She Sells Seychelles by the Seashore

Summer was all, "Oops, it's my turn," and so now it's all hot and sunny. Yarr.

In the World Desk Reference (2004) I have, you get the hard facts on the state of some countries of the world. And it's usually depressing.
I mean, just economy-wise:

Afghanistan
Strengths: Very few, apart from illicit opium trade. Revalued currency issued in 2002. Overseas assets unfrozen from 2002.
Weaknesses: Decades of fighting: infrastructure, agriculture, and industry in ruins. Communication links damaged by earthquakes and devastated by bombing. Aid slow to materialize.

Somalia
Strengths: Very few. Export of livestock to Arabian peninsula resumed in the north. Inflow of money from Somalis abroad. Growing market in stolen food aid.
Weaknesses: Every commodity, except arms, in extremely short supply. Little economic potential in the south. Livestock destroyed by drought. Banditry, extortion, and kidnapping hamper aid agencies.

And the like. Meanwhile, back in Canada:

Weaknesses: Problems of competitiveness: higher taxes, more regulations, low productivity relative to NAFTA; other threats from globalization. Vulnerable to price fluctuations for raw material exports. Brain drain of professionals heading south.

Eeps, we are losing our brains to the U.S., and that's pretty sad. :(

On another note, from India's economic weaknesses:

The prestige of Bollywood has been damaged by allegations of underworld connections.

I had to look up the definition of "underworld". =\