Monday, February 28, 2005

A Guide to the Gentle Art of Diplomacy

1. "Jordanian prince requests Bush brain viewing"
   <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200410/s1211952.htm>
"'We need respect, intellectual tolerance, Mr President of the United States,
 of a meeting of minds... and if you actually have one, I'd like to see it'"

2. "No charges for Bush insult"
   <http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2004/02/13/346714-ap.html>
"Sweden's former migration minister will not face charges for calling
 President Bush 'that damn old man from Texas'"

3. "Brand's whiff of controversy"
   <http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/news/20040121.shtml>
"The BBC has apologised to the Albanian ambassador after Jo Brand offered to
 break wind to the tune of their national anthem"

4. "Anger over Zimbabwe anthem gaffe"
   <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3429937.stm>
"A Zimbabwean minister has accused the African Cup of Nations' organisers of
 trying to demoralise their team by playing the wrong national anthem"

5. "Norwegian prince misplaces Portugal"
   <http://www.abcnews4.com/news/stories/0204/123730.html>
"Norway's Crown Prince Haakon caused a stir in his debut as royal host by
 placing Portugal on the Mediterranean Sea in a speech delivered in honor of
 that country's visiting president"

6. "Snot flies in Taiwan-Singapore row"
   <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3697244.stm>
"Taiwan's foreign minister has sparked a diplomatic row by calling Singapore
 'the size of a piece of snot'"

----

Poor Dubya, he just can't seem to get any respect...
*  Google Maps search:
   <http://maps.google.com/maps?q=miserable%20failure%20in%20Washington%20DC
       &ll=38.900879%2C-77.040740&spn=0.029114%2C0.068500>
Ok, I expected #1 (A), but the Australian Embassy Library at #5 (E) is a
surprise(?).  Perhaps that's where #1 spends his time reading his favourite
book:
   <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/PEHDEFP5JZ2S/
       104-2813286-8986344>

* Fuzzy Math
   <http://www.thebots.net/FuzzyMath.htm>
(thanks Antonino)