Tag Archives: europe

Iraqi Swedes

I’ve been up to my neck in research for the next Eclectic Newsbrief, (which is now hosted by Madge Weinstein!), and the topic that I most enjoyed was that of the huge influx of Iraqis in Sweden! Yes… Sweden!

Some fascinating developments. First of all, almost 9,000 Iraqi’s applied for asylum there last year…a huge increase over the 3,000+ in 2005. Also… Sweden accounts for half of all the Iraqi’s who have sought asylum from their imploding country in the European Union.

Also, browsing through the PEW website which is the greatest source for info about people everywhere, they pointed to a NY times article that stated compared to the US, Sweden – home to 9 million people- has opened its doors to BY FAR more Iraqi’s over the past few years.

Now hooray for Sweden, no doubt about it. I read all about the services, on the Swedish migration board website, they’re working on providing to the huge number of Iraqi’s coming to the country. A wonderful thing for both Sweden and the Iraqi’s.

On the other hand.. whats with the US government? They send troops to supposedly die for Iraq. They spend mountains of money on Iraq. They talk a mighty talk about how hopeful they are for the country. How about opening the doors to more Iraqi refugees than say… Sweden?

Lastly.. its also not a proud spot for crazy governments like the Netherlands and Denmark who have now made it famously difficult to be welcome as a refugee from anywhere.

bm177 What the EU means for Romania

As the year turned 07, Romania and Bulgaria became part of the EU. What does this mean to people living in the country? What are their hopes and fears after joining the Union?
To help better understand the reality in Romania and address the many questions about joining the EU, Andy H of Csíkszereda Musings joins me.

We talk about:
-the first week of being in the EU
-the symbolism, and national importance of this development
-the campaign, propaganda, and all the buzz leading to the 1st of January
-how the media frames the EU and joining the union.
-the circumstances for Romanian workers in the rest of the EU
-the restrictions that countries have threatened to put on romanians.
and more……

A press release from the EU on this topic

 

bmtv30 Final Slovenia Vlogging (p2)


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Part 2 of my vlogging in Slovenia. This time from high above Ljubljana as well as lost somewhere in the south of the country. Folk music as always. And this is my goodbye to a country that I hereby love.

Sleepy Low Budget Return

Just because a plane flies to and from it, and you have a metal detector.. does not mean it is an airport.

Or maybe it does.

Either way Treviso “airport”, also known as a hotdog stand, had me laughing all the way to the gate.. err.. back door number 1.

I’ll spare you the details and instead provide you with a photo.. which may no longer be worth the 1,000 words like they used to be, but at least it is worth a post.

Tomorrow.. audio.. and other fun.

Today I recommend you listen to this amazing Open Source Episode. I’m ashamed to say I had never heard of this Daniel Barenboim, but his manner of speaking and expressing himself represents much of the type of person I aim to be. Too bad I suck as a conductor.

Slovenia.. not Slovakia..

Greetings from Ljubjana.. presumably beautiful capital of Slovenia. I wouldnt know because I arrived at night and went directly to the neverending line of buses at the bus stop. But now it is morning.. and as soon as I check out of this rediculous half-assed hostel, I shall really have a look around and enjoy what it has to offer.

(photo is a leftover from Verona)

Here’s text I wrote last night:

I could stay on this train forever. It is clean, it is quiet, it is amazingly comfortable, and we are travelling in a land I have never been to in my life.

I write this post from the international high speed train from Venice, Italy, destination Ljubjiana, Slovenia.

I love this train.

Funny thing, to get into Venice this afternoon with only enough time to walk out the door of the train station, snap some shots, buy a sandwich, and quickly get on this train out of town.

Some would say it was shame to miss out on the beauty of Venice. Tis true, it is beautiful. It is exactly as I remember it when I came to spend Carnivale here in the year 2000. Back then, it was my Polish-American friend Jacek and I, travelling for a week in Italy, taking a break from our studies in Aix-en-Provence, France.
But I’m much too excited to see Slovenia and get to know it a little bit.

I’ve been reading up on its amazing history. The story of it’s independence from Yugoslavia in the 90’s. The story of this part of the world in ancient times. It is nothing short of fascinating to see all the different cultures and groups that passed through here and settled, at one time or another.

Add one more to that list… 2006; Portuguese-American podjournalist speeds in on a Slovenian rail pendular train for his first ever visit.

A few nights ago, I was talking with a friend in Paris about life and how things haven’t been working out for me lately and all the uncertainties in my own life. She reminded me of the good life I have.. which, at the time, I argued was not all it is cracked up to be.

Adventures like this, small as they may be, i remember that she’s right.

Cluster Crimes Against Humanity

21 people have died and over 100 have been injured as a result of cluster bombs left over from the Israeli invasion and bombing of Lebanon over the summer. I was just reading yet another report about it. DemocracyNow had also mentioned last week that Hezbollah had used cluster ammunition. We know that the US has used cluster bombs at various times during their invasion of Iraq. I was also recently informed that the Dutch military owns cluster bombs for an unknown purpose.

Cluster bombs. What useful purpose could such a thing serve, as if bombs themselves weren’t destructive enough. Apparently the chance to have tiny bomblets drop everywhere and blow up later is an appealing thing for all these armies.

Finding Cluster bombs in Bananas!

It is indeed a crime against humanity, if not a war crime, when these bombs are used and then days, months, and years later, civilians are blown up when they happen to encounter an unexploded cluster bomb. This recent story in Lebanon was of children picking olives in an orchard.

Besides the obvious condemning of each of the above mentioned governments, as well as any nation that owns cluster bombs, there are more guilty parties out there. Specifically, the companies that produce these bombs and make big money selling them. They include: General Dynamics Corp, L3 Communications Holdings Inc, Raytheon Co, Lockheed Martin Corp, Alliant Techsystems Inc, EADS Co (European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company) and Thales SA. All of these companies should face charges for their role in international crimes; producing weapons that have no defensive use and are known to be uncontrollably destructive.

Now that I made that list, not only am I outraged but I’m also ashamed that so many companies are involved in producing such a terrible weapon.