You've never read Mark Steyn?...

.... then I suggest you start with this terrific interview at National Review Online. He talks about his new book, "America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It." For my money, Steyn is simply the best in the business when it comes to political and cultural commentary. He's on the right side of every important question; his ablitity to put matters so succinctly is unparalled; and the sheer quantity of his output is the envy of every right-wing pundit. Most important, he's laugh-out-loud funny. Just go take a look.

It's Begun

The war in France waged by radical Islamists, that is. Remember the "youth uprising" last year? There are now constant violent clashes between French police and violent Muslims in certain neighborhoods. Blogger Melanie Philips quotes the London Daily Telegraph of 10/5/06:

Radical Muslims in France’s housing estates are waging an undeclared ‘intifada’
against the police, with violent clashes injuring an average of 14 officers each
day. As the interior ministry said that nearly 2,500 officers had been wounded
this year, a police union declared that its members were ‘in a state of civil
war’ with Muslims in the most depressed ‘banlieue’ estates which are heavily
populated by unemployed youths of north African origin. It said the situation
was so grave that it had asked the government to provide police with
armoured cars to protect officers in the estates, which are becoming no-go
zones…

Considering this religiously-motivated violence in light of long-term demographic trends for Western European countries... is not a pleasant exercise.

Read Phillips' whole post for the rather disturbing details.

Like Bill Clinton? Don't Like Bill Clinton? Well, read this:

That should cover most of you.

This op-ed from the Christian Science Monitor outlines a scenario whereby Bill could become President again.

While the 12th Amendment says "no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president of the United States," and the 22nd Amendment bars individuals from being "elected to the office of the president more than twice," the op-ed's authors argue:

In preventing individuals from being elected to the presidency more than twice,
the [22nd] amendment does not preclude a former president from again assuming
the presidency by means other than election, including succession from the vice
presidency. If this view is correct, then Clinton is not "constitutionally
ineligible to the office of president," and is not barred by the 12th Amendment
from being elected vice president.

Interesting, amusing - and rather unlikely. Remember Bill's boast in 1992 -- "Elect me, and you get Hillary as a bonus"? Could you imagine Hillary offering a similar "bargain" in '08? Neither can I.

George Bush sings "Sunday Bloody Sunday"

For a Blog opener, I really don't think this can be beat.