Inconceivable!

WFMB's John Levine and WICS's Chris McCloud kicked off the 5:00 hour of the Pressbox program discussing international diplomacy, in particular, a recent incident that may further fracture the already tenuous relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

Apparently Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriot's football club and obscenely rich businessman, noticed during a meeting with Vladimir Putin that the Russian leader was admiring his diamond smothered Super Bowl ring. Kraft handed the ring to him for closer admiration and Putin, perhaps mistaking the gesture as a gift, tried on the ring briefly before pocketing it. Luckily Kraft, aware of the former Soviet Union's still impressive stockpile of nuclear weapons, wisely chose not to risk global annihilation by asking for the ring back and offending the volatile Putin.

Should Mr. Kraft decide to continue his dalliance in foreign relations, a bit of advice courtesy of one history's greatest thinkers and military tacticians. Never get involved in a land war in Asia. Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line. And to this list I might add a third: Never flash your bling-bling in front of former KGB.