Some stuff

Blowing yourself up is no easy matter, you know. The will is not enough - there's logistical problems to overcome. For example, you'd be wrong to doubt Dr Azzam Al-Tamini's resolve; it's just that he has visa difficulties. Can't get a visa, baby-sitter lets you down, taxi doesn't show: there's always something, don't you find? From Mr Eugenides (scroll down).

Will has a long and erudite post on the relationship between Chavez and Castro.

We all know that Europeans are rubbish at breeding. Now the BBC brings news that the Germans, apparently, are the worst of all. Whether you think this is a good or a bad thing will depend entirely on your prejudices.

We Scots, on the other hand, are just downright careless. Whether you think this is a good or a bad thing will depend entirely on your prejudices.

Speaking of Jocks, here's a new one for the side-bar. He's from Springburn, so deserving of your sympathy.

Chris Dillow on immigration:

"Sometimes, I worry that dead tree columnists might not have a full grasp of the Heckscher - Ohlin - Samuelson model."

That's the sort of stuff our Chris worries about. He'd find the relative ignorance that the rest of us enjoy much less stressful - but once you know what the "Heckscher - Ohlin - Samuelson model" is, I guess there's no going back.

Finally, apparently we younger siblings find it easier to be amusing than our older brothers and sisters - according to this survey. It's because we had to compete with them for attention, y'see. Also, men find it easier to be amusing than women.

All this rings true in my case, what with my older sister having rather captured the "being perfect in every way" market in the contest for parental attention.

"Oh so you think you're funny, do you?" It's all relative, m'dears. Older sis is much less funny than me. And my parents were very easily amused.