Europe may be falling apart under a cloud of apocalyptic black ash, but EU president Herman Van Rompuy is doing OK: He just published his first book of poetry, featuring classic verse like:

A farmer sprays milk on police forces during a protest against falling milk prices outside the European Union headquarters yesterday Brussels. [Via Cryptome; Photo by Georges Gobet, AFP/Getty Images.]

After reports of Google Street View vehicle sightings on the continent, an EU spokesperson reminded Google to respect local privacy laws. "Taking pictures on a street isn't in itself a problem but taking pictures anywhere can be." Maybe Google's advanced horse-recognition technology will mollify concerns? [CIO]

European Union regulators plan to drag Microsoft back into court over monopolistic practices. Specifically, they argue Microsoft should not require developers to code Web software in languages only Microsoft's Internet Explorer can read. The regulators will also argue for open office-document standards, a practice which could threaten, in theory, Microsoft's Office franchise.

When New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni walked into the troubled East Village restaurant EU recently, he entered a fractious arena, one rife with history, short on harmony and big with promise. Beset by liquor license woes, chef woes, a flood, EU seemed born under a bad sign. But with a new chef and all liquored up, EU was emerging finally from its dark period and the question on everybody's mind was: Would Bruni stick a no-star nail into the coffin? He didn't. Brundle, in a rather generous review today, hailed chef Akhatar Nawab's menu but bemoaned the general unevenness of the experience, "its atmosphere can be infectiously lively or insufferably chaotic." So Bruni one-starred it. But how does EU the restaurant compare to its namesake, The European Union?