Tag Archives: Europe
Baghdad in Brussels
First, I need to state clearly, I strongly support a lot of ideas of the EU and strongly admire it as an institution until about 10 years ago. I once attended a lecture by a distinguished sociologist (more interdisciplinary than … Continue reading
And counting….
Not too terribly long ago I was talking with a French colleague and they mentioned ‘the revolution of 1848’. “Huh?” I helpfully replied. They went on to explain that it drives them crazy when people talk about ‘The French Revolution’ … Continue reading
In Which Our Hero Explores the Depths of European Discontent…
I decided to ask a French colleauge about the unrest in their homeland. Being a very subtle and considerate sort I began with: “So are y’all about to have another revolution?” Fortunately this colleague knows me pretty well. They began … Continue reading
In Which Our Hero Comes to a Chilling Conclusion….
I was thinking of writing about Macron’s nationalism vs patriotism rant but couldn’t figure out what I wanted to say. Then I saw this and realized “That’s right! I have no idea what riots in France are about and no … Continue reading
The Elephant in the Union
During a pointless online political debate on the future of the EU that I was observing (and okay, sometimes taking part in) I realized that most had attached themselves to a single aspect of the EU and were holding onto … Continue reading
The European Migration Problem in a Nutshell
The people in countries in the European Union (and a few others in Western Europe) are really good at creating societies that are pretty nice to live in, all things considered. Different countries are nice in different ways and there … Continue reading
Mirror, Other Mirror….
On the surface of it, large scale immigration to Europe from Middle Eastern and North African countries doesn’t make a lot of sense. They haven’t been economically necessary since the 1970s (or 1980s at the latest) yet the numbers keep … Continue reading
Greek Children Pay for the Euro
This is one reason (out of many) that I hate the Euro. A currency without transfers or common fiscal policy is not a currency but a trap to catch countries in perpetual debt. It’s worth noting that about 5 % … Continue reading
No Integration Now, No Integration Tomorrow, No Integration Ever!
It’s hard to imagine how western European countries could have handled immigration any worse even if they tried. I’ve been casually following news sites aimed at non-citizens from a few Northwest European countries for a few years now (esp the … Continue reading
