Let’s see what’s going on in the world here.

Here’s one: the people of Ghana, a country not often in the news, have some reason to celebrate. The Dutch are finally going to return the head of Badu Bonsu II (by most accounts, even Baddur than Bonsu I).

Oh, and it seems that Madoff is in good company, at least in Bhutan. Read here about a tour group owner who attempted to steal $89,000 by forging some signatures. Be honest, who amongst us has not forged an offical’s signature in order to float a company’s cash flow crisis. Lesson to the unnamed proprietor: never count on family and friends to give you $89,000 with unsecured collateral.

Want more of that? Check this out: news from Suriname! Near-R&B-sensation Toni Braxton was forced to sue a concert promoter in Suriname after she learned that Angel Ventura (any relation to Ace?) put on an elaborate Toni Braxton concert. Except she wasn’t there. And the performer who was on stage did not, evidently fool the crowd. The crowd rioted, throwing bottles at the stage. The Czar is not sure how that differs from her other concerts, but whatever. Point is, it wasn’t her, the crowd knew, she sued, and the promoter has vanished.

So much for counting on the Volgi for your international crises updates. Where is he in these matters? Doubtless he is too overwhelmed with news that Liechtenstein is accepting some bilateral tax treaties according to OECD standards. Have fun with that.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.