It's not just a split within Europe. The German government itself is on the verge of collapse from internal divisions, if the London Times is to be believed.

Germany?s coalition Government was on the brink of collapse yesterday as details emerged of a row between Gerhard Schröder, the Chancellor, and Joschka Fischer, the Foreign Minister, who threatened to quit over differences on Iraq. Herr Fischer, the leader of the Green Party, was enraged over weekend press leaks of a Franco-German plan to establish a UN protectorate in Iraq. The leak, to Der Spiegel magazine, appeared to come from the Chancellery or Social Democrat headquarters.

Ah, yes, the contradictions inherent in the system. It couldn't happen to a nicer government...

In one of the most trivial points possible, save for sticklers of usage and titles and names, my many British friends, a couple of decades ago, wore me out pointing out that the name of the paper is "The Times of London," not the "London Times."

This almost certainly seems ultra-trivial, save that most name issues actually don't to most people involved in them, personal as they are.

I hereby pass on twenty years of rants and nags about this from many good friends, for you to do as you wish. Simberg of Rand.

Signed, Farber of Gary. Who also blogs.

Rand: Appears to be a broken link.

Wes Whiddon

Not quite. Rand dropped a quote or something.

here is a working link.