The Prime Minister of Belgium has offered to resign, setting up an unwanted rematch with Serbia to see which European parliamentary republic can go the longest without a national government. Serbia’s recent entry in the contest is a mere 57 days. The BBC says that the last round took nine months to give birth to [...]

Any other recent world champions Holland can take apart?
Also, short of beating the Dutch, is there any way that Romania can advance? That would be kinda neat.

Early results from the Irish referendum suggest that it’ll be time to go back to the drawing board. Hm.
Update: Comments in P’s thread.

Henry of Crooked Timber, whom I know from way back, is in Ireland and has written up how the country’s referendum on the Lisbon Treaty looks the day before voting. There’s also a more academic version, for those inclined.
I hope that it will be a moot point, but I’m curious about how things would work [...]

Sadly, No reads Anne Applebaum so you don’t have to. Hijinks ensue.

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Quoth Clif:
What people on the street in Poland (or elsewhere) think of Obama because he’s black isn’t [...]

Can either host score in their opener? Can the Germans live up to their high expectations? Is it a replay of Slavic Europe vs Germanic Europe, or is it just a game with a ball?
All this and more in Sunday’s games…

Switzerland’s roster for their opening game (loss to the Czech Republic) contained a reminder of one of the wonderful ways I misspent my youth.

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Number 14.

[...]

Boy, this will certainly help ease dependence on oil.

To Desmond McGrath, adding his expertise, wit and wisdom to the AFOE mix as a guest writer for the next three weeks. Desmond is based in Budapest, Hungary, so we are getting a few forints’ worth along with all of our euros. If we’re really lucky, he’ll explain the wonders of the double-long vowel and [...]

The subdivisions of the Georgia currency are called tetris. That is all.