Assorted Thoughts

I've been on vacation and mostly without Internet access. Once I got past the withdrawal phase, I came to appreciate my Internet sabbath. I should do it more often. At any rate, a few things:

• I've decided that I'm no longer interested in the presidential election and won't be until running mates are announced.


• I'm also no longer interested in the Tour de France. Cycling may police itself better than any other sport, but by so effectively catching and punishing dopers, the International Cycling Union has given casual fans the impression that the sport is full of cheaters. I should applaud the UCI for cleaning up the sport, but the organization has done its job so well that professional cycling seems tainted.


• I've decided that Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on Food Network is one of my favorite television programs, which is strange because no menu item featured on the show is compatible with my vegetarian diet.


• Also in television: New episodes of Monk and Psych this week! It's sad how much I'm looking forward to Friday night for this reason.


• I'm getting tired of reading stories like this. There've been way too many of them this summer.