There's a new country on the map this morning!
 

Wow. I remember when one of our Pixies was there not so many years ago.

"If a general European war does break out, it will be because of some damn fool thing in the Balkans".

alledgedly the word of the German Chancellor, Otto von Bismark.

These squishy feelgood things happen, but are often followed by carnage.

Timor L'Este in my doorstep is the classic example.

The news is kind of exciting...

...in the way that watching Slim Pickens ride that missle at the end of "Dr Strangelove" was exciting...

i hope that sanity, tolerance and calm will prevail but the similarities to another place could well be a glimpse of a much more turbulant future.

happy birthday kososvo and serbia, one made and one remade. here's to chances at new beginnings