Astana transfusion equipment "Criminal"

[Alpe d'Huez]

Meanwhile, she's being roundly criticized in the "comments" section. Two comments caught my eye:

K says: Claire - you are being trashed at this site: cyclingnews forum -
check out the 'Astana transfusion equipment "Criminal"' thread starting on page 42.
It's so easy for anonymous posters and a moderator no less to get their hate on.
That's where the comments on this article are originating from.

Another reads:

Gregg H. says: In addition to what K has posted also check out the
-A Plea for Integrity in Cycling Journalism in 2010- thread on p3.
The sharks are feeding on the CyclingNews on-line forum.

I presume I am the moderator that "K" references. So I'm obliged to comment.

I do not feel as though anything I have posted on here, or this subject is "hateful". Only from the most ardent and unyielding LA supporters has that accusation been thrown at me. More than anything else, I am interested in factual evidence, and logical conclusions presented from those facts. There is one, and only one thing I "hate" about cycling (or all sports and competition): Cheating, much of which involves doping. And will thus directly lay claim to being an ardent anti-doping crusader. If that is "hate" in anyone's eyes, so be it.

Next, I am not anonymous. Anyone on here can fairly easily find my name, I don't use it because it leads to confusion. I've stated where I live, my age, my cycling background, and my profession. I've stated before that I will attempt to answer any and all PM's about myself as well.

As to Gregg's comments about us "sharks". I could encourage him, Claire, anyone in the world to come on here and partake in these discussions and present whatever evidence you wish to show your side of the argument. To sit back and simply call us names, without bothering to issue one single sentence of a counter argument, or offer an ounce of counter evidence can't be taken seriously in such an important issue.

The most dedicated and knowledgeable cycling fans in the world on are on this site. People that eat, drink and sleep cycling, and have for years. People not just with one agenda and an axe to grind, but fans with an insatiable appetite for more knowledge of the sport, down to the last possible detail, deep into the off season, even on holidays. If anyone has pertinent information that can be presented in a logical, and objective light, I'm certain everyone here would like to see it.

 

[red_flanders]

Claire Lunardoni’s Experience

*
Freelance Writer
Demand Studios

(Writing and Editing industry)

July 2009 — Present (6 months)

Freelance sports and fitness writer for LiveStrong.com and eHow.com, Boston Triathlon Expert for the Boston Examiner.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/claire-lunardoni/15/86/935

Looks like Demand Studios is an arm of Demand Media. Pure media purchase. Complete PR BS.

I can't even read the comments at this point, let alone post.

 

[Nalgas Hombre]

Looks like Demand Studios is an arm of Demand Media. Pure media purchase. Complete PR BS.

I can't even read the comments at this point, let alone post.

She is a freelance writer. Freelance writers work all over the place. Gert over it fellas, its not like she is one of Lances servants.

 

[sars1981]

She is a freelance writer. Freelance writers work all over the place. Gert over it fellas, its not like she is one of Lances servants.

Those who are in anyway critical or even objective about Lance probably dont get employed by LiveStrong. Just saying.

 

[Mellow Velo]

So, if a top of the range, eyebrow paper, that is LeMonde, gets the hack tabloid tag, what label should be placed upon a freeLANCE writer with a vested interest?
Something that ryhmes with bore, perhaps?

Thank God, I can't access the cesspit of bullmerde.

 

[Digger]

So, if a top of the range, eyebrow paper, that is LeMonde, gets the hack tabloid tag, what label should be placed upon a freeLANCE writer with a vested interest?
Something that ryhmes with bore, perhaps?

Thank God, I can't access the cesspit of bullmerde.

You see this is exactly the issue. This article will be seen as gospel, yet a newspaper like Le Monde gets labelled tabloid thrash and gutter journalism. It would be funny if it wasn't so f***ing annoying.

 

[python]

It was before his first win, when his transformation made of him a mockery to sport
some words of Frankie Andreu's diary of 1999 TDF
http://chipdoc.tripod.com/TdF99/AStageRest2.html
Jul 19th

It was before it was forbidden to spit into soup.

Jul 20th, Tarbes



Probably Lance has forgotten those events, Tarbes conference was much harder than description of Frankie.

thanks for digging this up, pou. omg this was 1999...lance did not forget. he does not take the wider audience's collective memory and intelligence seriously. journalists included.

i shake my head in disbelief that someone can so blatantly lie to my face fully aware of manure hanging off his teeth:

If I had something to hide, I would stay away from France."

ok. it was 1999 and most evidence of armstrongs doping surfaced after that. but lance knew he was telling lies to the whole world whilst milking up the image of a cancer survivor.

this is what i can't accept about him. tell the lie today and hope it will pass tomorrow.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

You see this is exactly the issue. This article will be seen as gospel, yet a newspaper like Le Monde gets labelled tabloid thrash and gutter journalism. It would be funny if it wasn't so f***ing annoying.

