We've been trained well

Cats 'exploit' humans by purring.

Just think of the sponsorship decals...

Olympic hopeful opens NZ brothel.

Barrichello s whining

Team made me lose race. I don't think they sabotaged the fuel rig on purpose...

So what's next?

Harper bungles partisan attack at G8.

Hitler's Motor Racing Battles: The Silver Arrows under the Swastika by Eberhard Reuss

Hitler's Motor Racing Battles: The Silver Arrows under the Swastika by Eberhard Reuss you may remember my grumbling during Memorial Day coverage of the Coca-Cola 600 that Americans don't seem to understand just who else has liked racing historically. So I picked up this book. This is a decent look at Auto Union and Mercedes during the 1930s including the NAZI support for the race teams. They competed both in Grand Prixs [where they were nearly unbeatable] as well as hill climbs. There was also an attempt to take the land speed record. There are pictures on nearly every page as well as posters and the like. There's some discussion of the different drivers their personalities. As typical for books like this there's a section on post-WWII fudging of the historical record.

Highly recommended.

El Alamein, 1942: The Turning of the Tide by Ken Ford

El Alamein, 1942: The Turning of the Tide by Ken Ford standard Osprey treatment of this key battle in the desert campaign. Made sense of the sometimes confusing different operations. Lots of pictures and maps. Frequent discussion of the different commanders, not just Montgomery and Rommel.

Recommended.

Emma Watson in stockings

Yes I'm a bad person for doing this to attract page views. Well at least I didn't use "nude" in the subject line. Enough stalling here you go. and here.

Seems like Harper can't do anything right

Questions Catholics demand explanation for PM pocketing communion wafer at LeBlanc funeral. One of my friends was married in a catholic ceremony. They made sure to explain to us heathens just what to do if we manage to get in the communion line.

And I thought I wasn't going to post today

Drug charge for Potter film actor. It is Jamie Waylett who plays Vincent Crabbe in case you're too lazy to click the link.

Robert McNamara dead at 93

He is most famous for being responsible for the buildup and strategy in Vietnam. Ever since the conflict he seem to do his best to come to terms with his own decisions and failures. Most publicly in the Oscar winning The Fog of War and books In Retrospect and Argument Without End. The BBC obituary can be found here.

What is it about F1

That brings out this love of far right movements in central European nations? Ecclestone's Hitler remarks condemned. Here's the money quote:

In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people able to get things done.

As I frequently say you can't fix stupid. Maybe a breakaway series was a good idea after all. Presumably they couldn't find anyone as incompetent to run the thing as the current crew of Bernie and Max.

Rupert Grint had swine flu

I'm so happy we have the BBC to tell us these things. Harry Potter star 'had swine flu'. In all seriousness here's hoping for a full recovery.

I know its Independence Day but this is ridiculous

In this week's New York Times David A. Andelman gives a blistering review to WORLD WAR ONE By Norman Stone. He whines that:

Stone ignores Gen. John J. Pershing, mastermind of a push by half a million American troopsthrough the St.-Mihiel salient two months before the end of the war.

Umm considering that Pershing was under the direct command of Foch it does seem rather debatable that it was Pershing as "mastermin".

Palin resigns!

Gov. Sarah Palin to resign her office July 26. MSNBC is already asking the obvious question. Is this equivalent to her giving up? What does it say about her "fire" for politics if she can't take the heat from being governor.

Stephen and Matilda: The Civil War of 1139-1153 by Jim Bradbury

Stephen and Matilda: The Civil War of 1139-1153 by Jim Bradbury a clear and well written military/political history on this mediaeval English war. Explains in detail how King Stephen managed to win the war but lose the peace. There's quite a bit here on 12th century warfare, tactics and fortifications. The book is oversized and on every page there's a picture or illustration. There's also info on visiting the sites today.

Highly recommended.