The Axis of Banal Predictability: Here, via the Corner, is Jacques Chirac. Glad he's keeping up on important matters of global concern. Well, what else would you expect from the president of France, for chrissake? The only thing that could top this would be a shot of Bill Clinton, at some or other "for the children" meeting of unofficial or disgraced international policy-muckers, leafing through Maxim while someone at the podium cites infant mortality numbers.