Department of "How Fares Europe"

Two interesting articles on Europe from The New York Times this week. In the first, Germany's growing ability to be comfortable with its past is making it into a more assertive powerhouse. In the second, cash-strapped conservationists in Venice are forced to sell advertising space to keep their efforts going.

In the latter article, the author notes that other Italian cities are facing similar problems. Rome is thrashing about, looking for 25 million euros to fund a restoration of the Colosseum. And of course, the Sistine Chapel must cost something to maintain, what with all those grubby tourists about. Italy is indeed heritage-rich, and that is indeed a blessing - but not a cheap one, alas.