte de Bluffy, a 3.7 km climb with an average grade of 6 percent. The climb begins at the 24.8km mark and summits at 28.5km. The Côte de Bluffy climbs 211 meters over that 3.7km, with the summit of the climb reaching an altitude of 734m above sea level.

Stage 18 Profile - Image Credit: Universal Sports

After that, the closing 12km is mostly downhill back to Annecy and may prove to be quite fast.

Overall standings after stage 17:

1. Alberto Contador (Sp), Astana 2910km in 72:27:09
2. Andy Schleck (Lux), Saxo Bank, at 2:26
3. Frank Schleck (Lux), Saxo Bank at 03:25
4. Lance Armstrong (USA), Astana at 03:55
5. Andréas Klöden (G), Astana at 04:44
6. Bradley Wiggins (GB), Garmin - Slipstream at 04:53
7. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas at 05:09
8. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin - Slipstream at 08:08
9. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Francaise Des Jeux at 09:19
10. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), Euskaltel - Euskadi at 10:50

Garmin-Slipstream's Jonathan Vaughters today had some interesting picks for the top-three.

1. Cancellara
2. Contador :02
3. Wiggins :56

At the time of this posting, just before Lance Armstrong was to take the course, the situation is as follows:

# 1. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank in 00:48:34
# 2. Mikhail Ignatiev Team Katusha in 00:48:46
# 3. Gustav Larsson Team Saxo Bank in 00:49:03
# 4. David Millar Garmin - Slipstream in 00:49:11
# 5. Luis-leon Sanchez Caisse D’epargne in 00:49:14
# 6. Christophe Moreau Agritubel in 00:49:16
# 7. David Zabriskie Garmin - Slipstream in 00:49:32
# 8. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc in 00:49:35
# 9. Cadel Evans Silence - Lotto in 00:49:45
# 10. Stef Clement Rabobank in 00:50:08

Russian cycling team Team Katusha (KAT)'s Mikhail Ignatiev of Russia sprints on July 23, 2009 at the end of the 40,5 km individual time-trial and eighteenth stage of the 2009 Tour de France cycling race run around Annecy. Ignatiev clocked in 00:48:46. Image Credit: Getty via Universal Sports

This excerpted and edited from VeloNews -

4:36
CPelkey: Andréas Klöden is on the route.

Up next:
155. Lance Armstrong, starts at 4:38 p.m.
156. Frank Schleck, starts at 4:41 p.m.
157. Andy Schleck, starts at 4:44 p.m.
158. Alberto Contador, starts at 4:47 p.m.

4:36
CPelkey:
Rogers after the stage: "It wasn't too bad. I went out at 85 per cent and saw I wasn't
too bad at the first time check. I didn't go full gas but it wasn't a bad ride. I caught my two-minute man (Nicolai Trussov) on the climb."
4:37
CPelkey: Armstrong is in the start house. The two Schleck brothers are up next.
4:37
CPelkey: The wind isn't that strong out there, so every rider we've seen has opted for a disc wheel.
4:39
CPelkey: Cancellara after his race: "I went full gas on the entire course. The cllmb will be the key difference, so why not win another stage? We're happy about how this Tour has gone, and now the Schlecks have a chance for the podium. We started with nine and we will finish with nine in Paris. Kurt and Jens are in our thoughts."
4:41
CPelkey: Frank Schleck is in the start house.
4:41
CPelkey: On the road. Schleck said he doesn't expect to gain time today.

"I know we will lose some time in the time trial, but I think we can take it all back on Ventoux."
4:42
CPelkey: Man, Wiggins is flyin' out there. We'll see in about 10 minutes just how fast when he hits the time check.
4:43
CPelkey: Contador head-to-toe in yellow, but riding on a white Trek frame ... Armstrong is on a yellow bike, though.
4:43
CPelkey: Andrew Hood was at the finish, trying to get some interviews. Well, Cadel Evans didn't speak with reporters after the stage. He's not been happy with his Tour this year.
4:44
CPelkey: Andy Schleck is in the start house. He's a better time trialist than his brother.
4:45
CPelkey: Contador is in the start house. This could be interesting.
4:47
CPelkey: Contador is in the start house.
4:47
CPelkey: And he's off!
4:47
CPelkey: 61st for Brice Feillu - he had an outstanding Tour debut

