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European History of (Cheap) Political Jokes
I am kind of an expert in bad jokes. That’s what happens when you are German Eurocrat – you hear quite a lot of them.
Practical guide to Latvian Easter traditions
Easter is one of those holidays that a lot of people assocciate with Christianity. For me, however, Easter has always been about pagan traditions that are so very much alive and practised in Latvia. This is going to be a practical guide to coulouring eggs for Easter Latvian way and what to do with them [...]
Is having Maltese as an EU language a waste of money?
1. Although Maltese and English are official languages in Malta, Maltese is designated as the sole national language in Malta's constitution, with all the legal ramifications that would suggest. There might be just a handful of us, and most of us might be hairy and short, but that's no reason to belittle us. 2. Maltese [...]
Togo or not Togo…
This is a blog post I was supposed to write some time ago… But somehow I couldn't find the time to do it last week. Now I sit comfortably in my chair in lovely Strasbourg (yes, it's plenary once again), watching the Christmas market under the snow outside (or almost) and I can remember those [...]
Who said that good web campaigns have to be “coordinated”?
Sometimes it is exactly the opposite. This week I met in Milan the campaign wizard and the web content manager of the new Mayor Giuliano Pisapia. His campaign has been one of the most remarkable examples of participative web in Italy, a fascinating example of how the internet is affecting modern politics. Two lessons learnt: the internet and the neighbourhood can be very good friends. And “coordination” is NOT the key to success.
How far is Europe from Brussels?
Andreea was in the first 2011 contingent of WebCom trainees. All good things come to an end, so they say, and she has now returned to her native Romania. But that doesn’t mean that our all-time keenest trainee-blogger could not come back for one more post-stage post. Over to you, Andreea.
It’s not (only) a Mafia Game
Last week we wrote several articles on volunteering on the occasion of the II Youth Convention on Volunteering. A recurrent assumption on voulunteering is that you “help the others”. Allow me to disagree: for me volunteering is, first of all, helping yourself. And – at best – some trees.
Try the Forgettometer
This is not a discussion on the merits of working for WebCom but an attempt to develop a scientific method of gauging the success of one’s holidays.
Why the revolution will be tweeted (#yeswecamp)
Next Sunday’s regional and municipal elections in Spain have been the spark for the #spanishrevolution, a protest movement that was born in Twitter less than a week ago and that is now mobilizing tens of thousands of people all around the country, with Madrid’s Puerta del Sol as its epicentre, Twitter permitting, of course.
About the importance of being “outside”
Yes, I’m an insider, explaining the European Parliament from the inside. And yes, I do believe in the power people outside the institution can have. They may need us but, for sure, we need them as well.
The day I called 112
11 February is the European day of the 112, the emergency number that is working all over Europe. Because yes, accidents do not always happen to others and they also do not always happen in your home country… Let me tell you the experience I did with the 112, two or three years ago. Believe me, you should spread the word about this number!
Born in the USSR #1: Happy Soviet Childhood
Endless fascination lies in the very, very different worlds of our childhood. Here Mindaugas talks about a childhood in the Soviet Union. So far and yet so near…
The Dutch: not tolerant, only pragmatic
A bunch of stoned people (perhaps that is what’s blurring their minds and making them so liberal?), going everywhere on a bike (because it is cheaper?), eating cheese, raw fish (and an occasional potato) in case eating is really necessary (and boy, the food is bad over there). All this accompanied by beautiful flowers (read: [...]
“For example, in Sweden you can’t buy sex”
As a temporary ex-pat living in the EU-bubble just for a short while, I have come to see some differences in understandings of the 27 countries. I guess there are prejudices about every single country in the EU, but as a Swede I of course pick up the ones of Sweden. I have for example [...]
About the difficulty of being French in a multicultural unit
I have Danish, Bulgarian and Maltese colleagues in the office next to me. An Italian one in front of me. Some German, Spanish, Polish, Slovenian, Finnish colleagues in the same corridor. And they all speak perfect English. What about me? I’m French. And I sometimes feel stupid in that multicultural, multilingual and open-minded environment. Speaking [...]
Cities of culture: my Vilnius
Here we go again. You can’t put it all into a synopsis, can you? Maybe this blog will help some thoughts on my hometown not to be wasted?
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