My point precisely.

it was 1999 and most evidence of armstrongs doping surfaced after that. but lance knew he was telling lies to the whole world whilst milking up the image of a cancer survivor.

He actually is a cancer survivor. And to me I don't have that much of an issue of him capitalizing on that to create an image that helps people. I personally think there are better ways of making the world a better place, and many others doing similar actions in a more helpful, less selfish manner, and some who are far worse, but so be it.

It's the blatant lying, and all that comes with it (bullying, etc.) that bothers me. That, and the willful ignorance of a Mt. Ventoux pile of evidence showing it to be so by so many supporters. Followed by the inoculation attempts from criticism by ignoring such evidence. This is the pattern we've seen for several years now, and this specific situation we're discussing now is showing it again to be so.

 

[Anonymous]

For her not to have disclosed her affiliation with livestrong.com and Demand Studios as part of her article is all the evidence I need to know that this was fark in the form of a press release presented as news. Was it planned and sponsored by Mr Armstrong's publicity machine, you can bet on it. She is a journalistic prostitute and nothing more. A journalist would never dream of writing such a slimy, disgusting piece of electronic fish wrapping such as that. I cannot access the article this morning, so I am hoping that the examiner.com editorial staff (if they have editors) have taken it down because they don't want trash like that sullying their reputation. Then again, they published this: http://www.examiner.com/a-2372843~Lance_Armstrong__Steel_on_two_wheels.html on their site, so I guess they are a cesspool of fark.

 

[sars1981]

For her not to have disclosed her affiliation with livestrong.com and Demand Studios as part of her article is all the evidence I need to know that this was fark in the form of a press release presented as news. Was it planned and sponsored by Mr Armstrong's publicity machine, you can bet on it. She is a journalistic prostitute and nothing more. A journalist would never dream of writing such a slimy, disgusting piece of electronic fish wrapping such as that. I cannot access the article this morning, so I am hoping that the examiner.com editorial staff (if they have editors) have taken it down because they don't want trash like that sullying their reputation. Then again, they published this: http://www.examiner.com/a-2372843~Lance_Armstrong__Steel_on_two_wheels.html on their site, so I guess they are a cesspool of fark.

lofllofllofl. That was an hilarious rant. "journalistic prostitute" had me in stitches. I think you are wrong about one aspect, though - which I've highlighted in bold. Rest assured, there are plenty on non-affiliated journalists and pundits who eagerly and obtusely expound whatever pro-pharmboy spin seems suitable. The motivation is hard to determine. Just like the case of this "Rex Hunter" character: He is not, as far as I can see, gaining financially or professionally by propagandizing Lance's innocence. Why does he do it? This is a question in human psychology that might be suitably explored by a psychologist. Nevertheless it is a real phenomenon..

 

[Beech Mtn]

Here we are discussing this "journalist" and her article, rather than the French investigation and who might match the 7 DNA samples. Good deflection by the PR machine???

 

[Dr. Maserati]

lofllofllofl. That was an hilarious rant. "journalistic prostitute" had me in stitches. I think you are wrong about one aspect, though - which I've highlighted in bold. Rest assured, there are plenty on non-affiliated journalists and pundits who eagerly and obtusely expound whatever pro-pharmboy spin seems suitable. The motivation is hard to determine. Just like the case of this "Rex Hunter" character: He is not, as far as I can see, gaining financially or professionally by propagandizing Lance's innocence. Why does he do it? This is a question in human psychology that might be suitably explored by a psychologist. Nevertheless it is a real phenomenon..

I have written this in the "A Plea for integrity in Cycling Journalism" thread:

Have we not seen this before?

Publish something - then when the errors are highlighted it is taken down.

While I don't think Claire is part of a grand conspiracy it is regretful that she has chosen not to stay around as there are some questions that her article has raised.

Claire writes for Demand Studios - a partner of Demand Media which LA has equity in - from their website:
Demand Studios commissions vetted content assignments for our network of professional creators, who then put their passion, experience and skills into producing each assignment.

So - who 'commissioned' the article? What was the objective of the article?
If there were inaccuracies in the article (as I highlighted earlier) and a conflict of interest why was that not added to the article - instead of removing the article altogether?

 

[sars1981]

I have written this in the "A Plea for integrity in Cycling Journalism" thread:

Have we not seen this before?

Publish something - then when the errors are highlighted it is taken down.