Contador has withstood tremendous stress during this Tour - he just crossed himself to get the official blessing.
----
4:48
CPelkey: There is no rain at this point and the wind is calm.
4:50
CPelkey: Christian Vande Velde has ridden through time check No. 1 in 20:57, 10th fastest ... thus far.
4:52
CPelkey: By the way, word has it that the new Armstrong deal will be announced at 6pm. Lots of rumors, but nothing confirmed. We're gonna bet on Radio Shack ... but do recall that I am the same guy who said Hushovd might make top-ten today, so value that for what it's worth.
4:52
CPelkey: Defending champion Sastre is 2:17 off the pace at the second time check at 28.5km - he didn't have the defense that he was hoping for. Sastre now promises to win at Mont Ventoux, for a cancer charity (not Armstrong's).
4:52
CPelkey: Nibali is 50sec off the pace at first time check
4:52
CPelkey: Wiggins will hit the time check next.
4:53
CPelkey: Wiggins reaches time check number 1 with a time of 20:20... fastest time of the day.
4:53
CPelkey: Armstrong is narrowing in on Frank Schleck on GC virtuel - 4sec back
4:54
[Comment From Nico ]
If you get right your RadioShack prediction, i'll buy you a cup of McDonalds wine.
4:56
CPelkey: Armstrong is heading to the first time check. We should get a look in a bit.
4:57
CPelkey: Kloden, by the way, hit the time check with the third-best time so far, the same time as Cancellara, by the way.
4:59
CPelkey: Armstrong comes through the time check at 20:29, third best and nine seconds off of Wiggins time.
5:00
CPelkey: Relying on unofficial time checks, Armstrong has pulled even with FSchleck on GC virtuel.
5:01
[Comment From Joe ]
Do they change the time intervals from 2:00 to 3:00 at some point?
5:01
CPelkey: Yes, the gap that is extended to three minutes for the top 20 riders. Of course the thinking behind that is to minimize the possibility that a rider is caught and passed while on route. It is, of course, still a possibility in some cases.
5:02
CPelkey: Wiggins hit the second time check with the second best time trailing ignatiev's time by 10 seconds.
5:03
CPelkey: Le Mevel - best French rider - is 2:07 off the fastest time at 28.5km
5:03
CPelkey: That might cost him top 10 going into Ventoux
5:06
CPelkey: Frank Schleck has come through the time check with the 18th best time, at 44 seconds.

Andy has the 8th best.

Only Contador remains.
5:07
CPelkey: Contador has flown through the first time check with the fastest time so far.
5:08
CPelkey: Folks, Contador just hit that mark with a time of 20:02... 18 seconds faster than Wiggins' time.
5:09
CPelkey: Armstrong, meanwhile is coming up on the second time check.
5:09
CPelkey: Kloden has faded ... he's 11th at the second time check.
5:10
CPelkey: Armstrong hits the second time check with a time of 28:51, 11th best.
----
5:11
CPelkey: Final top-10 from Time Check No. 2:
# 1. Alberto Contador Astana 20:02
# 2. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream, at 0:18
# 3. Mikhail Ignatiev Team Katusha at 00:00:19
# 4. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:00:27
# 5. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank at 00:00:37
# 5. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 00:00:37
# 7. David Zabriskie Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:41
# 8. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc at 00:00:42
# 9. Bert Grabsch Team Columbia - Htc at 00:00:44
# 9. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:00:44
# 9. David Millar Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:44
# 9. Gustav Larsson Team Saxo Bank at 00:00:44

5:13
CPelkey: Wiggins, by the way, has hit the third time check - the one at the top of the hill - with the best time of 37:20. Five seconds better than Ignatiev.
5:16
CPelkey: Armstrong hits the third time check in 38:02, 12th fastest, 42 seconds behind Wiggins' time.
5:17
CPelkey: Contador has hit the second time with the second best time. Did he start too fast?

5:19
CPelkey: Final top 20 at time Check No. 2
# 1. Mikhail Ignatiev Team Katusha, 28:22
# 2. Alberto Contador Astana, at 0:03
# 3. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:10
# 4. Gustav Larsson Team Saxo Bank at 00:00:17
# 5. Luis-leon Sanchez Caisse D’epargne at 00:00:18
# 5. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank at 00:00:18
# 7. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc at 00:00:20
# 7. Bert Grabsch Team Columbia - Htc at 00:00:20
# 7. David Zabriskie Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:20
# 10. David Millar Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:25
# 11. Christophe Moreau Agritubel at 00:00:26
# 12. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:00:29
# 13. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 00:00:31
# 14. Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - Htc at 00:00:41
# 15. Maxime Monfort Team Columbia - Htc at 00:00:43
# 15. Vladimir Karpets Team Katusha at 00:00:43
# 17. Sylvain Chavanel Quick Step at 00:00:47
# 18. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:57
# 19. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 00:00:59
# 20. Michael Rogers Team Columbia - Htc at 00:01:00

5:19
CPelkey: Wiggins hit the fourth time check 27 seconds off of Cancellara's time.
5:21
CPelkey: Wiggins is heading to the finish
5:21
CPelkey: He finishes with a time of 49:13
5:22
CPelkey: Andy Schleck is through the time check with the 14th best time. He's five seconds off of Armstrong's time.
5:23
[Comment From Chuck D ]
LA will finish strong. He normally starts slow and builds. Like Levi.
5:24
CPelkey: At the top of the hill at the third time check, Contador nails the best time by 30 seconds.
5:24
CPelkey: Kloden comes in with the 8th best time of the day.

Armstrong needs to come in a 50:11 to beat Bradley Wiggins!

5:25
CPelkey: Armstrong is heading toward the finish. He's lost about a minute on Wiggins so far.
5:27
CPelkey: 1km to go for Armstrong.

5:28
CPelkey: Armstrong finishes with a time of 50:00, 15th best at 1:26

Armstrong beats 50:11 so he is able to pass Bradley Wiggins to hold 3ird overall in the General Classification and has a shot at getting a place for a podium finish in Paris on Sunday.

5:32
CPelkey: Frank Schleck is coming into the finish. He's lost a lot of time. He's 33rd at 2:30 back.
5:32
CPelkey: That should knock Frank Schleck off of the podium.
5:33
CPelkey: Andy Schleck is in the final kilometer

Contador hit time check 45:07, fastest time, 15 seconds better than Cancellara.

5:36
CPelkey: Contador is coming in ... best time... by three seconds.
5:36
CPelkey: 4.18 seconds.

