This might be the last Tour that Lance Armstrong rides in but he is doing it to make a number of points, all personal, and to extract some revenge.

As this is a French event the ceremonial start tomorrow will take place in… Rotterdam… which the last time I looked was in the Netherlands. The first stage, on Sunday, will be from Rotterdam to Brussels… which is in Belgium, but closer to France than the Netherlands.

Given that the Netherlands national football team advanced to the World Cup semi-finals today, I’m not sure if there will be too many people in Rotterdam in any shape to watch a bicycle race.

The race still ends in Paris, which is still in France, so there is some connection.

I will once again follow the race, but with no great detail until after the World Cup. Fortunately the French national football team had a total meltdown, so the French will probably be interested after it gets to France.

It’s a good thing the “Village” doesn’t read this On-Line Opinion Magazine or they would find things out weeks before they want to.

Susie Madrak notes that Congress is going to hear about Sinking Oil, which I started writing about almost as soon as BP got approval to use dispersants at depth on May 15^th, because the reasons were obvious, to reduce visible oil, which helps them fool the media, as well as reducing the penalties. This was their legal department dictating the spill management.

Rick says that Escambia County is wondering EOC: Where is the $50 million?. As I said two weeks ago the state is using the money to cover its gaps, so the counties won’t see much of it. The Republicans raided all of the “emergency” funds to avoid fixing any of the problems, so they need all of it. The state is one hurricane away from cashing out the pension funds.

McClatchy recognizes GOP’s false talking point: Jones Act blocks Gulf help. I covered that a week ago when LeMieux brought it up. The ships aren’t operating between US ports or withing the three-mile limit, so the Jones Act doesn’t apply. BP isn’t willing to pay for them, so they aren’t here. BP controls the money, so they control access.

In other news, the Pensacola News Journal has an article, At Pensacola Beach, inventors show off sand-cleaning ideas, that features a picture in the upper right of one of the inventors, Kalty Vazquez. In the photo he is using a Dura Fork, the tool I recommended a week ago.

Today:

Morning

Netherlands [Oranje] 2-1 Brazil [Canarinho]

Twee – Um is unexpected. The “Little Canaries” had been expected to win the Cup, and most expected the semi-finals to look like a replay of the Copa América, with Brazil and Argentina in the finals. The “Orange” pulled it out in the second half. [Note: with the help of Brazil’s Melo own goal, which tied the match.]

Afternoon

Uruguay [La Celeste] 1-1 Ghana [Black Stars]

The “Sky-blue” win on penalties, 4-2, knocking the Black Stars and Africa out of contention.

Queen of the Mound

Nom, nom, nom…

[Editor: Tip believes that the only way one can properly appreciate the nuances of wet cat food is by having it spooned onto the top of a rescued “Dogloo”.]

Friday Ark