And that, my friends, is that.

Tour de Sadness. Now Tour leader Michael Rasmussen (Denmark, Rabobank) has been fired by his team and pulled out of the Tour due to his sketchiness over scheduled doping tests. (VeloNews). I can't watch this train wreck anymore...

Tour de NOOOOOO!!

Why, Vino--why??? After his dramatic, gutsy stage win yesterday...when I jokingly said, "whatever you're taking, keep taking it!"...

Vinokourov tests positive; Astana withdraws from Tour (Velonews)

Double stage Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana)learned Tuesday that he had tested positive for homologous blood doping following his victory in Saturday's individual time trial. Vinokourov and his Astana team have reportedly withdrawn from the Tour....

Vinokourov, whose performance in Monday's stage was feted in the French press with headlines such as the 'Courage of 'Vino'', had been criticised before the Tour by UCI president Pat McQuaid for his association with Italian sports doctor Michele Ferrari....

Tour de Couleur!

If you have been watching coverage of the Tour de France on Versus...

...have you noticed that commentators Bob Roll* and Al Trautwig wear identical, color coordinated shirts each day--and that the color changes? Black one day, green the next.
In fact, there is an awful lot of color coordination going on here.


I guess these guys are covering an event in which it is a great achievement to get to wear a flamboyant, red-polka-dotted jersey.


*Who I totally love for his seat-of-the-pants analogies and very American pronunciation of "Toor Day France"

Bigots in glass houses....

Protesters from the American Family Association disrupted the Senate's opening prayer this morning because it was delivered by a Hindu. The clergyman, Rajan Zed, had been invited to deliver the first Hindu opening prayer in Senate history by Senate majority leader Harry Reid. (AP)

Here's what the American Family Association has to say about its campaign against the planned prayer:

WallBuilders president David Barton is questioning why the U.S. government is seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god...

Barton says given the fact that Hindus are a tiny constituency of the American public, he questions the motivation of Senate leaders. "This is not a religion that has produced great things in the world," he observes. "You look at India, you look at Nepal -- there's persecution going in both of those countries that is gendered by the religious belief that is present there, and Hindu dominates in both of those countries."

Hahahahahahahahaha

wait, I'm not done

hahahahah.

Sen. Vitter on "DC Madam's" call list

It's always that guy, isn't it? (WP)

• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Vitter Statement on Protecting the Sanctity of Marriage. "This is a real outrage. The Hollywood left is redefining the most basic institution in human history, and our two U.S. Senators won't do anything about it. We need a U.S. Senator who will stand up for Louisiana values, not Massachusetts's values. I am the only Senate Candidate to coauthor the Federal Marriage Amendment; the only one fighting for its passage. I am the only candidate proposing changes to the senate rules to stop liberal obstructionists from preventing an up or down vote on issues like this, judges, energy, and on and on." stated David Vitter. [Vitter '04 campaign website]

• "June 25, 2007 (Washington, D.C.)-- U.S. Sen. David Vitter last week authored a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee expressing support for reauthorization of the Title V Abstinence Education Program of the Social Security Act. Twelve senators joined Vitter in writing in support of the program." [Vitter homepage]

• Christian Coalition 2004 Congressional Scorecard: David Vitter, 100% [Christian Coalition]

• "The 2004 election means a smashing victory for conservative leadership in the Senate...Rep. David Vitter ran a smashing campaign to become the first Republican in Louisiana to win a Senate seat since the Civil War. Rep. Vitter is a proven pro-family fighter who has taken on the abortion and gambling industries." [Concerned Women for America]
  

To do (to d'oh?) this weekend

Make a pilgrimage to the Bladensburg 7-11, one of several around the country that have been transformed into Kwik-E-Marts to promote the new Simpsons movie.
(Photo from this flikr page)

I understand that the Simpsonized 7-11s even sell actual Krusty-Os, Squishies, and Buzz cola, but not, alas, Duff beer.

Your daily WTF? courtesy of the White House

After only one night in jail, Scooter Libby suffered severe emotional distress including claustrophobia, Adderall withdrawal, and the tragic lack of lip gloss. He got sprung on house arrest and spent the following day ordering gourmet cupcakes and playing with his pet chihuahua at his Bel Air estate. ("Bush Commutes Libby's Prison Sentence", WP)

Come on, it's not that far from the truth.

Manta burritos

Manta rays are amazing and beautiful. You wouldn't want to accidentally encounter one at the beach, but they are really cool to see when snorkeling, or in the giant manta ray tank at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

And check this out: scientists have just recently discovered how they are born. The baby is ejected from its mother "as a rolled-up, burrito-like tube, which promptly unfurls to begin its new life as one of the strangest and least-understood marine animals on the planet." (WP)

That is so awesome!

Giant Pacific manta ray, in an uncredited photo from Wikipedia.

Now that's what I call marketing