IMAGE WATCH: Anne Applebaum's interpretation of the new Transatlantic Trends survey by the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States (discussed in "Pro-American Competence" below) reflecting worldwide irritation at American ineptitude in the Washington Post, Why They Don't Like Us, gets a softer title on the Post-owned Slate as Why Don't They Like Us as Much as They Used To? The GMF, by the way, has been running a blog all year.

BIZ WATCH: It's official, CEO of DaimlerChrysler AG, Dieter Zetsche (known as Dr. Z to a good many Americans), is now CEO of just Daimler AG. Germans are irked that they didn't re-add Benz. Deutsche Bank has lost at least USD 3.12 billion in the ongoing subprime credit crunch. Wait. Is that a lot of money for a bank?

DOLLAR WATCH: Justin Fox at TIME says the falling dollar cannot be blamed on stronger European markets (which have been losing steam of late, anyway). "It has little to do with the economies of Europe (or of Canada, Australia or New Zealand, whose dollars have made big gains against the U.S. version). Instead, the real action involves the countries whose currencies haven't gained on the dollar despite dramatically improved economic prospects relative to those of the U.S." That would be the dollar-peg countries of China, Japan, Saudi Arabai and its gulf neighbours.

EUROJIHAD WATCH: Newsweek reports that 50 suspects in the German terror cell busted up last month -- remember? the one amassing mad quantities of hydrogen peroxide -- are still at large.

HEALTH WATCH: Old Europeans are better off (less diseased) than old Americans. "Physicians such as Rob Blackman, a Los Angeles internist, already counsel their patients to take a cue from Europeans in the way they eat -- less fast food -- and the way they pace their lives. Six-week vacations and afternoon siestas help reduce stress that makes people vulnerable to disease, he said."

MUSIC WATCH: Dominique Leone at Pitchfork reviews (9.4) the lost fourth album of German avant pioneers Faust, "IV". About the opening one-two, he enthuses, "For better than seven minutes, minute gradients of angelic, overdriven major-chord-sheets are exploited by who knows what devices before the drums come in and the track moves from milky, third-ear noise into MINDFUCKING KRAUTROCK. And before you can explode from the sonic congestion, 'The Sad Skinhead' starts, replete with ridiculous 60s go-go beat and skank guitar. They sing, 'Apart from all the bad times you gave me, I always felt good with you,' 'Going places, smashing faces-- what else could have happened to us?' I say needlessly: it's a jam. And then they keep going."

POPE WATCH: The pet cat of Benedict XVI, Chico, has written a biography for children about the pope's days in Germany. Don't worry, it's authorised.