'lo out there. Hey, it's not that I feel compelled to post every day but I just have this feeling you want to know how Lance does. Just posting about a Texan who is not GWB sounds rather meagre to me so I flesh it out with some European tidbits. As there are:


1° SWASTIKA ATTACK ON FRENCH MOTHER

French politicians have reacted with horror to an anti-Semitic attack on a woman and her baby on a train. A gang of young men cut her hair, slashed her clothes and drew swastikas on her body, before overturning the pram in which her infant was lying...

Substitute “men” with Moroccans people. After all, this is a politicaly correct BBC link. I'm NOT a racist, let that be clear. One of my Heroes of the Mind is a black writer, Thomas Sowell, whom I learned to know via this blog and more precisely through Mr. Frizzle. And no, I'm NOT revulsed at all by seeing Condi as the President's Security Advisor. In fact, when I see colored people in rightwing ranks, my first reaction is always: GREAT!!! They are with us!!!

The sad bottomline however is that Europe is waking up to the Mother Of All Hangovers with its Muslim populations. Politically incorrect to say so? You bet. Do I shut up for that? You are nuts if you think so.


2° GOOD DEVELOPMENT IN SERBIA

Good development in Serbia, where pro-western politician Boris Tadic was sworn in as the country’s new President. He has vowed to bring Serbia closer to NATO and the EU. As a European who strongly believes in a USE (in time), albeit as a friend of the USA, I can only welcome this development.

Addressing parliament after being sworn in, Mr Tadic stressed that Serbia's immediate future "will be marked by its intention to join European Union".

President Tadic and his PM Kostunica are from different, rival parties (Kostunica was successor to the popular Djindjic, who was assassinated in 2003). The rivalry may promise some fireworks, but generally Serbia's leadership can be considered to be decent.


3° NORWEGIAN THOR HUSHOVD WINS EIGHTH RIDE

The Norwegian Thor Hushovd wins Sunday's ride Lamballe-Quimper (168 km). If there is one common denominator for the Tour thus far, it's the weather. It's been raining rivers this first week. And I know, it's getting boring, but Lance is still saving strength at No. 6 in the General Classification, and that Frogeater Thomas Voeckler still has the Yellow Shirt. Note also another American in the Tour 2004, Tyler Hamilton at No. 11. He's not from the US Postal Team though, but from rival Phonak.


Mark, Jamie, have you heard anything about a local Ice Age in Maine? Or gigantic twisters in LA? I'm worrying you know.


MFBB