Golden Boy: I also think you vastly understate the threat of Islam. I consider Europe as a canary in the mine, a warning of what happens when Muslims reach a critical mass or (as in the case of England) sense the weakness of their host society. Murders of those who criticize Islam, riots and threats at any perceived attack on Islam.

Which murder are you talking about? Van Gogh? First of all, that wasn't England you know. Secondly, he's not everyone who criticized Islam. He was one person and his death was a horrible tragedy. Just was the murder of Dr Bernard Slepian in Amherst NY for providing legal medical treatment to women. However, we don't tar all Christians for Slepian's murder and we shouldn't slander a billion moderate Muslims for Van Gogh's.

Similarly, we don't blame all Christians for genocidal attacks on Bosnian Muslims, do we? Why not? Baptists in Georgia have as much to do with Serbian Orthdox Christians as Balinese Sunnis have to do with Lebanese Shias, right? The darlings of the Christian Identity movement like Richard Kelly and the Phineas Priesthood advocate murder of a whole range of dastardly people (interracial families, etc) in the name of the Bible, but we don't then say "See Christianity is an organized comprehensive movement aimed at destroying its enemies.".

Regarding your characterization of England: Have you been to England? I lived there for a good long while in a neighborhood in the East End which was 40% Bangladeshi, 40% West Indian and 20% Cockneys. If there was a threat to fabric of society, it was the Cockneys who poured out of pubs in mass numbers at closing time every Friday and Saturday night and beat the crap out of each other and anyone else who caught their eye in a funny way.

My Bangladeshi neighbors were all hardworking average folks who wanted the best for their kids, most of whom wanted to grow up to be David Beckham or -- possibly the Muslim cricket captain of England, Nasser Hussain. They were and are no more a threat to English society than my own Irish and Siciliian Catholic ancestors were to the US. They liked to keep their religion and their language and culture, but were also quite devoted to the UK. Remember there was a time in this country when being Catholic was a dangerous identity and Know Nothing commentators were just absolutely sure that they (we) could never be assimilated.

As for France, the most militantly secular country in the world, I think you are way off base.

We shoot horses because they break their legs. If people want to eat horses, let them eat the damn horses. Short of criminalizing all meat eating (and Lord knows there are a few people reading this who would back that insanity) there is no rational reason to prevent the eating of one kind of animal over another just because some people have them as pets.

Cows are pretty and intelligent too. Are we outlawing hamburgers next.

That we can waste time on this crap when the world faces, real human problems is sad. In protest, I am going to make a point of ordering la viande de cheval when I am next in Quebec, Paris or Liege. I hope you horse lovers are happy, now you have converted me into a horse-eater.

Now, about that baby seal liver pate...

I still think the best brother story this year is Jeff Weaver being released by the Angels to make way for his young brother Jered on the roster. What a kick in the face that was! I love my brother dearly, but if I was in Jeff's position, I may (just may) consider poisoning him come Thanksgiving.

Boy King, you are going to feel PRETTY DARN FOOLISH when Dick Jauron turns out to be the next Bill Belichick. When the Patriots hired him, did you conclude that he was also "a guy who's proved over the years that his ceiling is defensive coordinator"?

Jauron was 35- 45 in Chicago. Belichick was 36-44 in Cleveland.

In Buffalo, the conventional wisdom was that Mike Sherman was the smart pick and that the Bill blew it by hiring Jauron, but every single national expert (John Clayton, Peter King) and former Bears who played for him swore up and down that Jauron was much better than his record.

C'mon, we're at least going to be better than the Jets.

Just FYI for northern hemisphere-centric folks. NZ is "nearby" to Australia the way Sioux Falls, SD is "near" New York City or Los Angeles is "near" Vancouver, BC.

It's 1300 miles at the closest point.

Geesh.