European economies appear on the mend. French business confidence has reached its highest levels since spring 2001 whilst German business confidence is rising quickly, with GDP growth in Q2 a (for Germany) spirited 2%. Looking over the longer-term there is increasing evidence that Europe?s economic inferiority complex with the US is misplaced.

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Even cowgirls get the blues, and even world leaders get sick and die. Sometimes it happens while they were in office, although the public seldom knows. It was a long time before we knew just how much Woodrow Wilson’s stroke affected his second term. John F. Kennedy’s medical problems were successfully concealed throughout his time [...]

Wow, the categories for this Washington Post readers choice blog contest are really odd. Anyway, if you think we deserve it, you can go over there and nominate us in the ‘international’ category. (You have to be registered.)

As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grainI take a look at my wife and realize she’s very plainBut that’s just perfect for an Amish like meYou know, I shun fancy things like electricityAt 4:30 in the morning I’m milkin’ cowsJebediah feeds the chickens and Jacob plows… foolAnd I’ve been milkin’ and [...]

Fistful commenters’ favorite MEP, Paul van Buitenen, gets big media coverage in Business Week. We knew him when.

Picking up a riff from the gutter-press Bild-Zeitung, the Spiegel* discusses the coming-out of Guido Westerwelle, leader of the Free Democrats. (As a technical matter, this seems in fact to have been more an outing by the press, with the close and willing cooperation of the outee.)
Abiola Lapite waxes indignant at Bild’s front-page story [...]

Poker with Dick Cheney. “Colin Powell: Ladies and gentlemen. We have accumulated overwhelming evidence that Mr. Cheney’s poker hand is far, far better than two pair. Note this satellite photo, taken three minutes ago when The Editors went to get more chips. In it we clearly see the back sides of five playing cards, arranged [...]

Nine centuries after Pope Urban II sent the first Crusaders off to fight “the Turk,” 321 years after the Ottoman army besieged Vienna, Turkey and Europe are approaching a historic encounter. In December, leaders of European Union countries will vote on whether to begin negotiations that would lead to Turkey’s joining the EU. Every day [...]

Greek police have arrested Dejan Malenkovic, one of the chief suspects for the murder of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic

If you’ve got ?1.5m lying around, then why not consider buying your own Croatian island?