Alberto Contador retains the Yellow Jersey and wins the ITT by three seconds over Fabian Cancellara!

5:37
CPelkey: Final Top 50, Stage 18.

# 1. Alberto Contador Astana 40.5km in 48:31
# 2. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank, at 0:03
# 3. Mikhail Ignatiev Team Katusha at 00:00:15
# 4. Gustav Larsson Team Saxo Bank at 00:00:33
# 5. David Millar Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:41
# 6. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 00:00:43
# 7. Luis-leon Sanchez Caisse D’epargne at 00:00:44
# 8. Christophe Moreau Agritubel at 00:00:45
# 9. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 00:00:54
# 10. David Zabriskie Garmin - Slipstream at 00:01:02
# 11. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc at 00:01:04
# 12. Cadel Evans Silence - Lotto at 00:01:14
# 13. Maxime Monfort Team Columbia - Htc at 00:01:19
# 14. Sylvain Chavanel Quick Step at 00:01:20
# 15. Vladimir Karpets Team Katusha at 00:01:28
# 16. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:01:30
# 17. Stef Clement Rabobank at 00:01:37
# 18. Bert Grabsch Team Columbia - Htc at 00:01:38
# 19. Michael Rogers Team Columbia - Htc at 00:01:38
# 20. Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - Htc at 00:01:42
# 21. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:01:45
# 22. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 00:01:48
# 23. Marzio Bruseghin Lampre - N.g.c at 00:02:00
# 24. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 00:02:00
# 25. Joost Posthuma Rabobank at 00:02:05
# 26. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 00:02:06
# 27. Linus Gerdemann Team Milram at 00:02:11
# 28. Peter Velits Team Milram at 00:02:13
# 29. Niki Terpstra Team Milram at 00:02:14
# 30. Sebastian Lang Silence - Lotto at 00:02:17
# 31. Brian Vandborg Liquigas at 00:02:18
# 32. Broeck Jurgen Van Den Silence - Lotto at 00:02:26
# 33. Markus Fothen Team Milram at 00:02:32
# 34. George Hincapie Team Columbia - Htc at 00:02:34
# 35. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:02:34
# 36. Luis Pasamontes Caisse D’epargne at 00:02:36
# 37. Christophe Riblon Ag2r La Mondiale at 00:02:36
# 38. Stijn Devolder Quick Step at 00:02:37
# 39. Yaroslav Popovych Astana at 00:02:40
# 40. Sandy Casar Francaise Des Jeux at 00:02:45
# 41. Ivan Gutierrez José Caisse D’epargne at 00:02:46
# 42. Heinrich Haussler Cervelo Test Team at 00:02:50
# 43. Ryder Hesjedal Garmin - Slipstream at 00:02:51
# 44. Manuel Garate Juan Rabobank at 00:02:52
# 45. Laurent Lefevre Bbox Bouygues Telecom at 00:02:57
# 46. Martijn Maaskant Garmin - Slipstream at 00:03:00
# 47. Stéphane Auge Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne at 00:03:03
# 48. Grischa Niermann Rabobank at 00:03:07
# 49. Sébastien Rosseler Quick Step at 00:03:09
# 50. Nicolas Roche Ag2r La Mondiale at 00:03:11

5:41
CPelkey: We're still doing GC calculations, but it will obviously be Contador on top, followed by Andy Schleck and Lance Armstrong.

Stand by for the numbers.
5:43
[Comment From steve ]
espn.com says its team radioshack for Lance in 2010
5:47
CPelkey: Indeed folks, the time for speculation regarding the new mystery sponsor is almost over. Word is that Armstrong and Co. are going to be holding a press conference at 6:00 to unveil the big news.

Updated General Classification Top 10 Standings From VERSUS:

Pos. No. Name Nat. Team Time Gap
1 021 CONTADOR, Alberto ESP AST 73:15:39 00:00:00
2 031 SCHLECK, Andy LUX SAX 73:19:50 00:04:11
3 022 ARMSTRONG, Lance USA AST 73:21:04 00:05:25
4 058 WIGGINS, Bradley GBR GRM 73:21:15 00:05:36
5 023 KLÖDEN, Andréas GER AST 73:21:17 00:05:38
6 036 SCHLECK, Frank LUX SAX 73:21:38 00:05:59
7 095 NIBALI, Vincenzo ITA LIQ 73:22:54 00:07:15
8 051 VANDE VELDE, Christian USA GRM 73:25:47 00:10:08
9 061 ASTARLOZA, Mikel ESP EUS 73:28:17 00:12:38
10 106 LE MEVEL, Christophe FRA FDJ 73:28:20 00:12:41
END OF UPDATES

Tomorrow - Stage 19 - The Tour heads south into the Dauphiné region of France with this hilly stage. Watch for the iconic sunflower photos to show up after this stage, as the Tour heads into warm and sunlit Provence. The race begins in Bourgoin-Jaillieu, passes over three categorized climbs, and finishes in Aubenas. The final climb, the category 2 Col de l’Escrinet, summits 16 kilometers from the finish, and offers an opportunity for an escape to survive to the finish. This stage should end in a breakaway victory, though a determined, or desperate, general classification rider could have a go on the final climb.

