Finland's Turn

Is Europe Finished?

The European Union's practice of rotating its Presidency every six months among member nations has always struck me as ludicrous. Imagine that our Executive rotated through members of the Senate Judiciary Committee twice a year, and that's what you're looking at. Since European countries are enthralled by socialism, make that only democrats (and Arlen Specter) who take turns in the White House. Egad. Right now Finland is in charge. ''Finland is sobering up the EU's upcoming gathering of finance ministers with a proposed hike in the continent's booze taxes. "It is necessary to harmonize the tax rates to even out the price levels of alcohol," explained the office of the Finnish EU presidency. (It probably doesn't hurt that Finland's prime minister is a notorious teetotaler.)'' Wait, it gets better. ''Finland has announced that it will be reporting on its progress in a language so nonstandard that only cadres of classicists can muddle through it. ''Finland plans to publish weekly EU news bulletins in Latin.'' Bwahaaaaaaa! They will publish reports in a dead language to pay homage to European civilization's roots. Reprising the Crusades would be an observance that actually had benefits, but that's just me. My source is "Is Europe Finished?" Yes, I think they are [knee slaps] .