Useless Allies, Part II: The Difference Between “Can’t” and “Won’t”

I’ve posted before about what ”helpful” allies we have, but the Germans are at it again.  Ahead of Barack Obama’s visit to Berlin, the German Social Democrat Party (SPD) cautioned him against calling for greater German participation in Afghanistan.
“Obama should only ask of us what we are able to deliver,” Niels Annen — a member of Germany’s federal parliament, […]

The Ugly American Tourist? As Prevalent as Bigfoot.

I’ve been doing a lot of traveling recently (London, Paris, Aachen, Prague, DC, and the Outer Banks just in the last 4 weeks) and I’ve unfortunately run into some really obnoxious people along the way.  Now, some of that is to be expected, because ALL tourists are annoying, myself included.  Tourists get lost, move slowly, get in […]

Things You (Luckily) Don’t See in the US

My friends and family love to ask me for stories of strange or funny things that I see while travelling.  A friend and I recently had a long layover in Paris, and did a whirlwind tour of the major sights.  First stop, of course, was the Eiffel Tower, and it was the expected mob scene.  While strolling […]