TDF Stage 17 - A Time To Climb For Astana & Saxo Bank

2009-07-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

Team Astana rider and leader's yellow jersey Alberto Contador (L) of Spain cycles with teammate Lance Armstrong of the U.S. after the start of the 16th stage of the 96th Tour de France cycling race between Martigny and Bourg Saint Maurice, July 21, 2009. Image Credit: Reuters via Universal Sports

TDF Stage 17 - A Time To Climb For Astana & Saxo Bank

Stage 16 featured only two major climbs where as today there will be five climbs that will total over 12,000 feet if they were attached bottom to top to each other.

Stage 17 starts with the day's first climb and all of the peaks to be conquered as follows:

* The Category 1 Cormet de Roselend, an 18.1 km climb, which averages 5.7 percent and summits at km 18.1
* The Category 1 Col des Saisies, a 15.1 km climb, which averages 6 percent and summits at km 56.0
* The Category 2 Côte d'Araches, a 6.3 km climb, which averages 7 percent and summits at km 111.5
* The Category 1 Col de Romme, an 8.8 km climb, which averages 8.9 percent and summits at 140.5
* The Category 1 Col de la Colombière, a 7.5 km climb, which averages 8.5 percent and summits at km 154.5

The last climb, a category 1 named the Col de la Colombiere, has never been used in any Tour de France and may be where the team strategies will come together to try and break up the core of the peloton and attempt to change the order of the General Classification.

Yesterday saw no major changes at the top of the General Classification but all of those people who were ardent fans of Team Astana and Lance Armstrong were not disappointed in events that have led up to today.

On the second of two climbs on the day, the leaders split the peloton and were able to seperate Lance from the main group, at one point by as much as 35 seconds.

This excerpted and edited from VeloNews -

Stage 16:
The road takes a serious turn upward with the hors catégorie Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard, a 24.4km climb that averages 6.2 percent and summits at 40.5km.

The race spends about 87km in Italy, before returning to France for the remainder of the Tour. The route leaves Italy at the top of the Category 1 Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard, a 22.6km climb that averages 5.1 percent and summits at 128km.
----
4:11
CPelkey: Back in the peloton, the Saxo Bank team is putting two riders up front.
----
4:14
CPelkey: Our leaders are now 44km from the finish.
4:16
CPelkey: Astana is again at the front of the peloton. The pace has ramped up and riders are being spit off the back again. The most notable victim is Giro winner Denis Menchov.
4:17
CPelkey: We have a group of five riders who have eased off the front of the lead group.

They include Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas), Jurgen van den Broeck (Silence-Lotto), Pierrick Fedrigo (BBox) and .... awww never mind. They're back together.
4:18
CPelkey: Our leaders are now about 10.5km from the summit.

We may soon see things hot up back in the peloton.
4:22
CPelkey:

Saxo Bank has two riders at the front... the pace is such that the "peloton" is down to about 17 riders.
4:24
CPelkey:

One of the Saxos has blown. The remaining Saxo Bank rider at the front is trailed by three Astana riders and Contador. Andy Schleck is on his wheel.
----
4:32
CPelkey: Bang! Andy Schleck attacks
4:32
CPelkey: Frank Schleck, Nibali, Contador, Wiggins .... very small group there.
4:32
CPelkey: Armstrong is not in there.
4:33
CPelkey: Frank Schleck is setting tempo. Kloden is the only Astana in this group, other than Contador.
4:34
CPelkey: Andy Schleck is pouring it on. Contador is on his wheel. Wiggins is behind him.
4:35
CPelkey: The Armstrong group is about 35 seconds behind.
4:35
CPelkey: That Armstrong group includes Sastre, Vande Velde and Evans.
----
4:37
CPelkey: Back in the Schleck/Contador group, we have both Schlecks, Wiggins, Nibali, Contador and Kloden.
4:37
CPelkey: The final 5km of this climb are the hardest part of the col, so no surprise to see the Schlecks throw down here.
----
4:38
CPelkey: Now Armstrong has attacked out of the group he was in.
4:38
CPelkey: He only has Columbia's Kim Kirchen with him.
4:39
CPelkey: Armstrong is now joined by Vande Velde as Kirchen fades.
----
4:40
CPelkey: Armstrong is back on his own. He's caught and passed Frank Schleck who got dropped by the yellow jersey group.

4:42
CPelkey: Oohhh-la-la-la! screams the French announcer as Armstrong rejoins the Contador group
----
4:44
CPelkey: Armstrong is with the yellow jersey group. Other riders have joined.

Interestingly, that group is now being led by Jens Voigt.
4:44
CPelkey:

It's a tough descent. It's quite technical. Fortunately despite the clouds, it's not raining.
----
4:46
CPelkey: Voigt is still setting tempo in the Contador group. Hard as he's working, they are about to be joined by Sastre and a few others... including Vande Velde.
4:47
CPelkey:

Contador group is over the top, at 2:12.
----
4:50
CPelkey: Well, the hardest working man of the day has to be Jens Voigt. He busted his ... uhhh... tail ... in the break all day and then dropped back to set tempo for his teammates on the toughest part of the climb. He now has a chance to catch his breath and refuel a bit.
4:52
CPelkey: It's impressive. Wiggins is with that Contador group. Who'da thunk it two weeks ago.
4:53
CPelkey: Voigt has crashed.
4:54
CPelkey: Man, that looked like it hurt. He hit a bump.... a transition of pavement it looks like. He hit the deck hard.
----
4:57
CPelkey: Frank Schleck has regained contact with the Contador group.
====
5:00
CPelkey: The yellow jersey group is growing as the big GC men are showing a bit of restraint on the descent. That's understandable.
----
5:18
CPelkey: The yellow jersey group does include Sastre and they finish at about 1:00.
5:19
CPelkey: Evans, by the way, is still out on the road. He's probably lost 3:00 again today.
5:20
CPelkey: Word from the road is that Voigt may have broken his collarbone. We hope that's the extent of it. That crash was fugly.
5:21
CPelkey: Evans comes it with a group that finished at 3:55.
----
5:25
CPelkey: Preliminary stage results:
# 1. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskad, 159km in 4:14:20
# 2. Sandy Casar Francaise Des Jeux, at 0:06
# 3. Pierrick Fedrigo Bbox Bouygues Telecom at 00:06
# 4. Nicolas Roche Ag2r La Mondiale at 00:06
# 5. Broeck Jurgen Van Den Silence - Lotto at 00:06
# 6. Amaël Moinard Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne at 00:06
# 7. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas at 00:11
# 8. Stephane Goubert Ag2r La Mondiale at 00:11
# 9. Christophe Moreau Agritubel at 00:59
# 10. Alberto Contador Astana at 00:59
# 11. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 00:59
# 12. Lance Armstrong Astana at 00:59
# 13. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 00:59
# 14. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 00:59
# 15. Rigoberto Uran Caisse D’epargne at 00:59
# 16. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 00:59
# 17. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at 00:59
# 18. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 00:59
# 19. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:59
# 20. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 00:59
# 21. Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - Htc at 00:59
# 22. Laurent Lefevre Bbox Bouygues Telecom at 00:59
# 23. Yury Trofimov Bbox Bouygues Telecom at 00:59
# 24. Carlos Sastre Cervelo Test Team at 00:59
# 25. Vladimir Karpets Team Katusha at 00:59
# 26. Igor Anton Euskaltel - Euskadi at 00:59
# 27. David Zabriskie Garmin - Slipstream at 01:14

5:26
CPelkey: GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

# 1. Alberto Contador Astana, 67:33:15
# 2. Lance Armstrong Astana, at 1:37
# 3. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 01:46
# 4. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 02:17
# 5. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 02:26
# 6. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 02:51
# 7. Christophe Le Mevel Francaise Des Jeux at 03:09
# 8. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 03:25
# 9. Carlos Sastre Cervelo Test Team at 03:52
# 10. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream at 03:59
# 11. Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel - Euskadi at 04:38
# 12. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas at 04:40
# 13. Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - Htc at 05:05
# 14. Rinaldo Nocentini Ag2r La Mondiale at 05:26
# 15. Sandy Casar Francaise Des Jeux at 05:40
# 16. Vladimir Karpets Team Katusha at 05:56
END OF STAGE 16 UPDATE

For those of you following yesterday's coverage, there was a frightening crash with Jens Voigt at the top of the day's final descent. The Saxo Bank rider lost control of his bike (most likely after hitting a bump) and was hurled to the ground, sliding along on his face. Fortunately it looked a little worse than it turned out; Jens fractured the bone below his eye and suffered cuts to his face and right side, but is expected to make a full recovery. We wish him the best.

Stage 17 Route Map - Image Credit: VeloNews

The 17th stage of the 96th edition of the Tour de France, is a 169.5-kilometer race from Bourg Saint Maurice to Le Grand Bornand.

The last day in the mountains in the Tour de France is always dubbed the Queen's Stage and the five peak run short in distance but savage in effort. There are four category one climbs and one cat two ascent creating a crocodile teeth parcours, and certain to cause shakeups in the general classification.

We pick up the action in the stage with a little less than 80km and three climbs to go. Up ahead are The Category 2 Côte d'Araches, the Category 1 Col de Romme, and the Category 1 Col de la Colombière which may prove to be the back breaker if team strategies pay off.

Today's weather may present a problem. The forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of rain throughout the day. It's partly cloudy, with temperatures around 22°C (72°F). The winds are gusting up to 38kph at points, but they're not that high at the start. It's a potentially rough day in that one may expect more crashes due to slick conditions.

Stage 17 Profile - Image Credit: Universal Sports

This excerpted and edited from VeloNews(VN), CyclingNews(CN), VERSUS(VS), and various resources -

(CN) 1.
14:45 CEST - Hushovd now takes maxiumum points at that intermediate sprint. He's 5'27 ahead of the bunch, and doesn't appear under any pressure. He'll push onwards, grab some scoff in the feed zone and then aim to get over the next climb and take the points in the valley.

Hushovd gestures to the TV cameras, holding the green jersey and appearing to say 'this is mine'. He may well be aiming to build a substantial points lead before Paris, so nobody can say Cavendish' disqualification won him the competition.
2.
14:49 CEST - Sandy Casar started today 5'40" back, so that's quite possibly one reason why Saxo Bank are riding. That, and putting Astana under pressure.

The group is 1'31" back from Hushovd, while the peloton is 5'42" behind.

Hushovd really is going well in this Tour; there's not many sprinters who would attack on a mountain stage, let alone one as tough as this...
3.
15:00 CEST (86.5km remaining from 169.5km) - Woah! Hushovd overcooked a bend and nearly did a Frank Schleck Tour de Suisse 2008 - one more second and he'd have been up and over the barricade. He locked it up, went into the grass and quickly got back onto the road without too much delay. Then, he made a gesture as if to say it was no big thing!
4.
15:04 CEST - The Tour de France is certainly far from over, and there is no guarantee that Contador will keep this yellow jersey today or even on Sunday in Paris. Saxo Bank appears to be intent on doing something today, and are controlling the front of the peloton with Cancellara and O'Grady.

