Lines from a recent graduate hall dinner

Doug sits down to dine with three people studying international relations (Irish, Russian, and English). A discussion of the appropriate yardstick to judge a government's international action ensues.

Doug: “Don’t give any of this European proportionality, give me a good common law standard of reasonableness.”

Russian guest: “Is that a law joke, or are you flirting?”

Doug: “Can’t I be both?”