Dakar

bernie

http://www.dakar.com/indexus.html
The Dakar Rally has started, going from Lisboa Portugal to Dakar Senegal in Afrika

You'll love the video outtakes I found:

Download this video

[Edited on 8-1-07 by bernie]

MCSF

I'm pulling for the Fiat Panda.....

steamdrivenhammer

I noticed on the autopsort site a picture of a 2CV. now there is an image. A 2cv negotiating the saharan sand dunes.:o

Biker

Originally posted by steamdrivenhammer
I noticed on the autopsort site a picture of a 2CV. now there is an image. A 2cv negotiating the saharan sand dunes.:o

Last year it had 2 motors so it would have both forewheel- as backwheeldrive! This year there's only 1 motor in it.

Yesterday the Dakarrally took it's first casualty of this year: South African motordriver Elmer Symons........

[Edited on 10-1-07 by Biker]

Minardifan2002

just read this on www.f1cm.co.uk

ACCIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN ELMER SYMONS (107)
The organisation of the Dakar received the news this morning of the death of South Africa’s Elmer Symons, bike rider n°107.

Today at 9:16, the race headquarters received an Iritrack alert coming from km 142 of the 4th stage from Er Rachidia to Ouarzazate.
On the site of the crash by helicopter 8 minutes later, the race direction could only record the death, confirmed 10 minutes later by the medical helicopter.

Head of a company specialised in the exportation of metal parts from the United States to South Africa, 29-year-old Elmer Symons was taking part in his first Dakar as a competitor. He had lived two others in an assistance crew. He was 18th overall.

The rally organisation is waiting for the return of Kingsley Symons who takes care of the assistance of his brother to witness their support and sadness.

Press Release ASO

RIP Elmer

[Edited on 10-1-07 by Minardifan2002]

bernie

Vatican slams Dakar rally as irresponsible
Reuters | Thursday, 11 January 2007
VATICAN CITY: The Vatican newspaper today strongly condemned the Dakar Rally as a bloody, irresponsible, violent and cynical attempt to impose questionable Western tastes on the developing world.
An editorial in L'Osservatore Romano titled "Paris-Dakar: The Bloody Race of Irresponsibility", slammed the race a day after South African motorcycle rider Elmer Symons died during the fourth stage in the Morocco desert.
"The Paris-Dakar, a race which many classify as a sporting event, in reality has very little to do with healthy competition," the editorial said.
"The trail of blood which grows longer from year to year on the route of the race instead underscores the undeniable component of violence that lies behind every attempt to export Western models to human environments and ecosystems that have little to do with the West," it said.
The Vatican newspaper said the race and its sponsors betrayed a "cynicism" that ignores local realities. It called the wrecks of cars, trucks and motorcycles abandoned in the desert "rusty monuments to irresponsibility".
The two-week race, which no longer starts from Paris, has claimed 49 lives in its 29-year-existence, 24 of them competitors.

Stan

The trail of blood which grows longer from year to year

I wonder who kill more people on the African continent, the organisation of Dakar or the Vatican (although indirectly)

Telstar

Originally posted by Stan
[quote]The trail of blood which grows longer from year to year

I wonder who kill more people on the African continent, the organisation of Dakar or the Vatican (although indirectly) [/quote]


Along with the other continents the Vatican has killed on or stood by silently while killing was going on.

MCSF

Knock it off - the Vatican has probably saved more lives than lost people - Catholic charities/missions are working all over the world every day to help people. You can't save everybody.

Does the name Mother Teresa ring a bell?

Biker

Originally posted by MCSF

Does the name Mother Teresa ring a bell?

Does aids ring a bell?

MCSF

Yes it does. But AIDS in most cases is preventable if you keep you willie in your pants and or don't use IV drugs. How about this - in some Sub Saharan cultures it is thought that having sex with a virgin cures AIDs. How about education and morality be tried first?

Biker

Originally posted by MCSF
Yes it does. But AIDS in most cases is preventable if you keep you willie in your pants and or don't use IV drugs. How about this - in some Sub Saharan cultures it is thought that having sex with a virgin cures AIDs. How about education and morality be tried first?

What are the fruits of education and morality in the US ?? Here in Europe we have to lock are cars and houses. A police officer wille ask for my ID not for my name, despite my blue eyes. Monogamy is a dream. (I believe in dreams btw).

MCSF

Te people who listen to common sense and who follow a lifestyle that keeps them away from conditions like AIDS tend to do so. Crime? Same here - and around the globe. But do we give up and just lower ouorselves to the comon denominator or do we follow the tenents of great people who have preceeded us and shown that it can work.

I just think it is shallow to point fingers at the vaqtican - yes they have had many problems but to put the onus on them for all of the worlds trouble is ludicrous.

Telstar

I'm just taking shots at the Vatican because they are taking shots at Dakar.

MCSF

I'm watching you.

bernie

ah, um, I think this kind of got of topic and it's probably my fault.

oh well. I'm game. Game on. let's play.

I think that since I have 12 years of Catholic education (8 years in an Irish Catholic grade school, 26+6 and all that) and was an Alter Boy for 10 of those years I am somewhat qualified to speak.

In addition I actually know a priest who spent some time at the Vatican....well that was after he took me to see Moonraker when it came out in theatres and then tried to convince me to go swimming naked with him at the Seminary pool and my parents raised a bit of a stink...(no I didn't do it)

http://www.goacom.org/overseas-digest/Religion/Christianity&Europe/Vatican still thinks in Manichean terms (Jul05).htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,7369,1059068,00.html
http://www.voxfux.com/features/jesuits1.html
w.religioustolerance.org/pope_apo.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3809983.stm
http://www.remnantofgod.org/ustashe.htm
http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/vatican_and_war_crimes_in_.htm
http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/book/Manhattan-vatican.html
http://home.znet.com/bart/inquis.htm
http://www.greatdreams.com/ufos/vatican.htm
http://atheism.about.com/od/crusades/a/crusadesoutcome.htm

"absolute power breeds power absolutely"

Where do you want to start: Crusades, Treaty of Nicene, Condom use in Afrika, Nazi war crimes, Stolen Gold, rewriting history to suit your own needs? You pick. I'll play. (can we start with the UFO cover up? I think that would be cool to talk about!)

[Edited on 18-1-07 by bernie]

bernie

Now to get back on topic:

Al Attiyah wins 10th stage of Dakar Rally
Posted 1/16/2007 4:04 PM ET

NEMA, Mauritania (AP) — BMW driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah won the 10th stage of the Dakar rally on Tuesday.
The Qatari driver completed the 227-mile route beginning and ending in the desert oasis of Nema in 3 hours, 49 minutes, 48 seconds.

Hiroshi Masuoka of Japan, driving a Mitsubishi, was second, 28 seconds behind Al Attiyah. In third was Mark Miller of the United States in a Volkswagen, who finished the trek across the Mauritanian desert in 3:51:37.

Stephane Peterhansel of France is the overall leader, 9:56 ahead of defending champion Luc Alphand.

The 15-stage race began in Lisbon, Portugal, and ends in Dakar, Senegal on Sunday.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2007-01-16-dakar-stage10_x.htm

At least the damn Mitsubishi's aren't in #1

This site seems to have the best compiled info I have found on the rally.
http://www.topix.net/racing/dakar-rally
I really wish I could watch this in the US!


[Edited on 18-1-07 by bernie]