...and speaking of corruption, convictions, and monumental idiocy in a leadership position...

...Thailand's prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, was forced to resign on Tuesday for accepting payments for work he did on a Thai cooking show while in office. Apparently Samak made four guest appearances on a show called Tasting and Complaining (in America, this is known as "dinner with Bubby & Zadie"), and pocketed, for his hard work,

[drum roll, please]

$2,350!

Wow, talk about poor choices. I make that much with four blog entries, and I don't get paid for this blog. If only we could have nailed Bush for something like that.

Fortunately for Samak, he will probably remain in office anyway, since his party is naming him its nominee for the upcoming parliamentary vote to determine his successor -- "an outcome," says the Times, "that would seem to defy the spirit of the court ruling." Ya think? The Times would seem to be understating that one.

"The appeal in the defamation case is scheduled to be heard on Sept. 25, when Mr. Samak plans to address the United Nations in New York," according to the Times. "The court said he would face an arrest warrant if he did not appear. Mr. Samak has said he is confident that he will not be ousted while he is away."

Good thinking, Sam, 'cause it's not like that exact same thing happened the last time a Thai prime minister left town to make an appearance at the UN. Ah, Thailand, you never fail to amuse. (It just occurred to me that Thailand is like the half-witted, flakey friend in the group who can't get his act together to save his life, but you keep him around anyway because you know you'll have some crazy-ass stories to tell the next day.)

I miss you, Thailand, and I'll be back soon, no matter who's in charge and fucking things up.