Now, I'm writing this post about some rather negative and positive issues today and I shall go first with the negative. Today in the U.S. two firemen were shot whilst attending a fire and sadly killed, just weeks after the Conneticut school massacre and Piers Morgan, as ever, has not decided to avoid this issue, but tackle this problem that the U.S. with guns has head on. Now I always used to find Piers Morgan slightly creepy especially during his time at the Mirror, however since he has left I have started to like him more and more what with his class 'An Audience with...' series and now his programme on CNN. Since i've seen the below two clips of him in action I have now really warmed to the guy and completely agree with him on the gun issue in the U.S. as just about every other sane person from the rest of the world would.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SlfRCkZt1A
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_we43-q7C7g
Unfortunately one thing I don't like about Piers in these clips is how he loses his cool too much, but one important steretotype can confirmed from these clips and the subsequent petition to deport Piers from America shows, many Americans clearly don't get irony.
On a more positive note, the UCI has decided that the effort to win the world championships in the various cycling disciplines is worthy of the same amount of prize for both sexes, this is a great step forward in the right direction as far as gender equality is concerned and is a really positive move showing that women should not be treated as second class citizens within cycling and nor should this be institutionalised.
Here's the link to this announcement http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-introduces-equal-prize-money-at-worlds
Now another easy and great step the UCI could make in the monetary department is by making the sport a more financially secure environment and fairer place for all, by introducing and enforcing a minimum wage that is nowhere near as confused as it currently is. They have made some good progress in this area recently as shown with the recent AIGCP and CPA agreement. Here's the link to a the news and a great article on it too http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/aigcp-and-cpa-agreement-may-portend-more-than-higher-salaries_225328. What the UCI really need to do is to start to helping secure riders' and teams' futures rather than continue to seemingly increase their own revenue as shown by the races being established in the Far East at the expense or risk of losing some of Europe's best known races as articulated in this article http://road.cc/content/news/53498-uci-says-mens-pro-cycling-good-health-money-problems-some-teams-and-races-suggest. The UCI should be really heading the agenda and responding to currents that control cycling, but not in such a ham-fisted, slow and ponderous manner as well as recognising and dealing with issues before they begin to build a head of steam. Secure foundations allow for greater growth in the long term and maybe, if Pat McQuaid had been such a level-headed and conciliatory president then people would not be calling for his head, nor would Change Cycling Now even exist.
Here's a link to a great blog post that explains the confusion that exists over riders' wages http://gerard.cc/2011/10/05/uci-rules-minimum-wage/
Hopefully this post has given plenty food for thought and everyone had a great Christmas, I know I did. Until the next one, stay safe
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