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11
The Sports Desk / Re: Track and Field
Last post by LP -
I wish I had your confidence, but I fear Trump is likely to make someone like JKF Jr the Tsar with Hegseth his deputy, these are people who think winning cost always defeats how you win as long as you win.

Peptides a plenty!

btw., There is no high ground, only a level playing field surrounding a pit of peril.

The reason China jailed that CRISPR babies scientist was for the release of secrets, not for being immoral. (Of course the immoral stance is also a perspective, because gene modified babies resistant to AIDS might actually be the moral decision) A decade from now things are going to be very different in sport, because all the big player countries aren't that different in reality. In the USA it's just the privatised version of China's state run enterprise.

It's being accelerated right now, driven by the AI LLMs, they are providing solutions to problems that would normally take decades to resolve. Just 7 years ago we got Ozempic after a full 20 years of R&D, next year you'll be taking a tablet for the same, a development that historically would have taken decades is now a couple of years. Technically, if safety protocols are abandoned, a couple of months. Do you think the sort of people inclined to do this are going to be slowed by safety?
12
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: The EV thread
Last post by LP -
Quote from: DJC – on
BYD got caught flogging 2025 EV and hybrid vehicles as 2026 MY and they have now raised their compensation offer from $1100 to $3500.  Given that EVs can lose 15% to 25% of their value in the first year, I'd be holding out for more.
Yes, for EV cars I think the new Mazda 6e might be the pick of the bunch.

No Tesla Tax, no stupid performance over range, an established brand, building on inhouse technology not just assembling, and they are not going to evaporate overnight like the clones.

The only thing I wish they had was a traditional sedan over the hatchback design, I've never been a big fan of hatchbacks.
13
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: The EV thread
Last post by DJC -
BYD got caught flogging 2025 EV and hybrid vehicles as 2026 MY and they have now raised their compensation offer from $1100 to $3500.  Given that EVs can lose 15% to 25% of their value in the first year, I'd be holding out for more.

I heard on the wireless recently that drivers are waiting for months for warranty repairs because the proliferation of new overseas EV manufacturers are "inexperienced" with our consumer protection laws.  If you're going to lash out on an EV, buy one from an established maufacturer.
14
The Sports Desk / Re: Track and Field
Last post by Lods -
Quote from: LP – on
@Lods‍, do you think a USA team will be clean under a Trump lead regime?

I realise testing is "independant", and that is really the key word, because under influence from political pressure it's failed dramatically in the past.

I think that US team would be as 'clean' under Trump as it's always been.
Which is probably to say 'as clean as the testing at the time allows'.

The Americans don't have the same state controlled programs that operated in the Eastern bloc countries back in the 1970's to 1990s but there has been some dubious American performances over the years with many U.S. athletes suspended or admitting to using performance enhancing drugs during their careers.

It all depends on the detection methods, and how they are used a the time.
If we have a look at the World Athletic records there are some long standing ones, especially amongst the women and there is a debate about whether they should still stand given what we know about the sporting regimes in some countries during the late 20th century.

That Flo Jo's 1988 100 and 200 metre records still exist is a source of some scepticism...but no positives and the records stand.

The key difference is that the American system is a largely decentralised/ private system or college based...whereas the Eastern Bloc one was state controlled and funded...with the key aim of promoting the governing system as one where athletes were superior because of that system.
If there is still a similar structure that would allow for state "assistance" the closest would probably be the Chinese at present.
But even there the testing regimes are now such that detection is much more likely to identify any athlete going above and beyond.

That sort of controlled system would be something that Trump could probably get on board with, but it would take years to establish and he'll be pushing up daisies before it would come to fruition.

The strength of American Track and Field is their college system...but that also provides opportunities for athletes from all over the world.

I suspect the American 'Superman' is probably low on Trump's list of priorities at the moment.
(And I won't even mention the elephant in the room if he was presenting Gold, Silver and Bronze to American 100 metre athletes) ;)

15
The Sports Desk / Re: Track and Field
Last post by LP -
@Lods‍, do you think a USA team will be clean under a Trump lead regime?

I realise testing is "independant", and that is really the key word, because under influence from political pressure it's failed dramatically in the past.
16
The Sports Desk / Re: Track and Field
Last post by Lods -
A week out from the Comm Games and Torrie Lewis is in good shape running an Australian 100m record -11.04 at a meet in Slovakia.