ELfR Podcast: China, a counterweight to Russia or a threat to the West?
A discussion with China expert Enrico Fode As China tries to maintain a balance between Russia and the west, what are the likely scenarios in…
The Guardian: Italy election: Welcome to Italy, where nobody knows what will happen next
Italy election: Welcome to Italy, where nobody knows what will happen next. If they were voting for Big Brother it would be a hoot. However, voting for people based on…
The Guardian: We need a surreal fantasist like Beppe Grillo to rescue Italy, says Nobel-winning playwright Dario Fo
Dario Fo has a Nobel prize in literature, not economy or politics. Being an actor, singer, writer or playwright doesn’t prepare him for running a country. We need a surreal…
The Guardian: Polish becomes England’s second language
Polish becomes England’s second language. I’ve worked in Switzerland for decades, with swarms of well paid Brits, who wouldn’t go back to their beloved country for anything in the world.…
Cameron announces in-or-out EU referendum
The only way to be in the driver seat in business or in an alliance is to be at the front, participating actively, not dragging your heels. An in or…
Should the European Union and the European Space Agency, ESA spend money to get Europeans on Mars?
Should the European Union and the European Space Agency, ESA spend money to get Europeans on Mars? Post on G+: https://plus.google.com/108549873871553806005/posts/8hie7CmfXh9 Sounds like a good idea. Nations (and Unions) need…
The Economist: Operators offer child-tracking devices
The Economist: “Many mobile operators offer child-tracking at extra cost, but the number of free tracking applications is growing fast. Parents in Japan and America are the keenest on such…
Télé Satellite et Numérique: Deutsche Telekom réclame la fin des récepteurs TV propriétaires
You would expect that within a single market, European viewers could enjoy TV services without the necessity to buy proprietary devices for each operator. That was the spirit of an…
Common European language
The author of Would a common European language help? discussed the question whether Europe should have a common language. My take: Esperanto was a charming idea, except that first French,…
Fouad Ajami on anti-western demonstrations in the Arab world
Looking at events in the Arab world, you have the impression that the whole region is fuelled by a gigantic inferiority complex – a dangerous condition, considering what it did…
Robert Fisk on anti-western demonstrations in the Arab world
Robert Fisk: Al-Qa’ida cashes in as the scorpion gets in among the good guys. The good part with that part of the world is that damned if you do, damned…