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Language, communication and freedom

By: psr, 2008-06-08

Language is often considered to be an aspect of culture. I dissent. First and foremost, language is a means of communication, but the diversity of languages certainly makes humans associate a particular language with a particular group of people. Humans feel identified with other human beings who speak the same language, while feeling more distant from those speaking a different tongue.

Culture or not, language is essentially what allows humans to communicate with other humans and it is therefore a catalyst for growth of the human spirit as language permits access to knowledge and to interaction and relation with other people. The use of language should therefore not be limited nor restricted in any way. This apparently elemental assertion has rarely been true throughout …

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2008-06-08 | Europe - General - Rights - Spain | Trackback | 4 Comments »

Privacy: awareness better than technology

By: psr, 2008-04-02

This week I am at the Bled “Future of the Internet” conference, where the European Commission tries to coordinate efforts among the research projects they fund with the goal of positioning Europe as a leader in the definition and research of the Future Internet (or “Internet of the Future”, or whichever name people want to call it).

There was a good opening speech by Dr. Å½iga Turk, Slovenian Minister of Growth, relating future developments in the Internet to past developments in human communication technologies. The message was clear and true, and I think it most importantly highlights that such developments take place with little planning. For this reason, I believe that specific efforts to develop a Future Internet are superfluous and most likely inefficient. The …

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2008-04-02 | Europe - Rights - World | Trackback | No Comments »

Nuclear energy’s unsuspected ally

By: psr, 2008-01-12

The bandwagon of man-made climate change has all sorts of passengers, and seems to be the ideal pretext for just about anything nowadays.

The UK Government announced this week that the UK will begin building nuclear power plants again.

Nuclear energy has bad press for several reasons, including health concerns for nearby residents, difficult disposal of nuclear waste, and the danger of malfunction in the plant. There’s widespread opposition throughout Europe to building new nuclear power stations. Even UK’s announcement this week has been criticized by some groups.

However, what is unusual in the arguments to defend the construction of new nuclear power plants? The fight against climate change is publicized as the first reason that citizens should take into account to back nuclear energy. (references: …

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2008-01-12 | Braindead - Europe - Spain | Trackback | No Comments »

Good and bad smoking bans

By: psr, 2008-01-05

With the start of 2008, France has joined Italy and Ireland in a complete ban to smoking in restaurants and bars. Thankfully they have not followed the smoking regulation model started in Spain, which gives small bar/restaurant owners the choice of becoming a smoking or a non-smoking space.

Smoking bans are always perceived differently from two different points of view: the health point of view and the ‘comfort’ (or annoyance) point of view.

Taking health into account, and according to the law itself, the goal of smoking bans is to reduce tobacco consumption to reduce health risks, and to reduce exposure of workers to tobacco smoke. (It can be argued whether smoking is really a health risk or not, although I believe it is). …

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2008-01-05 | Braindead - Europe - Rights - Spain | Trackback | No Comments »

Tied hands at the European Commission

By: psr, 2007-10-17

Numerous member states make up todayâ€™s European Union, and it grows every so often to incorporate new members. All these states pay for the expenses of the E.U., including administrative costs, EU subsidies, and other forms of aid given by the E.U.

In return for their contribution, each state expects to receive an equal share of E.U. aid back, in one or other form.

Funds administered by the European Commission are therefore subject to being distributed mostly according to geography rather than based on merit or need. Because such awarding method is meaningless, this reflects on the efficiency, quality and usefulness of several major E.U. projects.

For instance, the â€œEurofighterâ€ and the â€œGalileoâ€ project have had to assign manufacturing responsibilities of different parts of the systems to different E.U. countries, …

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2007-10-17 | Economy - Europe | Trackback | No Comments »

Cancel the Galileo project

By: psr, 2007-10-11

The European satellite navigation system, Galileo, is suffering serious delays, and continued cost over-runs. It should be operational by 2008, but has managed to place only one satellite (of 30) in orbit, and it’s a test satellite. This week, the European Commission and European States have discussed ways to jump-start the Galileo project, with a new target date for operation in 2014 (estimated). However, some reports indicate that funding for Galileo is not really secured.

I am a European, and I almost wish the Galileo project would collapse and fail. It would be a great lesson for European companies, States and leaders. The great weakness of Europe is in its diversity: diversity of governing bodies, diversity of cultures, languages and diversity of …

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2007-10-11 | Braindead - Economy - Europe | Trackback | No Comments »

Spain’s PP should be more consistent with its ideals

By: psr, 2007-02-20

Shame on Spain’s Popular Party for their behaviour in two recent referenda in Spain:

On February 20, 2005, a referendum was held in Spain to ask people “Do you approve of the Treaty by which a Constitution is established for Europe?”. Despite campaigning in favour of the affirmative vote, it was a known secret that the Popular Party (PP) was not in favour of that treaty as a constitution for Europe. The result of the consultation showed the victory of people’s indifference to the question: 58,23% of the population did not participate. Out of the 41,77% of people who voted, 76,96% voted “yes”.

Yesterday, February 18, 2007, another referendum was held in the autonomous region of Andalusia about the modification of the ruling regional legal framework of Andalusia …

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2007-02-20 | Europe - Spain | Trackback | No Comments »

Capitulation, by Spain’s PM RodrÃguez Zapatero

By: psr, 2006-12-31

Yesterday, December 30 2006, Spain suffered a new terrorist attack by ETA, a follow up to their usual practice of destruction, terror and killings. This time it’s been in Madrid, as several times in the past, and for the third time in the airport, this time using the shiny new Terminal 4 building as a stage.

At the very least, ETA is reminding all of us that giving up violence and weapons is not in their plans. They continue to attack and kill since some 40 years ago, despite declaring in the last 9 months a “pemanent cease fire”.

Spain’s prime minister, JosÃ© Luis RodrÃguez Zapatero, initiated a negotiation process with ETA after their announcement of the “cease fire”, because he understood ETA’s statement to hold a cease fire to …

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2006-12-31 | Europe - Spain | Trackback | No Comments »

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Archive for the 'Europe' Category

Language, communication and freedom

Privacy: awareness better than technology

Nuclear energy’s unsuspected ally

Good and bad smoking bans

Tied hands at the European Commission

Cancel the Galileo project

Spain’s PP should be more consistent with its ideals

Capitulation, by Spain’s PM RodrÃguez Zapatero

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