Hahahaha. I love reading entertaining accounts of conversations with stupid people.

I had a keeper just the other night which culminated with some Egyptian lawyer telling me that the United States government has a 90% stake in the alcohol business -- "It's true, you go read it about," he said to me, shaking his finger -- and that's one of the main reasons it wants to destroy Islam.

I'd say more but I think I'm gonna run off to Alexandria for the day so I should get a move on. First time, never been.

Translating The Woodward Tapes: "As I said, Chris, it’s Bob’s World. We just live in it."

Disgraced Slovak ex-Cabinet ministershoots himself in the leg while cleaning his gun. Stupid Slovaks.

Future's not bright in Poland, says New Republic.

In nine years in the Czech Republic I'm not sure I ever once consumed tvaruzky. And I actually like smelly cheese.

This article made me wonder what 150 tonnes of tvaruzky would actually look like, and smell like.

Cool! This Australian guy built a secret moving bookcase. I can't wait to have my own house.

Good thing the Times stopped using honorifics, otherwise he'd be "Mr. Rinpoche."

Wow, some things are fascinating because they're just so unexpectedly normal. I found that was basically true of Syria, and gobsmackingly true of the the personal blog of Imad Mustafa, the Syrian ambassador to the U.S.A. It's just... a regular... blog....

Link via Syria Comment.

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I did it -- I finally spoke to MEP Edward McMillan-Scott. He didn't exactly break into laughter when I told him my name, but he seems like a good character.

Arming the perpetrators of grave abuses in Darfur:

"... Sinclair Holdings 7 Ltd, an Irish registered company, was authorized by the Sudanese Military Industries Corporation on 23 August 2004 to negotiate for the supply of 50 T72 main battle tanks and spare engines.... On 6 October 2004, following investigations by the Irish authorities, the Irish Minister for Trade and Commerce replied to an Amnesty International (Ireland) inquiry about the arms dealing to Sudan by Sinclair Holdings stating that 'there is not evidence of any involvement in illegal brokering activities by an Irish company.' Despite an EU agreement to control arms brokering, Ireland does not currently have any legislation controlling the activities of Irish arms brokers who arrange arms supplies from foreign countries. Therefore, Irish registered companies engaged in such activities are unlikely to be prosecuted, even when they violate a EU embargo."

Just so you know. It's like a free stock tip.

More: Irish firm denies brokering arms deal to Sudan