David2

Thanks for giving the other side. I really like Donna (Pandora) too much to post in my normal fashion. hyping up and loading down with sarcasm the same facts and considerations that you did in a polite and calm way.
What I will say however is that after being a lawyer for 40 years and working in private, state and federal practice is that if Lance had been my client, I would have advised him not only to refuse arbitration but also take out full page ads in major newspapers publishing the Federal District Judge's opinion that none of the WADA charges would pass muster in any court of law. Lance's case was dismissed on a legal technicality not having anything to do with the validity of the charges. Bottom line is that none of us except Lance knows what really happened, but for me, the fact that all these WADA charges would be dismissed on a summary judgement motion in a court of law with an impartial judge instead of WADA stooge speaks volumes. Under the WADA rules, you never get to appeal being railroaded in a trial before a fair judge, only their own binding arbitration.
The estimate I hear from friends is that Lance's decision saved him anywhere from $5 to $10 million dollars in legal fees and expenses.( hiring of lawyers and scientific experts plus the cost of visiting labs in foreign lands and attending hearings). Worse, since the main "evidence" is now: [quote]Some Dudes said he did it[/quote], all it takes is one liar for WADA to win.
Charm

NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING: BOOKS

If you have a certain sense of humor and you enjoyed the excerpts from Vanity Fair that I and others have posted here on the forum by Christopher Hitchens, then you should order from Amazon (using the OCF link) : Mortality.
It is a collection of seven of those essays published in somewhat different form in Vanity Fair. It adds an eighth chapter, Hitchens' fragmentary notes to himself.
the USA today review noted that
[quote]In the last 18 months of his life, Hitchens reported with little sentimentality or self-pity from a place he called "Tumorville." He was 62 when he died of esophageal cancer on Dec. 15, 2011.[/quote]
plus included some some of my favorite quotes
[quote]To the dumb question 'Why me?' the cosmos barely bothers to return the reply: Why not?"

"I'm not fighting or battling cancer � it's fighting me."[/quote]
USA today Mortality review
Charm

Wow! Thanks for that, Charm -I'm going to order it from Amazon/OCF tomorrow.

Oh Christopher Hitchens...a great writer, thinker, and a very skilled debater. I always enjoyed watching his debates, he is very straight forward which is why I'm a fan to be sure. Where I'm not by any means an atheist as he was, I enjoyed his point of view, and particularly his delivery.

Hitchens was one of a kind and brilliant. I didn't necessarily agree with all his views but always find him fascinating and an amazing writer. Plan to get to that book.... eventually!

(oh and thanks Charm for the expert legal opinion on the Lance issue - a tough one to be sure. I freely admit to bias because I admire him for all he's done on and off the bike.)

I have the 100 Questions and Answers about Head and Neck Cancer book...since the authors are from my treatment center in NYC, and is printed by them. They give it to you before the start of treatment, and most of the Head and Team there have authored several books, especially Dr. Harrison and Dr Hu, radiaton oncologists, and Dr Urken, Surgeon.

I have that one also..Meeting the challenges of Oral and Head and Neck Cancer.