European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Yes, that is the one. It's a shame I wasn't able to attend the tutorial because I'd like to get a better idea of what our tutor thinks of it.

I already feel the materials are significantly out of date (2005), and I don't think the theory reflects how things actually are in practice eg it said about France that it is starting to introduce a recognition of diversity and acknowledging ethnicity and providing state funded services to support cultural groups - which I do not see reflected in Linca's comments re universalism and assimilation of immigrants.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:11:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I didn't think it was well-informed on France.

But it depends what "diversity" means. And "ethnicity". And "cultural groups".

I can hear you groan.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:22:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Different countries have different answers for that!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:29:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well then, beware of using them as almost absolutes..! ;)

If diversity is talking about gender, sexual orientation, disablement, for example, then France doesn't ignore these and has laws (I'm not saying they work necessarily well... gender quotas in politics have been got around, for instance, but you know how that works...).

I'm called away and can't go on until later (anyway I'll only make it more complicated for you...) :-(

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:42:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, I have to refer to the material given in the textbooks and DVDs (whether I think they are reliable or not) and there is not much space left in the word count to bring in interesting bits from our discussions here.

I have however, referenced de Gondi from the diary on the Italian students' protests against the education 'reform' package, as an example of post materialist engagement in contemporary politics!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:50:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

OK, reference the course work mainly or they'll whack you over the head... As you know! ;)

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:45:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hurrah! Handed in now :)

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 06:57:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Paella (none / 0)

Over the years I've accumulated a few tins of (still in sell by date) various fish and shellfish that I'm sort-of reluctant to eat on their own. so to sayve wasting them I've decided to do a paella and chuck 'em all in that.

Now there's lots of advice on the net, but I just wondered if anybody can suggest the little killer additons that make the difference between good and extraordinary.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:44:13 AM EST

Re: Paella (none / 0)

Don't put mince in it.
How big is the paella (dish), and what kind and diameter of heat will you put it on?

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:53:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paella (none / 0)

Small, a large frying pan.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:45:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paella (none / 0)

Ideally you need heat that covers the diameter of the bottom of the pan, and can be turned low. Also a lid or adequate cover for the pan. Because getting the rice cooked properly - gently and evenly throughout - is the difficult bit.

Have you got a recipe?

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:13:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paella (none / 0)

I'm using this as a guide. I'm going to have to change quantities anyway; will add chicken but use up some of the shellfish.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:58:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paella (none / 0)

Well, never mind the "big" ingredients (if you haven't got rabbit or snails, no sweat). Stir-fry some chicken and firm-fleshed fish or squid, some sweet pepper if you can, take them out and fry the rice in the oil till transparent (this recipe gets that wrong, imo).

Then add stock (double volume of rice).

Spices etc should include saffron (if none, some turmeric) and paprika, as they say. I'd add crushed garlic and very finely chopped parsley. Then some "greens", as in green beans or peas, and the previously fried ingredients.

Stir it all well, then don't stir it any more as the rice cooks gently under cover (or you'll get starch released and it'll be yucky). Elsewhere prepare, heat, whatever, the shellfish you want to add, so you can place them on top towards the end. Your recipe's description of how the rice should finish cooking is excellent. If you can pull it off ;)

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 03:03:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paella (none / 0)

I'm not sure that tinned shellfish are as delicate as fresh and so I'll probably add them in the simmering stage to get the flavours nicely blended.

I'm looking forward to trying it as I've never done one before.

thanks for the advice.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 03:43:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Hubble Telescope Advent calendar

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:51:03 AM EST

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=242

Holy Hell, the ECB and BoE luvs them some rate cuts. Countdown to Dollar-Pound parity?

And GTP's gonna subsidize our mortgages.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

[Drew's WHEEEEE™ Technology]

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:02:02 PM EST

Volvo (none / 1)

Back on the market again. Saab is next. Then Opel?

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:15:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Volvo (4.00 / 3)

Ford's asking U$D6 billion, which they're not going to get. Let's say 3.4 billion U$D does it. That's about $200k per Volve worker. How about an ESOP? Anybody here have contact with the union in Sweden?

paul spencer

by paul spencer (spencerinthegorge AT yahoo DOT com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:16:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Volvo, Saab, and Opel (4.00 / 4)

Well Volvo is owned by Ford. Of the Big Three U.S. automakers, Ford has the best chance of surviving, so it makes sense they are trying to shed Volvo. Because at least in the U.S., Volvo cars have terrible fuel efficiency.

