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Reposted from http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/8071 because I think it’s interesting.

The most important election you’re not talking about

JIHAN AMMAR/AFP/Getty Images

We’re in the midst of the most exciting presidential race in decades here in the United States. Pakistan’s legislative elections are coming up on Feb. 18. And within the next two months, we’ll also see elections in Russia, Spain, and Taiwan. But there’s one more upcoming election that you probably haven’t heard much about: the presidential race in Cyprus that takes place in two rounds on Feb. 17 and 24. Right now, there’s a virtual dead heat between the top three candidates. Check out this poll here. It’s in Greek, but the colors on the chart show it all: 30.0 percent to 30.1 percent to 30.5 percent.

You might be asking: Why should you care about a presidential election taking place on a tiny island that’s home to fewer than one million people? We’ll get there, but first, a little background.

Cyprus has been split into two entities ever since 1974, when Turkey invaded the island in response to a military coup that was backed by Athens. The northern part is currently recognized as a state by only Turkey. Everyone else recognizes the southern Greek-speaking part as the official government. As the EU expanded, there were hopes that Cyprus could enter as a united island, but unification talks sponsored by the U.N. were unsuccessful. Cyprus joined the EU, still divided, in May 2004. Current Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, who is running for re-election, is considered by many to be a hardliner when it comes to Greek-Turkish rapprochement. One of his opponents, Communist Dimitris Kristofias, was previously in a ruling coalition with Papadopoulos, but decided to run on his own this time. The other front-runner is Ioannis Kasoulides, a member of the European Parliament and someone who is largely in favor of unification. The winner will be tasked with determining how unification talks move forward.�

So, the Cypriot elections mean a lot for the future Europe as a whole, and not just for the island itself. Turkey will never be able to accede to the EU so long as Cyprus is opposed, and Cyprus will continue to oppose it so long as Turkey still recognizes the north as legitimate. Cyprus also plays a major role in how the EU approaches prospective independence for Kosovo. Cyprus is opposed to independence for Kosovo because it’s viewed as a vote against U.N. legitimacy. Greek Cypriots are also worried that Kosovar independence would be a rubber stamp for Turkish Cypriots to gain legal recognition. The most powerful states in the EU are in favor of independence for Kosovo. But as long as Cyprus remains opposed, the EU’s goal for a common foreign policy remains stymied. The elections in Cyprus may seem like small peanuts compared to other happenings in the world, but there are a lot of people who are watching closely.

Thanks for asking.

I voted in the Super Tuesday primary, voter #17 at my precinct this morning.  I think that makes me super too.  How I actually voted is private, and so to all potential future political bosses, the following may be a total lie:

I made up my mind yesterday how I would be voting.  It wasn’t that hard, when it came down to it.  As a voter who declined to register with any party, I was not allowed to vote in the Republican primary, but I was allowed to vote in the Democratic (or, if you were so inclined, American Independent) primary.  So it didn’t matter, for the purposes of today’s vote, what my political leanings were.  On the democratic side, I had quite a few names on the ballot but only two contenders, and I don’t see enough policy differences to judge in that manner.  What differences there are between the candidates’ policies would almost certainly be ironed out through the legislative and bureaucratic processes long before they impacted me.  On the other hand, I am uncomfortable with families which smack of dynasties, and I prefer the elevated moral and intellectual tone of the Senator from Illinois, and thus I voted.

Also, there were some propositions on the ballot, and in case you care, I voted No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Yes.  That’s EMS 1, Gas tax slush fund / community college tuition break / gratuitous slot machine expansion 0.

I am told that I owe something like $600 extra for my French 101 class because I am not a California resident.  I was going to go in and angrily wave my California state income tax return at them, but then I looked it up, and unless my parents/wife/self is stationed in CA with the military, or one of my parents won the Congressional Medal of Honor (yep), or else my parents died in September 11th and were CA residents at the time, I have to be in California for 366 days before getting in-state tuition.

Why oh why do I tell the truth on those damn forms?

It’s been raining for several days nonstop now.  Looks to continue through the weekend.  This has really put a damper on wanting to do outdoor activities of any kind, including biking, surfing, enjoying the backyard, walking to work, or for that matter going to work at all.  Luckily I have a comfortable living room and a few books to read.

Watched “Prison Break” season 1 a few weeks ago, and really really enjoyed it.  I plan on getting season 2 as soon as I find somebody to watch it with.  I think my roommates and I are going to watch “Lost” too – I already went through the first disc of season 1 and again, really enjoyed it.  The perk of waiting so long is that you only have to watch the good ones, because everyone tells you which ones they are.  Also, you can marathon them on DVD if you’re so inclined.

It’s 1:14 pm and so far my trash can contains:
2 plastic water bottles
3 string cheese wrappers
1 plastic cup
1 raisin box
1 paper bowl

Yesterday it contained stuff like this, plus 3 styrofoam cups, but then I started using a ceramic mug because I decided that using several styrofoam cups a day was not nice.  So I’ve got a tea mug and a coffee mug but I think I’m going to have to get a snack bowl, too, so I can stop using those other bowls/cups.  And maybe keep one of those water bottles around and refill it.

I’m not yet a third of the way through it but I can’t stop myself.  Highly recommended.  Not for the faint of heart nor slow of mind.  If you can do the NYT crossword puzzle you might be able to get through a page without having to look up a reference or two.  So smart.  Wickedly, vividly steeped in cultures both haute- and sub-.  Marisha Pessl’s “Special Topics In Calamity Physics” – yes, the APA does say you should underline titles of books but frankly I think such a strong horizontal presence really disjoints the flow of the eyes on the text.  And regarding the novel, forgive the corniness of the dust jacket; I blame her editor.  The inside is solid gold.

It is raining ash.

That is all.  Thank you for your attention, now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

This was going to be another look at another presidential candidate but I just can’t do it.

It’s so discouraging.  I was reading Mitt Romney’s campaign site at www.mittromney.com, and I just won’t be bothered to translate the willful misrepresentations or sort through the codewords or look through the attacks for the substance.

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Rel

DISCLAIMER: This was low tide.  It doesn’t look that impressive.  But who are you to judge, you flatlander you?

Me and my board.

Actually standing on the tiniest wave ever.

Look, another one!   Just knees though.

Honestly, falling off in new and different (and in this case, totally photoworthy) ways has got to be the second-funnest part.