“While not a fan of the Heritage Foundation,” writes Shane Bradock in an attempt to lighten my misery today, “their 2008 index of economic freedom was prepared in conjunction with The Wall Street Journal. Check it out on the World Wide Web to see where Croatia stands in the world!” I found the ranking quickly enough (www.heritage.org). Out of one-hundred and fifty-seven countries, Hong Kong ranks first and North Korea last. Smack between Nepal and Tajikistan, Croatia ranks one-hundred thirteenth. It is right in the middle of countries the Heritage Foundation considers “mostly unfree.” Way ahead of Croatia, but in the same category, are countries like Kenya (82), Swaziland (86), Senegal (91), Mozambique (96), Burkina Faso (103), and Nigeria (105). Croatia would do much worse in a ranking of political freedom, I am quite sure, but Shane’s gift is very much appreciated nonetheless. “Wow,” I wrote to him a moment later, “many thanks!”