But Ford, I think, is asking $6 billion, far too much for the Swedish brand.

Saab and Opel are owned by GM and GM, being the idiot company that it is, isn't interested in selling even though SolarWorld has offered to buy Opel. Personally, I think the U.S. Congress should stipulate GM sells to SolarWorld before any bailout loans are granted.

I suspect Tata Motors of India, if they still have money, or a Chinese automaker is most likely to buy Volvo. The same goes for Saab. Saab's CEO thinks Tata or BMW is a likely buyer, but I doubt BMW would want Saab.

I doubt Sweden would be able to step-in and help Volvo or Saab out. Personally, I think the best plan would be for Saab AB to buy back Saab automotive and Volvo, somehow, come back to Sweden through some EU arrangement. Maybe to make safe, fuel-efficient hybrids.

by Magnifico on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:25:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Volvo, Saab, and Opel (4.00 / 5)

Did you see the Michael Moore piece where he argues that the U.S. government could buy GM outright for only $3B, so why not just take it over an run it as a nationalized company? As if that will get any traction in Washington... :-)

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:00:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Volvo, Saab, and Opel (4.00 / 4)

Dan Neil made a similar proposal on Tuesday in the LA Times:

My modest proposal: Nationalize GM.
To be clear, I mean that the federal government should buy GM; forget rathole loans or nonvoting equity shares. The company's stockholder value has been essentially wiped out. The company's enterprise value -- the lock, stock and forklift price -- is about $32 billion; its total debt is $45 billion. Let's make GM an offer.

This would seem to me to be the most sensible solution. It would avoid needless damage to the supplier chain and preserve US manufacturing capability while providing a means for recouping the investment and giving the government leverage over the direction that product development would take. That might be an advantage with an Obama Administration. The problem will be getting from here to Jan 20. Everything I just cited as advantages could be seen as disadvantages by those of opposing ideologies, who will likely try to inflict maximum damage on their way out the door.

If sanity be culturally normative, then by the norms of this culture I claim insanity.

by ARGeezer on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 03:31:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Crazy horse (none / 0)

Schlenkerla rauchbier. In my opinion, it's the best beer in the world.

Although last night BrewDog's coffee Stout could have talked me out of it.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:03:49 PM EST

Re: Crazy horse (none / 1)

Now i get it, what an interesting bier tradition. And check out the town itself, little venice.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:37:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

http://www.wynkoop.com/happenings_drinker.html

It's a wonderful small town with 9 breweries. Personally I find it very difficult to leave Schlenkerla, simply cos the beer is wonderful and the pub itself is a classic. Also, some of the others should try harder imo (yes, Keesman, I do mean you. Consequently in two visits there are still two breweries I've yet to try.

And then there's the little problem that in the surrounding area there a whole load of other brewpubs. I think if I stayed there too long I'd seriously compromise my health.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:49:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Crazy horse (4.00 / 2)

When you come--by train, of course--to Denver, you will have to stop at the Wynkoop brewery, right across from the station. You could even enter the Beerdrinker of the Year contest and get free beer!

Wynkoop Brewing Company is once again seeking beer resumes from the nation's most beer-minded men and women for the 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year contest. The 13th annual contest seeks and honors the most passionate, knowledgeable beer lover and supporter in the United States.
The 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year wins free beer for life at Wynkoop Brewing Company and $250 of beer at their local brewpub or beer bar. They also win apparel proclaiming them The 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year, and have their name engraved on the Beerdrinker of the Year trophy at Wynkoop.
"The whole ex-beer-ience has been a blast," say reigning 2008 Beerdrinker of the Year Matt Venzke, of Hampton, Virginia. "Joining the prestigious ranks of Beerdrinker winners has led to private brewery tours, much free beer and a greatly expanded circle of beery friends. I've also had the pleasure of representing Beer Nation in various newspaper, TV and radio appearances. My parents are very proud."

Just think: Winning this would solve all of one's problems at one time! Happy parents! Free beer! Expanded circle of friends! Bartenders of one's preferred gender and sexual orientation, with big mugs!

