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Monthly Archives: October 2010
EU media prize winner NoseMonkey: “Winning post took me an 1h 30 min”
Very ironic, funny post by Nosemonkey on his winning the European Parliament’s prize for internet journalism. The 5000 euro prize-winning post praised for its “extraordinary research work” was on the percentage of all legislation coming from the EU.
“To come to Brussels is to make a vow of media chastity”
Former French Minister of the Budget and of European affairs Alain Lamassoure has an interview on Euractiv.fr which has a lot of insights into European political life and indeed the lives of politicians in general. I would nuance the notion … Continue reading
Between “Ostalgie” and Pessimism
Ostalgie –noun German term describing wistful nostalgia for the Communist era; usually accompanied by varying degrees of historical amnesia and disenchantment with the present. When we think of the age of Soviet Communism in Eastern Europe, less than positive images … Continue reading
The Communist’s Guide to Euroscepticism
Invective-laden commentator and British Lenin-enthusiast Richard Seymour has a little history of the Tories’ love(ish)-hate relationship with “Europe”. He goes through the Conservative Party’s shifting positions on the subject – they were once Europeanist while the Labour was Eurosceptic – … Continue reading
Posted in pointer
Tagged Communism, euroscepticism, Great Britain, Liberal Democrats, Tories
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Did Kohl Give Up the Deutsche Mark for East Germany?
Der Spiegel has a long, in-depth article covering Franco-German machinations on the eve of German Reunification. Specifically, it deals with an alleged “deal” between François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl tying German unity to the abandonment of the Deustche Mark. Everyone … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, essay, eurozone series
Tagged euro, François Mitterrand, German Reunification, Helmut Kohl
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Europeans to pay $14-non-VISA to enter U.S.A.
Actually, as any non-citizen going to the United States of America knows, getting into the country can be something of a pain even if your documents are in order. The difficulties increase exponentially with your “ostensible propensity” for drugs or … Continue reading
“Thanks to men like him, France lives and will not disappear”
The “Socialist-Gaullist” Jean-Pierre Chevènement (famous for his resignation as Defense Minister over France’s participation in the 1991 Gulf War) recently wrote a touching tribute to Pierre Gallois, a promoter and the principle theorist of France’s nuclear force de frappe. Gallois … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, essay, France
Tagged Charles de Gaulle, force de frappe, France, Jean-Pierre Chevènement, national mystique, Pierre Gallois
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Riddle Me This
I am convinced that Russia has always been a good deal less “mysterious” and “unfathomable” than a great deal of Western commentary has traditionally had it. I point to Anatoly Karlin’s most recent “Russia Update” covering the latest news from … Continue reading
Belgium Allegedly Not Boring
Very funny video on Belgium and its political structure.