Up front, Hushovd is hurtling down the descent like a madman hoping to stay clear for the second sprint bonus of the day. We will dare to say the chasers behind won't be too concerned to catch him.
5.
15:05 CEST - Crash! That same corner where Hushovd nearly went off road claimed a few riders from the chase group. Txurruka went down, but is getting a new bike. Looked as if Menchov hit the deck, too.
6.
15:06 CEST - The directors in the team cars will be aware of the wrecks ahead and will be telling their riders to be careful on that bend. Fortunately, the apex of the turn has an earthen berm which would stop any rider from plummeting down into the valley below.
---------
Situation:

Thor Hushovd (Cervélo Test Team)

Sandy Casar (Française des Jeux), Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas), Dave Zabriskie (Garmin Slipstream), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Silence Lotto), Ruben Perez, Egoi Martinez, Amets Txurruka, Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel Euskadi), Rigoberto Uran (Caisse d’Epargne), Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step), Remi Pauriol and Christophe Kern (Cofidis), Geoffroy Lequatre (Agritubel), Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Maxime Monfort (Columbia HTC), Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre NGC), Pierre Rolland, Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues Telecom), Jose Luis Arrieta (Ag2r La Mondiale), George Hincapie (Columbia HTC), Linus Gerdeman (Milram) at 1.05

Peloton at 5.01.
----
(VN)3:04
CPelkey:

Txurruka and Menchov decked it on the same turn.
3:05
CPelkey: Part of the problem is that the road is wet.
3:06
CPelkey: Menchov is up. He's fine. Txurruka had to get a new bike. He's back on the road.
3:07
CPelkey: Menchov has crashed again.

Coming through town he hit a white line on the road and fell.
3:07
CPelkey: He's back up.

3:08

3:09
CPelkey: That's the feedzone, which is coming up in a few kilometers.
3:10
CPelkey: With all of the road problems in the break, Hushovd has extended his lead to 2:00 over the bulk of the break, which now includes 19 riders. Menchov and Txurruka are chasing back on.
3:11
CPelkey: The peloton is chasing at 5:35.

Hushovd is now 75km from the finish. As a reminder, now that we're past the halfway mark, we'll start listing distances in kilometers-to-go.
3:12
[Comment From John Puziss ]
Why is Pellizotti letting hushovd getting 1st in KOM points on these Cols?
3:12
CPelkey: Because it has no real impact on the KOM contest.
3:13
[Comment From tonym ]
What's up with this white line. Seems causing a lot of problems.
3:14
CPelkey: It's the reflective paint used on roads to mark crosswalks and lane dividers. The stuff is slicker than sn... errrr... it's rather slippery during and after rain storms.
3:15
CPelkey: The men in the break are going through the feed zone.
3:16
3:21
CPelkey: Time for a time check:
With 65km remaining, Hushovd is now 2:13 ahead of the rest of the break.

The peloton is at 6:01.
----
3:31
CPelkey: The peloton is on the Côte d'Araches. Hushovd is still 1:50 ahead of the rest of the break and 4:56 ahead of the peloton.

The rain has stopped and the sun is out.
3:32
CPelkey: The tempo in the peloton is such that Evans is still trailing.
3:33
CPelkey: The sky is blue. It's nice out there.
3:34
CPelkey: Astana is now setting tempo at the front. Paulinho and Zubeldia are doing the bulk of the work now.
3:37
CPelkey: Hushovd is 1km from the summit.
3:40
CPelkey: Up-and-over. Thor Hushovd crests the Côte d'Araches. Big crowds, too.
3:41
CPelkey: Pellizotti grabs the second points atop the climb. He crests at 1:09
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(CN) 1.
16:02 CEST (40.7km remaining from 169.5km) - Hushovd doesn't seem interested at all in trying to tackle the final climbs at his previous pace. He's soft pedaling, letting the group come up to him. He's only 27 seconds ahead now.
2.
16:05 CEST (39km remaining from 169.5km) - The French president, Nikolas Sarkozy is in the race caravan today. He'll be surely treated to the best the Tour de France has to offer on the climbs up ahead. The Romme and Colombiere will be the site of a huge battle for the GC between Astana, Saxo Bank and the Garmin-Slipstream boys.

