September 18
Lance Edward Armstrong's Birthday

When "Shoeless Joe" Jackson was leaving court after being charged in the 1919, Black Sox scandal, a young fan called out, "Say it ain't so, Joe," When, in June 2012, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) charged Lance Armstrong with having used illicit performance enhancing drugs in past races, many of us initially questioned the charges and asked ""Say it ain't so, Lance." Those who doubted USADA charges that were initially based on doping allegations by some fellow cyclists, became to believe that the charges might be true when Nike cancelled it's contract with Lance. Nike has always stood by other scandal-shrouded sports start such as Tiger Woods, Brett Rothenberger, and Michael Vic. So when Nike believes the charges, that was all the proof that most people needed. For all of his other diehard fans that still believed in his innocence, they saw his televised confession to the Reverend Winfrey which demonstrated that Lance not only had lied for years, but also met the psychiatric definition of sociopath and harmed many people with his litigation again claims of doping.

Lance was once a transcendent sports hero. His first major success was winning the US.amateur cycling championship in 1991. By 1993, Lance finished the year number one in the world, winning ten one-day events and stage races. He became one of the youngest riders to win the world road race championship, and took his first stage win at the 1993 Tour de France-

In 1996, Lance was diagnosed with testicular cancer, that metastasized to his brain and lungs. He underwent brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy and was initially given little chance to survive. Lance, however, beat all the odds and went on to have a complete recovery and then won the grueling Tour de France a record-breaking seven consecutive years, from 1999 to 2005.and is the is the only individual to win seven times, although he was stripped of the wins after the USADA charges. Lance also established the Livestrong Foundation that provides free cancer care to those who can't afford treatment and has served 2.5 million cancer patients and saved thousands of lives.

The Tour de France is the world's most prestigious bicycle race over more than 2,200 mile (3,500 km). It is held in France and visits a bordering country every year, but always ends up in Paris. It usually lasts 23 days. Cyclists from all over the world take part. The number of riders varies annually. The Tour de France was first organized in 1903 and was inspired by the success of France's first national bicycle race in 1891 which was a 750 mile (1200 km.) event going from Paris to Brest on the Atlantic Ocean and returning to Paris. However, the sport and the race has become the most corrupt sport and event in history and it estimated that more than 80% of the riders were on EPO (a hormone that increases red blood cell production) and other banned substances. So when Lance was stripped of his titles, the titles couldn't go to the second place winners since all of those cyclists had also been disqualified for doing

During the the first Paris-Brest-Paris race, a baker, on seeing the cyclists pass his window, on was so inspired by what he saw, that he created a pastry called the "Paris-Brest" shaped like a bicycle wheel to commemorate the event. This bicycle wheel dessert seems more than appropriate for Lance's Birthday .which is still worth celebrating for his remarkable charity work which will suffer because of his disgrace. Enjoy it while watching him in a poignant cameo in Dodgeball (2004).

An interesting historical fact. The word "testify" comes from the word "testes" since the early Romans used to take an oath with their hand over their testes and not their heart. So the penalty for perjury was castration. Lance gave sworn testimony, under oath, denying he had ever doped several years ago in Texas, but the statute of limitations for perjury has run out. But the Karma appears to be that he was partially castrated for the testicular cancer before his testimony in anticipation of his subsequent lies. So in some ways, Roman justice was preserved.

Paris Brest

Cream Puff Pastry Ingredients

Filling and Decoration Ingredients

1 cup Water,
6 TB butter, cut into small pieces,
1 cup all--purpose flour

1 egg
1/2 tsp water
3 TB blanched, slivered almonds
2 cups heavy cream
1 TB confectioner's sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Pastry Instructions

1. In a heavy 2 to 3 quart saucepan, bring the 1 cup water and the butter to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
    As soon as the butter has completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the flour and sugar all at once.
2. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon for a few seconds until it is well-blended.Then return it to a moderate heat and
    cook, still beating vigorously, for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a mass that leaves the sides of the pan and moves freely
    with the spoon. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and use the spoon to make a well in the center of the paste.
3. Break an egg into the well and beat it into the paste.When the first egg has been absorbed, add 3 more eggs--one at a time--beating
    well after each egg is added. The finished paste should be thick and shiny.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
5. Butter a baking sheet, scatter a little flour over it, and tap the edge of the table to knock off the excess flour. Then lay an 8-inch plate|
    or pan on the sheet, pressing down hard to make a circular impression in the flour. Remove the plate or pan.
6. Using a pastry tube with a large plain tip, make a circle or crown of pof pastry about 2 inches wide and 1 inch high around the
   pattern in the flour .(If you don't have a pastry tube, drop the paste by spoonfuls, placing the mounds side by side around the ring,
   then, with a spatula, smooth the mounds into a continuous strand, 2 inches wide and one inch high.
7. Beat the egg and water together and paint the top of the crown with the mixture. Sprinkle it with slivered almonds.
8. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake 10 minutes more. Reduce the heat to 325°
F and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crown has more than doubled in size and is golden brown, firm and crusty. Turn off the oven
   and make 3 or 4 tiny cuts near the bottom of the crown with the tip of a sharp knife, and spoon out any soft dough inside the shells.

Filling and Decoration Instructions

1. No more than 1 hour before serving , whip the cream with a wire whisk, rotary Add the sugar and vanilla, and continue beating until
the cream is firm enough to hold its shape softly.
2. Using a pastry bag with a decorative tip, or a tablespoon, fill the bottom part of the crown with the whipped cream. The cream
should rise well above the rim of the pastry .Gently replace the top of the crown so that it floats on the cream.
2. Sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar and refrigerate the Paris-Brest until serving time

Serves 6 -8