Only two days after a shocking report on the banking crash in Iceland, wherein many senior members of the Icelandic government were indicted, accused, and the Iceland central bank chairman, the former prime minister, and others sundry were formally charged with "mistakes or negligence" by the Truth Commission - is it really a coincidence that Eyjafjallajokull chose this moment to spit up fire and lava?

I just discovered, quite by accident, a little town in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, called Okay. Okay, OK, has 597 people and a population density of 737.3 people per square mile. By my calculation, that makes 597 humans and 140.3 ghosts in this posited square mile.

It was Earth Hour (I learned today, a few days ex post facto). During this hour, we were meant to turn off all our electric conveniences including the lights, television, and phone chargers (I am not sure if we could use phones or not... I did not read the rules yet). And somehow someone was supposed to count all the kilowatt hours we saved during this hour.

There are times when we accumulate so much information a subject that it must needs burst forth and splat onto the page like squashed blueberry. The following is not a public service announcement or message. It is just overspill.

"BELGRADE, B92  -- A delegation of the Environment Ministry will be heading to Bali to attend the UN Ministerial Council forum program for environmental protection.
The delegation will be headed by Minister Oliver Dulić.  The delegation's trip will cost RSD 2mn, but Dulić said that every member of the delegation is needed, because Serbia is currently presiding over the UN Environmental Protection (UNEP) program...."

I am seriously considering getting into this environment racket.

This morning, leaving my home, there was a guy who wanted to take my parking space. But he decided to wait for it in such a way as I could not easily get out of it. I signaled him to move and he inched away - it was enough for me to pass but I had to do six maneuvers to get by without hitting him.

As we move steadily toward February 14th, the commercial behemoth which is Valentine's Day & Co. is busily cranking out the obligatory floral bouquets, chocolates, greeting cards, and fuzzy-heart pillows which are required purchasing for this most arbitrary of holidays. Dan Zaljubljenih d.o.o. is a relatively foreign thing in Serbia, and only relatively observed, but Big Advertising is still using it as much as they can.

We need a bridge that will suspend our doubts about ever having enough viable bridges. We need a bridge that will suspend our disbelief about the dangers of travelling over the Gazela Bridge.

 Man walks up to pay station at Sava Centar to pay for his parking. He puts in a folded 100 dinar note.

"Currency not accepted"

The notice says in English. Man unfolds the bill and smoothes it on his hand. Drops it. Damn. Picks it up, smoothes it out, and tries again.

Fireworks? No, firearms.