Hushovd has been caught by a rider who took a flier from the groupu. It's Carlos Barredo of Quick Step. He comes by Hushovd and taps him on his mighty hip to tell him to get on the wheel. The size difference between these two riders is striking - and kind of funny, too.
3.
16:07 CEST - Hushovd doesn't want to have anything to do with Barredo's pace. He sits up, the Spaniard goes on and maintains his gap over the big chase group. The bunch behind is closing in quickly - just 1'34 now.
4.
16:07 CEST - Attack! Carlos Sastre has gone on the base of the Romme, he's marked by an Agritubel rider.
5.
16:08 CEST - Sastre is pedaling an angry pace, fueled by the snub of the press and the ASO which did not give the defending champion his proper due in the race programme. Saxo Bank is still at the front setting pace - no counters yet.
6.
16:10 CEST - The Saxo Bank chase is not letting Sastre get any distance. They're closing in, and catching remnants of the breakaway. Sastre isn't giving up yet though!
----
1.
16:11 CEST - Hushovd is gritting his teeth as he's passed by the very determined Carlos Sasttre. Hushovd goes backward quickly as the attacks begin to fly.
2.
16:13 CEST - Hmm...it looks like Andy Schleck has been dropped...let's confirm that... looked like the white jersey was back there..
3.
16:13 CEST - The riders' faces are raw emotion now - Sastre huffing and puffing with his face a smiling grimace, the faces behind him are determined, strained. All of these expressions will be captured in our wonderful photo galleries. You can see some examples here.
4.
16:14 CEST - Sastre goes again...he's with Voeckler now... Sastre is giving his all. He's not getting far, though..
5.
16:15 CEST - Correction - Frank and Andy Schleck are still here, along with Armstrong, Contador, Wiggins, Vande Velde and Kloden. They've caught Sastre.
6.
16:17 CEST - Sastre is being dropped and is wtih Pellizotti. Frank Schleck attacked and Armstrong went him; then Andy went, and was covered by Contador. Armstrong was dropped momentarily but got back on, as did Wiggins.
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1.
16:17 CEST - Van den Broeck is ahead, alone, but the others are coming up to him. They are just 17" back.
2.
16:19 CEST - Most of the break has been caught. Frank Schleck leads behind, with Contador on his wheel. Andy was suffering, but had a break. Now he goes! Contador covers it, but the others have been dropped. Kloden gets up to them. Three together...
3.
16:19 CEST (34km remaining from 169.5km) - Andy Schleck attacks again. Contador jumps on his wheel as does Kloden.
4.
16:19 CEST - Armstrong is back with Wiggins, then Frank Schleck went. Wiggins couldn't respond...
5.
16:20 CEST - Frank Schleck goes now. Wiggins looks to be marking Armstrong.
6.
16:21 CEST - The yellow jersey group now numbers five riders: Contador, Kloden, Andy Schleck, Frank Schleck and Van Den Broek
----
1.
16:21 CEST - Wiggins is now leading the chase, with Armstrong on his wheel. Up front, Andy Schleck stalled to get his brother back on. He's riding again now, with Frank, Contador, Kloden, Van Den Broeck also there.

Behind, Wiggins has been joined by Vande Velde, so that will help him.
2.
16:22 CEST - Van Den Broeck has been dropped...four up front... Wiggins, Vande Velde, Armstrong, Rigoberto Uran and Nibali are about ten seconds back.
3.
16:23 CEST - Wiggins and Armstrong have slipped back to a group with Nibali, Uran. Now Zabriskie and Vande Velde have joined to help Wiggins pull back the gap, it looks about 9 seconds at the moment.
4.
16:23 CEST - KOM Pellizotti has dropped off the Sastre, Barredo group
5.
16:24 CEST - Kloden is grimacing...Frank looks strong, Andy under pressure. They need to keep going...even if they haven't distanced Contador and Kloden, they are putting time into the others. The Armstrong/Wiggins group is 25" back.
6.
16:24 CEST - Uran has now dropped out of the Armstrong/Wiggins group
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(VN)4:22
CPelkey: The gap back to the Wiggins/Armstrong group is about 16 seconds.

4:23
CPelkey: That's the last 1km of the climb.
4:25
CPelkey: Wiggins has Vande Velde setting temp for him.

The two Schleck brothers are now setting tempo in the group of four that includes Kloden and Contador.
4:27
CPelkey: The Wiggins group is now at 45 seconds.
4:28
CPelkey: Va den Broeck is back riding with the Armstrong/Wiggins group.
4:29
CPelkey: So the stage is being led by the Gang of Four: Schleck, Schleck, Contador and Kloden.
4:31
CPelkey: Armstrong has charged out of the group and he's towing Wiggins back up. Mmmmm... an unusual strategy.
4:32
CPelkey: There... he's settled back and Wiggns is now setting tempo.
4:33
CPelkey: The Schleck brothers lead the way over the top of the climb. Let's get some time check. We have 29 tough kilometers to go.
4:34
CPelkey: Frank Schleck, Andy Schleck, Contador and Kloden ... in that order.
4:34
CPelkey: Vande Velde and Nibali have rejoined Armstrong and Wiggins. Still climbing
4:35
CPelkey: They crest the climb at 1:00
4:36
CPelkey: Up next is the Col de la Colombière, a 7.5 km climb, which averages 8.5 percent and summits 15km from the finish.
----
(CN)1.
16:38 CEST - The four are descending now... Kloden nearly hits Frank Schleck's wheel... He stays upright.

Sastre stops with a puncture...
2.
16:39 CEST (26km remaining from 169.5km) - Frank Schleck led his brother, Contador and Kloden over the top of the climb, so the points went in that order.

Andy Schleck is pushing it on the descent. He wants to maintain the gap to those behind, so that they can continue to gain on the next climb.
--------
Situation:

Yellow and white jersey group: Contador (Astana), Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), Andreas Kloden (Astana)

Lance Armstrong (Astana), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin Slipstream), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) at 1.07

Jurgen Van Den Broek (Silence-Lotto) at ?

