Under constant siege from regimes run by lunatics, how has Assad stayed sane all these years?

We know from Joan Juliet Buck's profile of her that Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma seems to think food is for weaklings. I believe this is why Bashar is always skinny as a rail. So my theory is that the secret to his sanity is that Asma keeps telling him if he goes crazy she'll reduce his caloric intake even more.

This is such a humorless era I suppose I'd better add that I am joking. Of course Asma wouldn't tell him any such thing. She wouldn't need to. [bursting into laughter] 

Is there anything more annoying than bloggers who laugh at their own jokes? I can think of a few things. Nations with lunatics at the helm, for one.

But speaking of food: Turkey starts importing potato from war-torn Syria. It's clearly more than one potato. As to why Turkey is having to import potatoes -- ah, the dark hands:

[...]

Turkey allowed potato imports in a limited amount from Syria to curb skyrocketing prices, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci announced on June 27.

“We have allowed potato imports from some parts of Syria where Turkey undertakes operations in a very limited amount. Our imports will only be 1 percent of Turkey’s potato demand, which is around 4,000 tons. We import potatoes from Syria in Turkish Liras. This factor has played a key role in pushing down the prices in the domestic market,” Zeybekci said during a press meeting in Ankara.

In Istanbul, the cost of one kilogram of onions rose 212 percent to 6.5 liras ($1.5) over the past month. One kilo of onions was sold for around 1.3 liras last June. Potato prices also rose to 6 liras ($1.4) in June, a 94 percent month-on-month increase. One kilo of potatoes was around 1.5 liras last June.

Officials predict that potato prices, which are around 3 liras as of June 27, will be between 1.5 and 2.5 liras in July as fresh supplies arrive.

Turkey’s Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba had said on June 22 that there are “dark hands” behind the dramatic rise in basic food products, including potato, pointing to possible speculation before the June 24 elections.

As to my chances of surviving the Syrian War with my sanity intact, maybe I should start thinking about reducing my caloric intake.

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