Friday, February 15, 2008

The Border Shuffle

From this morning's news, an article from the AP that asks who, exactly, is it that gets to decide whether or not a people can be independent:

Independent Kosovo? Why not Vermont?

Additional stories:

In a toxic wasteland: The Gypsies of Kosovo

Kosovo's Serbs apprehensive as split looms

In Prizren, the excitement is palpable. Yesterday all sorts of Albanian flags were hung around town. I've had offers from several students to go for a coffee on Sunday to celebrate what America has done for Kosovo (it's still a bit disconcerting to live in a place that is so overwhelmingly pro-American). However, independence will do nothing to change the smoke-filled cafes and it's not quite warm enough to sit outside. That's one thing I really enjoyed about being back in Reno: non-smoking laws which make going out to a bar or restaurant enjoyable. (Being able to taste food and breathe easily is something Americans can take for granted, not so here.)

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