Ariel Cohen on Saddam Hussein & Yasser Arafat on National Review Online Ariel Cohen makes a good case that Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat are colluding to keep the US busy in Isreal, to keep Saddam in power. Mr. Cohen doesn't delve into the reasons... but I suspect I know why. Saddam is probably close to having a nuke. If he acquires several, Isreal will be nuked, probably by way of several truck bombs. Arafat will then attempt to push the Isreali's into the sea. Even if Isreal survives, it will be deeply wounded, and Syria and Egypt could join the fray and attempt to finish the job. It is Iraq's Final Solution...

Yahoo! News - Jewish school bus attacked with stones in Paris The French are, of course, doing little to prosecute the attackers, it would seem.

The New York Observer has an interesting piece on resurgent anti-Semitism in Europe (link by way of InstaPundit ) It speaks of the complicity of most European countries in the Holocaust, and that got me thinking about 'European Civilization'. Somewhere along the way, British-American civilization went in a different direction than the Continent. Somewhere around the time of the French Revolution, the French lost the concept of the individual and subrogated it to the concept of the state. They've never recovered, and it is this replacement of the individual's rights with the rights of the state that has created what they have today, and that created the mentality that once the army was conquered, the people were conquered and they subjugated themselves almost with glee. It seems that the French people are not happy unless they are living under the control of another. Perhaps that is why the French dislike us so... when we had the chance to conquer and control them, we set them free.

Saddam's Offensive William Safire at his best.

Legitimacy And Labels (washingtonpost.com), by William Raspberry. Usually, I like Mr. Raspberry, but he is wrong in this matter. The PLO, Hamas, etc., all kill innocents. Not by accident, either, but with intent. If the murderous bombers were attacking military outposts, I'd give them credit for making war, not terror. But setting of a belt of high explosives in a mall, at a disco, at a Seder, in a retaurant, is not making war. It is killing for the sake of killing. It is done with joy and pleasure. Just listen to the hopeful videotapes of the bombers, who hope that they kill as many Jews as possible. This sort of murderous attitude is found in those high quality individuals such as Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Charles Manson. In fact, Yasir Arafat bears more resemblence to Charles Manson that to Charles DeGaulle. He has taken his 'family', and turned them into a murderous bunch. Charles Manson and his family are either dead or in prison. Arafat shoul join them, permanently.

I watched the tapes for the GP1 race last night -- Suzuka in the rain. Valentino Rossi ran amazingly well, and the wildcard Ryo looked like the bomb on the Telefonica Movistar Suzuki. It's truly amazing to see these riders flinging their 200+ HP machines about in the rain. Proof positive that there is more traction in the wet than you'd think. Typically, the problem in the wet is not the water -- it's the oil and crap from the cages around you that spew their guts at intersections. Next time there's a light rain, take a minute and look at the intersections in your town. The dark marks are oil, and you'll see water beading at the surface if it's a light rain, or you'll see the classic 'oil rainbow'. Be careful out there...

Take a look at the Ducati GP1 bike to be introduced later this year. What I noticed was the massive muffler, and more importantly, the massive titanium pipes feeding it. This engine must be a hell of a pump to move so much atmosphere through it. Better pumping means more power, plain and simple. I wonder when we'll get to see a better photo of the bike...

Motogp also started yesterday. I bet I have at least one of these races on tape :-) Rossi wins, Roberts crashes. A wet, wet race...

Yesterday marked the start of the World Superbike season for me. Troy Bayliss is off to a rousing start, with six wins in six races. I missed the first two race sessions for some reason (because I'm stupid, or something like that), but yesterday's racing was quite excellent. Noriyuki Haga's crash in the first race, and his attitude in the second, give him the "I won't quit" award for the weekend. Haga ran fast in the first race, then fell back. He high-sided when he got the back end sliding excessivelty with about five laps to go. He was launched through the front fairing and took off the windsheils and upper with his head. In the second race, he leapt to the front and literally elbowed his way past Troy Bayliss to contend for the lead before dropping back. It was like he was saying, "Come on, Troy! Let's play!" Ballsy fellow, that Haga. The AMA also ran another Superbike race yesterday, with Nicky Hayden winning, as he did at Daytona. I haven't watched the tape yet, so comments are pending. Overall, a great day for motorcycle racing. Most of this should replay on Tuesday on SpeedVision/Speed Channel, so set VCRs to stun and get ready for some fun.