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:14:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, I do intend to come to the Great american Beer fest one day, so that'd be fun if they were doing it at the same time. However, I do detect a wee suggestion that the comp is open to US residents only.

Still, minor fly in the ointment is that when I had the money to come over, you had the DHS. By the time you get rid of the DHS, I may well not be able to afford to cross the channel, let alone the Atlantic. Which will be a bummer.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:25:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

http://cbs11tv.com/investigators/Compare.Fake.IDs.2.874748.html

It is true that you would have to show a government ID to get a beer in the first place, and presumably you wouldn't have one of those nasty fake driver's licenses, now would you?

Driver's licenses are one of the government IDs accepted to get on an airplane, so one might think that with all of the security theatre we have going on over here it would be really tough to get a fake ID, right? Apparently not.

CBS 11 News went undercover in Northwest Dallas, along Harry Hines Boulevard to document an elaborate fake ID ring. We sent a CBS 11 employee, undercover, to the location. He asked about getting a Texas ID card and was directed to "El Tio." The employee was then taken across the street to a boot store to have his picture taken. He handed over $20 as an up front payment.
We showed the hidden camera footage to Trooper Lonny Haschel, with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the same agency that issues Texas drivers' licenses and ID cards. Haschel said, "It's unfortunate that folks feel they have to go this route. Anytime anyone can obtain a driver's license or ID card without any documentation, that's definitely an issue."

Oops, minor little hole in the security apparatus there, chief!

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:34:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I didn't have to show anything when I was in LA 3 years ago. But I do have a european driving licence and a passport, I'm sure they'd not get too pernickety.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:39:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yeah, but they wouldn't let you enter the contest. Thus you would want to get to Denver via Dallas, which would be a complete adventure in and of itself!

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:45:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Crazy horse (none / 1)

So, you expect me to not only evade being refused entry by the DHS, but now i have to avoid being shot by JR.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:54:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm reading on Alernet that there might be movement on reforming some of the more insane gun laws in the US and that the NRA are a fading force.

Is that true ? Is Heston drilling for oil ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:01:15 PM EST

I believe he's drilling for earthworms :-)

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP (rafifoon@yahoo.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:07:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I was apparently unsuccesfully attempting to suggest he was spinning in his grave

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:21:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

There is always an undercurrent in the guns discussion about how the country protects itself from internally-grown terrorists. As we gradually move down scale, first outlawing personally owned pirate ships, then machine guns, and soon fishing dinghys and rubber rafts, at some point the question will arise about whether it makes sense to allow millions of rubes to run around with loaded weapons...

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:25:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Whilst pirate ships, fishing dinghys and rubber rafts don't have a constituional clause protecting them i guess they're fair game.

But machine guns, the NRA and thier millions of rubes running around with loaded weapons do tend to hide behind Article II. I always thought that allowing Bush to shred the constitution without rising up invalidated their claim to constitutional protection.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:30:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

http://www.usmm.org/warof1812.html

I'm not so sure about the pirate ships part of it. Article 2 doesn't say anything about the size of the guns that are allowed, or what they are mounted on. Privateers, aka licensed pirates, were used by the U.S. in the early 19th century when fighting the British. Why can't I own an aircraft carrier, for example?

Which reminds me of how the U.S. cheated in what we call the War of 1812. The USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," was classified as a Frigate but was actually substantially bigger than British frigates of the time. Thus, when a British frigate captain engaged her--following the rules of engagement regarding comparative sizes and quantities of ships--he was at an automatic disadvantage. The brits didn't figure this out for a while, but when they did they defined a whole new classification of ships: Big Frigates. We have had you Europeans snookered for a couple of centuries now... :-)

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:44:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Huh ? We had rules of engagement ?? I thought it was just "enemy warship ? Fire !!"

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 02:53:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Second Amendment, not Article II. Article II is Executive Power.

...not that it matters, since the executive has been wiping its collective ass with it the past eight years.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 03:20:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You licked some ultra-sharp chilli today...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 04:26:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 7)

Well, it's goodbye from me for a while: after a 6 days delay due to the closure of the Bangkok airport, I am off to Laos in the morning. Via Vietnam instead.

I will -and that is unusual- come back from holidays on the 24th of December.

Read you then!

"The womb that spawned that thing is fertile yet"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 04:03:39 PM EST

enjoy!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 04:16:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]