Actually I think I would prefer it is they did say Kaiser when they make these ridiculous appointments. Tsar orv even Czar gives it all a spurius glamour and importance. Or maybe go back to Caesar. "Blair appoints Little Drugs Caesar" "President names Chads Caesar". Makes them sound like Edward G.Robinson.

Oh, there are plenty of creeps like Bush in UK politics. No, that's not really true - what I mean is, there are plenty of people in UK politics who are just as big creeps as Bush. But nobody says they are "likeable" - which is what I feel bewildered at in relation to Bush Junior. I can imagine how people could vote for him - but "likaeable. But that is thread drift and it belongs on another thread.

It occurred to me, there's now a European Anthem, and there are anthems for other places as big, like the Russian one and the American One and a few more like that. Has anyone yet come up with a credible anthem for Planet Earth in these days of globalisation and prognostications about global disaster?