Booked the morning off work for a meeting with our financial adviser. He couldn’t make it at the last minute so I can catch up on some other things, including this (via ):

Language Scholar You scored a 370 out of 400 on language knowledge.

Outstanding! You’ve scored higher than even most Anthropology students would. You are probably a Linguistics or Anthropology Professor yourself (or at least a Grad student). You may even speak several languages and are possibly working on a new one. If not, then you just have an endless drive to learn about the different cultures of our world. Regardless, you are one of the gems of any society, always promoting a deeper understanding amongst all people. Unless you cheated of course.

On a different topic entirely, Greece was hard work but also at times reasonably good fun. The highlight was a discussion on the linkage between the future of Europe and developments in the Balkans; one participant, in the course of explaining to us why not everyone in the EU is ecstatic about the formation of new states, read out a Wall Street Journal editorial from last May in horrified tones, concentrating on the penultimate paragraph:

Balkanization doesn’t always deserve its bad name. Throughout history, Europe’s microstates have tended to be less bellicose (shrimps don’t pick fights), more democratic (government is closer to the people) and, with fewer resources to waste, economically savvier. To thrive the Tiny Tims need open trade — thank the European Union for that today — and peace, which now comes courtesy of a U.S.-led NATO.

The participant then added: “We are not striving for a Europe of shrimps!!!! Especially one designed by sharks!!!” I don’t really agree with his sentiments, but he did put it very well. With friends like the Wall Street Journal, the small wannabe states of Europe don’t need enemies.