While I don't think Claire is part of a grand conspiracy it is regretful that she has chosen not to stay around as there are some questions that her article has raised.

Claire writes for Demand Studios - a partner of Demand Media which LA has equity in - from their website:
Demand Studios commissions vetted content assignments for our network of professional creators, who then put their passion, experience and skills into producing each assignment.

So - who 'commissioned' the article? What was the objective of the article?
If there were inaccuracies in the article (as I highlighted earlier) and a conflict of interest why was that not added to the article - instead of removing the article altogether?

Her affiliation is definitely suspect but like so many things is the shady debate..reduces only to innuendo.

Interesting, tho, that she seems to ascribe to what you might call a "wink wink" line of Lance defense - the real purpose seems to be indifference to Lances guilt/innocence in the absence of irrefutable proof of his guilt. This is the line of defense Lance himself seems to encourage...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Her affiliation is definitely suspect but like so many things is the shady debate..reduces only to innuendo.

Interesting, tho, that she seems to ascribe to what you might call a "wink wink" line of Lance defense - the real purpose seems to be indifference to Lances guilt/innocence in the absence of irrefutable proof of his guilt. This is the line of defense Lance himself seems to encourage...

As I mentioned earlier - I don't believe this is part of any arrangement, although the link between Demand Media and Demand Solutions is almost comical.
Although the question remains - who 'commissioned' the article?

My own personal opinion on this is that not a lot will come of the current French investigation. However I had always suspected that the first line of defense here would be to smear the investigation as those pesky French and their anti Lance and anti America motives.

The investigation is in to a team - not an individual - and highlights once again the suspicious activities of Pro Cyclists and the weakness and hypocrisy of the UCI.

 

[red_flanders]

She is a freelance writer. Freelance writers work all over the place. Gert over it fellas, its not like she is one of Lances servants.

She's employed by "Demand Studios" as a Freelance Writer. Her current assignments include eHow, Livestrong, Boston Examiner, etc. Her LinkedIn current employment section states:

Claire Lunardoni’s Experience

Freelance Writer
Demand Studios
(Writing and Editing industry)
July 2009 — Present (6 months)
Freelance sports and fitness writer for LiveStrong.com and eHow.com, Boston Triathlon Expert for the Boston Examiner.

She is employed by Demand Studios according to her. If she were a self-employed freelance writer that would be different, but this appears that Demand Studio signs her checks. I used to do the same thing in the design and agency field. I was a freelancer but worked for a firm which got me gigs and sent me out on jobs, and paid me.

Demand Studios is a part of Demand Media, a PR company in which Lance Armstrong owns a "significant stake".

The article is a pure media buy. It's trash.

 

[red_flanders]

Here we are discussing this "journalist" and her article, rather than the French investigation and who might match the 7 DNA samples. Good deflection by the PR machine???

Good point, but until there is an identification, the PR machine will run in full force. The article would have you believe the French are out to get Mr. Armstrong, and wants you talking about that. Talking point #1 re-established.

It's funny how the French are alternately Lance's best friends and worst enemies, their current behavior depending. Strange...

 

[Polish]

A freelance written article in a podunk newspaper is held to a different standard than an article written in LeMonde.

And it is ok to praise the freelancer while critisizing LeMonde in the same way it is ok to praise an amateur triathlete while criticizing a pro on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Different standards.

Especially when the triathlete's move is based on love and the pro's attack on the Champs-Élysées is born out of hate.

BTW, the NYTimes has a well rounded and fair assessment of the one-sided scrutiny put upon Astana by the police:

"At first, prosecutors said several teams were being looked at in the investigation of the medical waste. The suspicious items were sent for analysis to find traces of banned substances or DNA that could be linked to riders.

Citing unnamed sources, Le Monde reported Wednesday that scientists doing the analysis have not any banned substances, but were still conducting tests"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/sports/cycling/24cycling.html


To deny that LeMonde or L'Equipe have exhibited anti-Lance bias is as bad as denying that Lance ever doped. Believe.

 

[Race Radio]

A freelance written article in a podunk newspaper is held to a different standard than an article written in LeMonde.

And it is ok to praise the freelancer while critisizing LeMonde in the same way it is ok to praise an amateur triathlete while criticizing a pro on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Different standards.

Especially when the triathlete's move is based on love and the pro's attack on the Champs-Élysées is born out of hate.

BTW, the NYTimes has a well rounded and fair assessment of the one-sided scrutiny put upon Astana by the police:



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/sports/cycling/24cycling.html


To deny that LeMonde or L'Equipe have exhibited anti-Lance bias is as bad as denying that Lance ever doped. Believe.

