The Mailbag is a regular department on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have read in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to webletters@insideinc.com. Please include your full name, hometown and state or nation. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writers are encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month. The letters published here contain the opinions of the submitting authors and should not be viewed as reflecting the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.

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Nuts!
VeloNews,
Oh the irony of T-Mobile endingtheir support of professional cycling by saying they were going to"continue our efforts to rid all sports of doping by applying our resourcesin other directions."Personally I can't see how they actually could have done moreto damage the fight against doping. Withdrawing support yanks the rug outfrom under a team now leading the fight in cycling, crippling it - perhapsfatally - just when it needs all the support it can get to press forwardin this expensive battle. But worse is the message this sends to any otherteam embarking on a similar "house cleaning" project. The message is clearlythis: make everything look good on the outside but do not under any circumstanceslet any skeletons fall out of your closet!Your sponsors will surely desert you in your time of need. Better tojust make sure that closet is securely boarded up and guarded as if yourlife depended on it. Because, as T-Mobile has so clearly demonstrated,it does!So, to T-Mobile the cycling team I say good luck to you. I hope youcan overcome this grievous blow and to T-Mobile the company, with the hopethey know exactly what I mean by it, I say "Nuts!"
Rick JohnsonHigh-tech theft calls for high-tech solutions
Dear Velo,
I read, with interest, thearticle by Lennard Zinn (November 27) where he told about his recentexperience after having his MacBook stolen. There is one other thing thathe could have done that would have kept his confidential information secure.He incorrectly suggested users password protect their computers by passwordprotecting their login account. This can easily be defeated by bootingthe computer from a bootable CD or DVD. What he should have done was turnon a feature included with Mac OS X called FileVault which would have encryptedall the data in his home folder (his account) rendering the data inaccessiblewithout a password. This also includes booting the computer from a bootabledisc.Also, there are several programs that offer some anti-theft features.For instance, they use the Mac's built-in iSight camera to photograph thethief and track information being entered on the computer then send thisinformation to either the owner or the program's developer who then notifiesthe owner. Of course, as was mentioned above, if the their boots the computerfrom a CD or DVD they can easily erase the entire drive along with theanti-theft software. This is not likely what will happen initially sincethe thief will no doubt want to search for valuable information on thecomputer.My advice would be to utilize both tactics in situations where the ownertravels. The thief's futile attempts to find valuable information willtake some time and during that time his/her picture will be captured andtransmitted if they're near a wireless network or connected to a network.You might pass this on to Lennard so that he'll be better protectedin the future.
Regards,
Andy WhiteMan of the year
Hi
SaulRaisin deserves to be VN's Cyclist of the Year. 'Nuff said.
Cheers,
Katie SanbornThat ToC TT
Dear VeloNews,
As a resident and cyclist who lives in Solvang, I am not sure thatVeloNews readers appreciate the “minorrevision” to the Amgen time trial for 2008.Now the first 700 yards is a 10+ percent hill climb followed by a 300yard 10+ percent descent with a reverse banked right turn! The TT nextreverts to last year’s 14 miles of flats and rollers (and likely 20+mphhead wind). Times could increase by 2-3 minutes and the TT could be wonor lost in the first ½ mile. There should be some interesting probicycle decisions for this exciting ride. Hope everyone enjoys watchingthe TT. A few of us get to ride it for fun.
Bob Van Tassel

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The Mailbag is a regular department on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have read in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to webletters@insideinc.com. Please include your full name, hometown and state or nation. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writers are encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month. The letters published here contain the opinions of the submitting authors and should not be viewed as reflecting the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.