Polka dot jersey group at 2.29
----
(VN)
4:38

4:40
CPelkey: The Gang of Four up front now has a lead of 1:18 over the Armstrong Wiggins group. Two Astanas and the Saxo Brothers will be hitting the final climb with a bit of a gap.
4:41
CPelkey: Nibali is trying his best to bridge up to the four leaders.
4:43
CPelkey: So the situation on the road as the four leaders are hitting the base of the climb, is that the Schlecks, Contador and Kloden are now 1:18 ahead of the Armstrong/Wiggins group.
4:43
CPelkey: Nibali has been pulled back by Vande Velde, Wiggins and Armstrong.
----
4:44
CPelkey: Sastre is now back in a group that is more than 3:00 back.
4:44
CPelkey: And we have no idea where Evans is.
4:45
CPelkey: It's still the Schleck brothers setting tempo in the leading foursome.
4:46
CPelkey: The leading four are now 1:20 ahead of the Wiggins group
4:47
CPelkey: Andy Schleck is at the front as they pass beneath the 20km to go banner.
4:48
CPelkey: That is just 5km of hill left before the 15km descent.
4:48
CPelkey: Frank Schleck is now setting tempo.

4:51

4:51
CPelkey: That's an earlier - and rainier - view of the summit ahead.
4:53
CPelkey: Andy Schleck is stetting tempo at the front. Contador and Kloden are on his wheel.
4:53
CPelkey: Vande Velde has been dropped by Nibali, Wiggins and Armstrong.
4:53
CPelkey: The gap back to the Wiggins group is now 1:40.
4:54
CPelkey: Vande Velde is slipping back.
4:55
CPelkey: Our four leaders are 2km from the summit. The gap back to the Wiggins group is 1:43 and Vande Velde is at 1:58.
4:56
CPelkey: Contador has accelerated.
4:56
CPelkey: No ... the Schlecks aren't hodling the tempo... but Kloden has been spit off the back.
4:57
CPelkey: The Schlecks have both fought back... but Kloden is gone.
4:59
CPelkey: The two Schleck brothers are setting tempo at the front. The gap back to Kloden is about 20 seconds. The Wiggins/Armstrong/Nibali group is at 2:01.
5:02
CPelkey: And our three leaders are now 1km from the summit. Again it's the two Schleck brothers setting tempo at the front. Contador is sitting at the back.
----
ARMSTRONG Drops Wiggins 1km from the summit - He is setting up a situation where Astana will have three members on the final podium - first time since 1914!
----
(CN)17:04 CEST - Contador hasn't tried since that jump. Hard to know if he's suffering or saving energy for tomorrow's TT.

They are getting close to the top, then have a high speed descent towards the finish. The two brothers will take turns attacking him on the way down, no doubt.

Kloden is now just over a minute back, while the Wiggins group is 2'32" down. They are reeling him in...

1.
17:06 CEST - Armstrong is chasing now and will try to join up with Kloden. The German is really suffering now as he goes over the summit. He's 1'14" back here...
2.
17:06 CEST - 2.17 back to Armstrong from Kloden
3.
17:07 CEST - The three leaders are on the descent now...

Armstrong goes over the top, 2'06" behind... He's still a minute behind Kloden, and not sure if he'll take that back on the descent.
4.
17:08 CEST - Contador is talking to the two Schlecks...no idea what was discussed. Anyone lip read?

Situation

Yellow and white jersey group: Contador (Astana), Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank)

Andreas Kloden (Astana) at 1.16

Lance Armstrong (Astana) at 2.17

Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Bradley Wiggins (Garmin Slipstream) at 2.32

Group including Vladimir Karpets (Katusha), Maxime Monfort (Columbia), Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ) at 5.21
----
(VN)5:14
CPelkey: With fivekm to go, the three leaders are holding an advantage of 1:56 over Kloden, 2:18 ahead of Armstrong and Nibali.
5:14

5:15
CPelkey: With 4km to go, Schlecks are still setting tempo.

5:15

5:16

5:17
CPelkey: There seems to be some sort of ad hoc alliance out here on the road.
5:17
CPelkey: Kloden is trailing by about 2:00.
5:17
CPelkey: Armstrong and Nibali are 12 seconds behind Kloden.
5:18
CPelkey: Contador pats Frank Schleck on the back.
5:18
CPelkey: It appears that Contador may be happy to have gapped the other Astanas as much as anyone. It's certainly settled that nagging leadership question.
5:19
CPelkey: In the final kilometer.
5:19
CPelkey: 300 meters to go.
5:19
CPelkey: Frank Schleck wins it!
5:19
CPelkey: Contador is second.
5:20
CPelkey: Kloden and Armstrong and Nibali are together.
5:20
CPelkey: The three chasers are 1km from the finish.
5:21
CPelkey: Armstrong is driving to the line. He's working to minimize the gap.
5:21
CPelkey: The trio is led in by Nibali
5:22
CPelkey: They cross the line at 2:17.
5:22
CPelkey: Kloden was gapped a bit at the end. Maybe another five or six seconds back.
5:23
CPelkey: This was quite the stage. Wiggins crosses at 3:10 or so.
5:27
CPelkey: Here's what this stage did to the GC picture:
# 1. Alberto Contador Astana
# 2. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank, at 2:26
# 3. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 03:25
# 4. Lance Armstrong Astana at 03:55
# 5. Andréas KlÖden Astana at 04:44
# 6. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream at 04:53
# 7. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas at 05:09
----
(CN) 17:29 CEST - Andy Schleck is now second overall, 2'26" back, while his brother Frank is third overall. He's 3'25 down.

Armstrong (@3'55), Kloden (4'44) and Wiggins (4'53) are fourth, fifth and sixth overall prior to the time trial. All three are expected to beat the Schlecks, so there could well be another reshuffling..
END OF UPDATES