The day I head for the UK, New York decides to begin five days of largely uninterrupted sunshine and temperatures of over 80F. The forecast in London is for largely uninterrupted drizzle and a high of 62F.

New York Magazine reports that pro BMXers will be giving stunt riding demos at the Queens Museum this Sunday to kick-off NYC Bike Month. I wonder if visitors will see anything to compare with this? (Via Kottke.)

Not because it’s anything new. But because it needs repeating again…and again…and again:

There will never be peace in the Middle East until the Palestinians confront the anti-Semitism that they now openly encourage, and which British pro-Palestinian groups and international funding agencies tacitly accept. They must acknowledge the reality and pain of the Holocaust. The Israelis must also acknowledge Palestinian suffering, the loss of life, land and livelihoods, and the present discrimination against Palestinians within Israel.

There will probably never be an agreed Palestinian/Israeli version of history, but mutual acknowledgement of historical and present suffering are a necessary precondition of peace.

Sigrid Rausing, writing in the New Statesman.

The New York Post’s Sean Delonas got into trouble a couple of months ago for a cartoon that many people said was racist. You remember, the one with the chimp that Al Sharpton was convinced was supposed to be President Obama. Well, Chimpgate has nothing on today’s offering. Funny thing is, I don’t hear Sharpton railing against this one. I guess there aren’t enough votes in it.