The 2018 Musket 250 Finish

NASCAR's Modified Tour raced 250 laps at New Hampshire in mid-September 2018 and the lead changed 30 times; the finish exploded, bringing back some memory of Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough as Chase Dowling, thwarted at NHMS in July, stormed to a spectacular win.

The Sham Rape Accusation Stat

A statistic always cited in discussion of sexual crimes is that only six percent of rape claims turn out to be false. The fact of the claim is asserted as ipso facto proof, because women would not stoop to lying about rape.

But the stat is woefully flawed. Six percent of rape claims are declared false, but 45 percent have no or no compelling evidence behind them and thus "Case did not proceed." It is ridiculous to assume any significant percentage of such cases would be true - though some clearly would be.

The Slandering of Brett Kavanaugh

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is on his way to confirmation, until Senator Dianne Feinstein - employer of a Red Chinese spy for twenty years - outed a leftwing judge who claimed she was manhandled at age 15 by then-17-year-old Kavanaugh. The story has not held up to evidentiary standard (with a major portion of Ford's life oddly unaccounted for) and its timing betrays its malice. It also showcases how anonymity has become the new form of character assassination. And Senate Republicans giving her benefit of the doubt are seeing she's shafting everyone.

Ford's story collapsed of its own contradictions and insincerity, so out came a phony story from Ronan Farrow and Jane Meyer authored a New Yorker piece claiming another woman accuses Kavanaugh of sexual assault, a piece shot down almost right away. And then the inept lawyer for the inept Stormy Daniels claimed a third accuser had emerged claiming gang-rape by Kavanaugh - a story that isn't sticking, either, and in fact none of the stories holds up to evidence.

That six FBI background investigations before this showed no evidence of any wrongdoing by Kavanaugh is being ignored shows the Kavanaugh accusations are about nothing but hatred by the sham "Me Too" movement.

Puerto Rico And Hurricane Revisionism

A ridiculous controversy has erupted claiming the Puerto Rico hurricane killed some 3,000 people, this even though Puerto Rico's governor at the time stated some 64 people had been killed.  The models used to claim some 3,000 deaths are deeply flawed and the mammoth - implausible - death toll is cited to attack Donald Trump over recent praise of FEMA.   The controversy of course ignores the thorough corruption, incompetence, and dishonesty that makes places like Puerto Rico far more susceptible to massive damage from natural disasters.

NASCAR's NA18D Races

With a decision apparently coming down that NASCAR will phase in its NA18D racecar package - a restrictor plate, larger spoiler, and ducts in the nose blasting air out the front wheelwells - for some fourteen or more races in 2019, a look at those races to date that have run this package -

 The first race to see this package was the 2017 Brickyard Xfinity 250 and it proved a spirited race won by William Byron

The 2018 All Star Race at Charlotte was the first Winston Cup race to run this package and it opened a lot of eyes by restoring the draft at Charlotte, where it had been a major fact as late as the 2000 National 500

Pocono's Xfinity 250 was next; it was dominated by Kyle Busch but also saw a huge battle to win Stage Two - history has shown the more teams work with this package then they catch back up to someone like Busch

Rain shortened the Michigan Xfinity 250 but the racing was competitive, and the increase in lead changes at Michigan with this package was noted all weekend

The 2018 Lillys 250 may have been more aggressive than 2017's running, with noticeably more blocking and highlighted by a four-abreast battle to win Stage One.    



The package by any objective measure has been a success, yet has caused pointless controversy and illustrated the disconnect of some drivers from racing reality.   There is no credible reason not to run this package as the universal racing package. 

None.

NASCAR, make the right call and speed up implementation of this package.   Make The Draft Great Again.



UPDATE October 2: A modified form of this package will come into the sport in 2019, with a smaller tapered spacer rather than a restrictor plate.

Did Nasser Have a Hand in Dag Hammarskjöld’s Death?

A new study raises questions about the death of UN demagogue Dag Hammerskjold in 1961 and the role of Egyptian dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser - who'd been rescued in effect by Hammerskjold (and also President Eisenhower) when Britain, France, and Israel attacked Sinai amid Egyptian aggression against Israel and also against international shipping.