Vive La France It’s official – most Germans love France and the French. And while they respect America and the Americans, they are wondering just what exactly is going on on the other side of the pond. Germany as a whole doesn’t want to choose between its two most important allies, France, and the US, just as chancellor Schroeder explained last week at the anniversary of the German-American Chamber of Commerce in Berlin. But it was always clear that France would be the one, should that choice become necessary. A poll published by the FAZ today shows the public supports this stance. Maybe Colin Powell’s visit in Berlin this week is indicative of a regocnition of this fact in Washington. Then the attempts of reconciliation will work. If they are trying to play divide et impera, they won’t. Believe it – the FAZ is the most Atlanticist paper over here. This is a summary of the article by Deutsche Welle.

Kalashnikov with built-in MP3 player. Ever wondered about *the one* occasion blast your brain by listening really loudly to ACDC’s \”Highway To Hell\”? Well, if this is not just a bad joke, you might have found the answer – \”AK-MP3 player built into the body of the ammunition magazine of Kalashnikov automatic rifle. Player could be used on its own or it could be attached to the Kalashnikov machinegun instead of the ordinary magazine. Stainless steel body makes this new player uniquely suitable for outdoors.\”

Numbers you might need. Interesting facts about the world we live in at the International Networks Archive. If you want to know how many countries contribute to a cup of Starbucks Grande Latte go and check out their map of the month. Thanks to Randgaenge for the link.

The Best Of The Best. Only in California, Nevada, and Arizona. Gentry Lane today reminds me of \”the most delicious, sloppy, yum-o-riffic fast food in the universe\” I ever had. It was in an Orange County Shopping Mall, and it was, of course, an \”in-N-out\”-Burger. I laughed when my native friend told me that even the Belgian \”Quick\”-chain’s burgers would pale in comparison – but what did I know… Seriously, if you like burgers and you don’t mind waiting a few hours to get a good one, \”in-N-out\” might well be worth a flight to California ;-).

Robbespierre Day?Is it the official Robbespierre remembrance day already? What’s up with people sawing off heads? First, Gentry Lane sent me this link about a German who severed off his sister-in-law’s head and then carried \”the head in one hand and a blood-stained knife in the other, [while] walking through the streets of Uebach-Palenberg, a small town near Aachen.\” (from
Reuters. Then I find this article about a guy in South Africa who \”sawed his head off in full view of staff and customers at a supermarket in Richards Bay, northern KwaZulu-Natal … [he] walked into the butchery section of Shoprite branch, switched on an electric meat saw, positioned his neck near the blade and sawed off his head.\”. (from iol) So please remember – when unhappy, stay out of supermarkets!

Don’t Mess With Texas. The real reasons for the recent war with Iraq will eventually be uncovered! Is that what the MIT’s Michael Schrage is telling his readers in the Washington Post today? Or is he trying to prove the point David Furm inadvertendly made in his Bush biography – that this war was an example of retrograde planning? You know the result, now find a way to get there, \”drum up some, any rationale\”, – as Jeffrey A. Tucker once wrote? Today Schrage writes – \”… even if Iraq proves utterly free of WMD – or if it merely possesses a paltry two or three bio-weapons vans – the coalition’s military action was the most rational response to Saddam’s long-term policy of strategic deception. Saddam Hussein bet that he could get away with playing a \”does he or doesn’t he?\” shell game with a skeptical superpower. He bet wrong.\” Did you read that? A \”sceptical\” superpower! Lovely. Entertainment is just what I need for the marathon! From theWashington Post.

Editorial Anxiety. There are literally tens of thousands of digital-bust-unemployed journalists plastering the streets of English speaking metropoles, and this guy gets to keep his job at the NY Times for months even though his editors knew he was seriously making up stuff for his reports? They must have been scared to sack him… what was it that he could leak after being fired? Or did they try to cover it up until it was no longer possible? Some serious journalistic self-flagellation going on at the NY Times.

Galloway Follow Up. Today, the Guardian reports that \”Labour yesterday suspended the controversial anti-war MP George Galloway, a move that may bar him in the autumn from winning the Labour nomination for its safest parliamentary seat in Glasgow.\”

[Sarcasm] No! Really? How could *that* ever happen? Indeed shocking news from the NYTimes [/Sarcasm] – \”Documents disclosed as part of yesterday’s settlement show how Wall Street firms, in pursuit of investment banking fees, put the interests of their individual clients dead last.\”