Despite its image in the American mainstream press, professional cycling is probably the most aggressive sport in terms of doping sentencing. Here is how other major sports stack up against cycling when it comes to rooting out pharmaceutical cheating. (Source: velonews.com.)
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Here are the places I've been. Fun to see the map! :-)
U.S. states (visited in Red):
Create your own personalized map of the USA
World:
create your own visited country map
Admittedly, some of these I've only been through (short visit in airport, or drive-thru). But hey -- it's still a checkmark on the map.
Next place I want to visit: Russia. (Not only do I electronically know people there whom I want to meet in person, and not only do I want to see it, doing so would add a ton of red in one fell swoop. ;-)
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(Note: This is a blog entry from me as a person and doesn't have much to do with Plum Canary, or cooperative work.)
I was raised in Denver, in a pentecostal christian home. Christianity has been my root faith for my entire life.
As a person who loves science (I like the popular everyman's books on physics, etc.), and a technology-type guy, I must admit I had times when I wanted to reconcile in my mind what I know and believe about science and my faith. Far, far, far too many Christians accept of their faith without question, and turn a blind eye to the findings of scientists.
I question everything I do in my work life - to challenge existing thinking to make it better. Why, then, should I not challenge my faith to see what holds up, and what doesn't? Doesn't this lack of willingness of Christians to examine ourselves reduce our credibility? Hasn't this reluctance by american Christians come to be viewed by the intellectual elite as non-thinking masses blindly taking their opiate?
I decided that intellectual honesty compels me to do a deep examination of my long-held beliefs to see what stands up under the scrutiny of the modern era of cosmology, evolutionary bilogy, etc., and be ready to accept where this led. A bold thing in my world.
If you're either a Christian who has deeply-repressed worries about the same thing, or are an agnostic who endures (but looks slightly down on) Christians, or a full-out atheist wondering how a rational thinker could believe in God, give me the next 2 minutes of your time. I request no change in your belief; just willingness to listen, as I've chosen to do.
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Editors - those who help edit a piece of writing - are unappreciated. But here is an article giving them the praise that is their due.
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Ok, so I'm not the most prolific blogger.... ;-)
However, I am a serious fan of professional bicycle racing, particularly the pro tour in Europe. While it's a popular spectator sport in Europe, with big purses and large fan attendance, it's (sadly) hardly on the radar screen here in the U.S.
Besides being a spectacularly difficult sport of human strength and endurance, it's also fraught with huge danger. Crashes are not uncommon, and having been in a couple of cycling crashes myself, I can tell you that:
The folks who organize the Tour de France have put together a video of the notable crashes in the 2007 tour. While the Tour is the race everybody in the U.S. knows about, the summer cycle racing season is full of amazing races, with spectacular athletic efforts, exciting finishes, and too many crashes.
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I've seen a variety of excellent outdoor amateur musical performers in France. This totally doesn't surpriseme. I love France. :-)
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Talk about something that makes people interact with each other! This combines people working with each other (to make cool designs), and adds good music.
This device comes from Switzerland. I wonder which bar in the U.S. will be first to have it?
Cool. I love House music, and Beatport (my favorite online store) has a player for my blog. They now provide a snipped of mashup code I can add to this that will let listen to samples of new stuff available at their site that I might be previewing. Have a listen.
The slow week of the holidays is a good time to reflect on things besides the tyranny of the urgent. One of the things to consider is how well you're doing your job - whether it is employee, or CEO. As I reflect on my role, I find it useful to focus my attention on what it means to be a CEO.
The bottom line: A leader isn't a leader unless he's part of a team that's aligned with him. There has to be a great team in order to have a strong CEO. While a football quarterback may be a leader, he can't play the game without wide receivers, running backs, and a front line - and that's on offense alone. And the better the team around him, the more the team wins.
I hope I'm that leader now. Regardless, I resolve to strive during 2007 to continue to build the best team possible for Plum Canary, and to be so effective in leading them that we become the best small software player in our league.
Other things that occur to me at the moment:
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This is an inspiration for anyone building something that is complex, and which is going to take some time to achieve success.
I relate to it because building any software company takes patience, time, inspiration, perspiration, and luck.
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