Can you give an example of this Anti-Lance bias by Le Monde?

 

[Dr. Maserati]

A freelance written article in a podunk newspaper is held to a different standard than an article written in LeMonde.

And it is ok to praise the freelancer while critisizing LeMonde in the same way it is ok to praise an amateur triathlete while criticizing a pro on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Different standards.

Especially when the triathlete's move is based on love and the pro's attack on the Champs-Élysées is born out of hate.

BTW, the NYTimes has a well rounded and fair assessment of the one-sided scrutiny put upon Astana by the police:



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/sports/cycling/24cycling.html


To deny that LeMonde or L'Equipe have exhibited anti-Lance bias is as bad as denying that Lance ever doped. Believe.

Question for you Polish.....
Did Lemonde or even the NYT - leave suspicious hazardous and potentially illegal items in the trash? Or did they just report it?

Also in the NYT piece you quoted - where does it mention Lance?

It does not matter if a reporter is freelance or on the payroll - if you are going to write an 'objective' article it should be factually accurate and subject to scrutiny - and under no circumstances should it be removed because inaccuracies and a conflict of interest is highlighted.

 

[Anonymous]

Question for you Polish.....
Did Lemonde or even the NYT - leave suspicious hazardous and potentially illegal items in the trash? Or did they just report it?

Also in the NYT piece you quoted - where does it mention Lance?

It does not matter if a reporter is freelance or on the payroll - if you are going to write an 'objective' article it should be factually accurate and subject to scrutiny - and under no circumstances should it be removed because inaccuracies and a conflict of interest is highlighted.

No integrity journalist worksheet:

1. Post an editorial as a "news" piece. [check]
2. Fail to disclose your conflict of interest. [check]
3. Instead of admitting your failures or sticking by your drivel, take down the article and claim that you just didn't want to have to defend yourself to the peons. [check]

She is a class A tool.

 

[Oncearunner8]

Here we are discussing this "journalist" and her article, rather than the French investigation and who might match the 7 DNA samples. Good deflection by the PR machine???

Not directed at you Beech Mtn.......Directed at Black Cat (the red robster) and Rave Radio.... I wanted to give you two a Christmas gift but I came up short....so I decided to post this just to give you a laugh!

This LeMonde article is nothing more than a Fish Hack working for a multi colured Fish Wrap! LMAO

NYtimes???? Fish Wrap also!

I posted somewhere else (another board) that the Tornado would beat Contradope before the tour...(maybe Astana would either be busted or not allowed in to the TDF) these current happenings seem to play into that but could also mean BIG trouble for da Hog and da Tornado.

 

[oldschoolnik]

+1

Well put. I like this list, it's a tall order to meet all 3 criteria but indeed the article in question did.

 

[Polish]

Question for you Polish.....
Did Lemonde or even the NYT - leave suspicious hazardous and potentially illegal items in the trash? Or did they just report it?

It would not suprise me if a search of the trash bins at Le Monde or the NYTimes turned up "suspicious hazardous and potentially illegal items".

Also in the NYT piece you quoted - where does it mention Lance?

His name is mentioned and highlighted in the article.

It does not matter if a reporter is freelance or on the payroll - if you are going to write an 'objective' article it should be factually accurate and subject to scrutiny - and under no circumstances should it be removed because inaccuracies and a conflict of interest is highlighted.

My point is that Le Monde and the NYTimes are held to higher standards when it comes to "pulling stories" or having to print retractions.

 

[Rex Hunter]

It would not suprise me if a search of the trash bins at Le Monde or the NYTimes turned up "suspicious hazardous and potentially illegal items".

His name is mentioned and highlighted in the article.

My point is that Le Monde and the NYTimes are held to higher standards when it comes to "pulling stories" or having to print retractions.

It doesn't matter what people say here, we all know it is a little bit surprising that only searches of Astana's medical waste produced these apparent findings. Were any other teams targeted at all? And why were they going through official medical waste bags in the first place? There are many questions raised by this.

I see no one answered my question asking what medical waste is permitted in the medical waste bags.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

It would not suprise me if a search of the trash bins at Le Monde or the NYTimes turned up "suspicious hazardous and potentially illegal items".



His name is mentioned and highlighted in the article.



My point is that Le Monde and the NYTimes are held to higher standards when it comes to "pulling stories" or having to print retractions.

Why? If I write something here that is complete BS then other posters would quite rightly call me out on it - why should this piece be any different?

The original Le Monde article (and NYT) mentions both LA and AC - as they are the most recognisable names on the team.

Good luck with finding illegal transfusion products in the trash of NYT & Le Monde.