Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar

Thanks to greygirl for helping me verify what I already halfway suspected . . .

By dictator standards, you're not that bad. Sure you almost started world war 3, but the treatment of your people is moderate. You're a saint compared to the guy before you that you kicked out, so your people tolerate you. However, you're ability to stand up to America has made you one of the more popular dictators. Hardly a movie star… but hay, it's a start! What tin-pot dictator are you? Take the "What Dictator am I?" test at PoisonedMinds.com

My wife fell in love last night

Last night my wife fell in love with another man.

We went to see Umberto Eco reading and in conversation with Jay Parini last night at the 92nd Street Y. Laura was enraptured. Eco is a very charming, self-effacing, funny fellow—and the Italian accent probably doesn't hurt—all of which masks an incredibly sharp and subtle mind. Heck, I was spellbound myself. I'm feeling a strange compulsion today to rush out and buy semiotics texts.

Can't wait to read Baudolino.

It's a bird—no, it's a bird—wait, it's—

This CNN article has to have the oddest accompanying photo montage I've ever seen. I mean, Big Bird and Larry Bird, too?

CNN: Massive bird spotted in Alaska