"Ms. Rice yesterday softened her previous criticism of the proposed constitutional changes and said instead that political change in Egypt would have "ups and downs." The country's leadership, she said, had a right to proceed with reforms "in a way that is consistent with their own cultural circumstances."" In other news, and displaying her knowledge of Middle East affairs, Rice called on visitors to the Arab world to abstain from throwing shoes at Arabs because it is strictly prohibited in Arab cultural circumstances. (thanks Regan)