While You Were All Distracted by the Republicans...

I'm certainly a firm believer in the merits of the democratic process, rule of law, and many of the other fruits of this fine nation.  However, probably the most important thing going on lately has been happening in Europe, and has nothing to do with the somewhat laughable lineup that the Republicans have put forth as presidents-in-waiting.  In case you haven't been paying attention, Greece's economy went tits-up, with Ireland, Portugal, and possibly Spain waiting to follow suit.  Chaos within the Eurozone seems boring and unimportant, I know, but please remember that the Eurozone is currently the largest economy in the world, and debtor nations with languishing economies are threatening to drag the rest of Europe down with them.  The impression that I get is that the failure of the Euro will make the mortgage bubble look like opening your piggy bank and realizing that your parents have been stealing from you.  


Oh, also, Vietnam apparently staged live-fire naval exercises and published a list of people exempt from conscription as a result of escalating tensions between Vietnam and China over maritime trade routes or something.