Having minor problems booking a hotel in Sofia. They want pre-payment, but won't accept online paypal. Gods, 20th century technology meets pedantic bureaucracy.

keep to the Fen Causeway

White And Pasty, '08.

If you're going to go for a slogan that can be easily put on a bumper sticker, you're stuck with three or four words max. So you have to make those words count by encapsulating your entire strategy, and by drawing as much distinction between yourself and your opponent as possible. Let's be honest, here: Republicanism is down to pretty much one major constituency, these days. Might as well give them the props they so richly deserve

The world needs to breed new varieties of crop seeds resistant to climate change or risk food shortages far worse than the current crisis, a leading expert said on Thursday.

"Failure to act ... would make what is happening today look like the calm before the storm," Cary Fowler, head of the Rome-based Global Crop Diversity Fund, told Reuters on the sidelines of a June 3-5 U.N. food summit.

"We will need totally different plant varieties" to confront climate change for crops such as rice, wheat, maize or sugar, he said. The Fund opened a "doomsday" vault in the Norwegian Arctic in February, seeking to store away all crop seed varieties.

Investigators Target eXile For Possible Violations.

The eXile's staff received a letter from the service last week announcing an "unscheduled inspection" to check whether the newspaper had violated media laws or its license, Ames said.

A four-person commission must reach its conclusion by June 11, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Moscow Times.

Repeated calls to a phone number listed on the letter were not answered Wednesday, and a spokesman for the service did not answer repeated calls to his cell phone.

An official initially said the paper would have to provide Russian translations of all its back issues, Ames said.

Told it would be impossible to translate "zillions" of issues, the official said inspectors would meet with the editor instead and have him explain "different articles," Ames said.

Ames said he did not know which articles were of interest to the inspectors, but he suggested that one possibility were columns by Eduard Limonov, founder of the banned National Bolshevik Party and a vehement Kremlin foe.

He conceded that many other eXile editions could have riled the authorities.

The eXile, which publishes Gonzo-style journalism on topics such as drugs, prostitution and Moscow nightlife side-by-side with political analysis, has often pushed the limits of decency -- not to mention libel law.

(...)

Ames said he feared that this could mean the end of The eXile.

Hm.  They've only been offending, oh, every person on earth for over a decade.  Why now?

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

Crazy week at work, under huge pressure with deadlines and away this weekend to train up reps, so I am unlikely to be about for a few more days.  The new OT and Salon times seem to be working really well, lots of comments are good to see!

Ad astra per aspera

It's a bit mad around here.  Just when you think Obamamania can't get any more maniacal...  Well, I guess I can console myself with the fact that the next President of the United States lives in the 'hood, and I've met him (back in ye olden days before he got all secret servicey on us).  He was at the bookstore the other day, and everyone was running around, "Obama's at the bookstore!"  I mean, he's probably gone to this bookstore a thousand times in his life, but now it is An Event.  In a way, it's a little sad.  Going to the bookstore is such a simple pleasure.  To have to go with security detail and get mobbed by adoring fans...  Anyway, so the civic pride is seriously out of control in these parts.  I sheepishly admit to having caught a bit of it.  I know he isn't President yet, but I can't imagine he wont be.  He's not just from our State, he's not just from our town, lives down the freakin' street!  It's fun.  There are worse nominees to have, all things considered.  I don't have hope for the future or expect much change (esp. after the AIPAC lovefest yesterday...) but I don't have the desire to throw myself under a bus the way I did 4 years ago when Kerry got the nomination.  

Also, Chicago made the final cut for the Olympics.  Woo Hoo.  (I mostly want this because it will force the city to completely overhaul our transportation system, which is in dire need of a complete overhaul.)

Otherwise I've been sick and reading boring novels (Willa Cather - yuck.).  How's everyone else?

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."