I mentioned this on a post I just wrote for Fistful of Euros, but I think it's strange enough to point out twice. According to Deutsche Welle's European press review:

Rome's Il Messagero wrote that "it doesn't take much to understand that in the end, Europe will have to pay dearly for this crisis which most likely won't be resolved without some blood shed".

Come again? The Italians readying an invasion of the Rhineland? Will they face stiff Strasbourgian resistance? (And is Strasbourg even considered part of the Rhineland?)

Anyway, here's what I did today: Another Day, Another EU Crisis. Il Messagero's panic attack notwithstanding, it's, like, so true. (Doh! This article's on the front page of Google News just now. Wicked.)

*

Just noticed something. For the first time since I began checking daily, both Slate and Electoral-Vote.com put Kerry ahead. Slate says Wisconsin has gone Kerry, tipping the election his way; EV moves Ohio into the Kerry slot and Michigan from Bush to tied, giving Kerry the lead. And that's not counting the challenger's advantage with those still undecided. My layman's prediction of how it's going to go on Monday night, for whatever it's worth, is located here.