Busy. Blogging will be a rarity until this evening, when, incidentally, Isabel's remnants finally slip off to the north to leave nothing but sunshine.

In the meantime, read this incredible first sign of Iraq's youth embracing freedom and laying foundations for a peaceful, stable, prosperous future. (Via Andrew Sullivan.)

And take a look at a sky full of Koi-Nobori from this past April's Flying Carp Festival in Japan.

UPDATE: Couldn't pass this one up. IP reminds us exactly why New Europe gets it. The stronger those former Soviet satellites become over the next decades, you realize, the less direct power America will need to project - we'll have fully modern and savvy allies capable of keeping the peace and pressing despots into permanent retirement.

UPDATE II: After five. You know you've been earning your wages when you look up and notice that everybody in the office (and building, it's a Friday) has left. Even after you'd bid half of them a pleasant weekend.

So where is that sun we'd been promised? Cloud cover is gossamer, now; fair enough. Full sunshine by seven is reasonable, yes? I'll have the camera out.