No Theme: It was 111 F

As I usually do each July, I watched all 21 episodes of the Tour de France, usually on DVD-Disc-Delay. Today, I saw the coronation ride into Paris for Floyd Landis---recorded yesterday during our whirlwind tour of Renton, WA. Wow, an American winning for the 8th year in a row. Godspeed to Floyd who faces hip-replacement surgery in a few weeks time. I saw my Dad get one of those---not good. I'm sure being young and in uber-peak condition will make his recovery swift, not to mention being able to pass over the Medicare butchers that wait like frigates for the elderly.


Cox and Forkum, from the sidebar links, remember history. I like military history in most of its forms, so I'm often nonplussed by what other people say and do about current affairs in the mideast.

I'm an admirer of the Bedouin---and they would appreciate that I would open up on them with whatever I had if they got too close without the proper entreaties. I also admire the IDF when it is allowed to strike. Israel has been doing pretty well economically since they mostly heaved communism over the side. Although I don't have much made in that country (neither Desert Eagle nor Uzi), their economy towers over any of their neighbors. I actually have lots of Bedouin stuff, mostly camel transportable.

The 6-Day War has probably been long enough ago that it can reasonably be said to have been reduced to History. I like the treatment by Oren. The link goes to Amazon, but I don't get a cut. The IDF fought that war with French gear, then France switched sides---most likely because there were more sales to be made to the defeated Arab armies.

Another way to learn about the current situation over there is to read The River War by Sir Winston Churchill, though he was a youngster at loose ends when he wrote that. The link is to a free copy.

Speaking of History: On the coverage of the tour, the announcer was careful to say, as the peloton swung round it, that the Arc d'Triumph was not for World War II but was for the Napoleonic Wars. Why would he say something like that? Wow, I didn't have to wait for May to roll around again. Now I feel bad and will have to drink a bottle of French wine tomorrow to make amends.