Germany + France = Germance

While the Carnegie Endowment provided a very thought-provoking analysis of the Euro crisis today, Seth Meyers' SNL analysis last Saturday takes the cake for the most hilarity and cheek in a humorous portrayal of the crisis.

Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. What a power couple!


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Link Dump!

Hodgepodge of links for Halloween:

Breaking news: UNESCO has voted to give Palestine full membership, and the U.S. cuts funding, which consists of about 20% of UNESCO's budget. Here's how the voting panned out.

Eco-friendly: The House of Plastic Bottles in Argentina, giving new life to reduce, reuse, recycle

Current events: Devastating floods in Thailand, called PM Yingluck's Katrina, and the calamity of certain administrations when dealing with natural disasters

Economy: Poland is still holding strong and is turning more to shale gas for increased energy independence

Immigration: 50 years of Multikulti in Germany

Trade: Discontent between U.S. and China, trade relations, and China's devalued currency so that a weaker currency leading to a stronger economy

Divided State: Kosovo's future? But where does the sub-division stop, and how to avoid a Pandora's Box of ethnic tensions? And in a state that has defined itself by the current borders?

Language tools: Linguae Live.ca

Fun: Pie and Prosperity (1902 NYT article)

Changing Education Paradigms by Sir Ken Robinson

RSAnimate offers another brilliant animated lecture.

Documented Development: Japan

This collection of photos demonstrates the recovery in one field in northern Japan over a six month period. The first photo was taken in March, just days after the earthquake and tsunami devastated the area; the second was taken in June; and the third in September.

As residents attempt to return to daily life, there is still a long road of recovery ahead, but the results after 6 months are truly incredible. If only those same methods could have been applied in Haiti...

The Price of Exchange

Cultural work exchanges in the U.S. are a wonderful thing, and many young people from other countries have benefited from these programs and gained a very unique and personal view of America-- from horseback in Wyoming, from amusement parks around the country, and from ocean resorts. But that being said, these foreign workers are NOT merely cheap labor, nor are they an opportunity to out-source in-country.

While the majority of sites for cultural exchanges provide a positive experience, there are still a disturbing number of young people working slave-like 16-hour shifts or being partnered to nanny with families that are unstable or unsafe for the foreign student. The terror at the Hershey plant seems to be yet more proof that these programs need careful review and reform.

It should also be noted that most of these programs cost the foreign student multiple thousands of U.S. dollars to participate, often not including airfare. The argument is that participants will earn back the cost of the program in wages, but the majority of these jobs pay only minimum wage. Indeed, the nannying positions offered through the cultural exchange groups pay foreign nannies in America only a fraction of the market price, with large cut going back to the organization. Perhaps the price is justified in the stability, security, and support system offered by finding a job through a cultural exchange organization. But let us ensure that that support system is actually in place.

When did partisanship trump terrorism?

When will we stand as a nation and shout, "ENOUGH!" ?

Rush Limbaugh and Uganda's LRA

POTUS in PL

President Obama wrapped up this week's European tour with a stop in Warszawa, Poland. His talks focused on mending fences between the two countries, but he remained mum on the issue that causes the most discontent among Polish people: the visa restrictions. Along with most of the former-Eastern Bloc turned-EU member states, Polish citizens are required to get a visa to even visit the U.S. With many relatives and friends in the U.S. (especially in Chicago), Poles are anxious to have this restriction lifted.

Smoleńsk: A Year Later

A year ago today, the plane carrying Polish President Kaczyński, his wife, and countless other senior officials in the Polish government crashed in the forests of Smoleńsk, Russia. The leaders of the Polish government were on their way to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyń massacre. All 96 people on board the plane were killed. Many consider this one of the worst tragedies Poland has suffered since World War II.

The tragedy has since become politicized, including the debates over a cross in front of the presidential palace in Warsaw, where Kaczyński should be buried*, the heated divisive politics of twin brother Jarosław Kaczyński and others, and even clashes over the wording of the memorial plague and how the solemn anniversary should be commemorated. Relations between Poland and Russia, which initially seemed to thaw, have since returned to a questionable state, though leaders from both countries continue to commemorate the 2010 Smoleńsk tragedy as well as the 1940 Katyń tragedy this year.

* Rather than being well-loved by all, he was a rather divisive figure, yet he was buried with Polish kings and heroes in the Wawel Cathedral of Kraków, a place considered to be THE heart of the Polish nation

Shut it Down

The deadline for a likely federal government shutdown in the U.S. is rapidly approaching. 5.5 hours remain, and counting...

It's late for me, so all I will say is this. If it's an issue of disagreement on spending as Republicans claim, then our politicians really need to get their acts together (but we knew this already), and they should start acting on the proposition that's floating around on some social media sites that all elected officials take a 20% cut to their own salaries for each day that they can't reach a compromise. Wishful thinking, but still.

But if it's like Democrats claim and the impasse is the question of Planned Parenthood... well, I'm at a loss. I believe in women's equality and women's rights, but I'm against abortion. That being said, I support Planned Parenthood. How many times does it have to be said that federal money is not and CANNOT be used to fund abortions?! Instead, the money to Planned Parenthood is used to fund basic rights of women for health, including screenings for breast and cervical cancer, HIV testing, treatment of STDs and more. And yet, according to the Washington Post, Republicans are claiming that "federal funding for those services frees up more private funds for abortions". You have got to be kidding me. Federal funding for those services also frees up women's ability to, you know, pay for food and bills and care for the children that they do have.

I do not support everything that Planned Parenthood does, especially if the stories are true that some employees coerce women going through a difficult time to have an abortion. But at the same time, I do not support the so-called "emergency pregnancy centers" started by anti-abortion groups that provide only limited information to pregnant women, and, in the end, provide no help to her to give a healthy life to her child.

The abortion debate in the U.S. has reached an impasse, much like the budget debate in Congress. The situation has been polarized to for and against, with no middle ground. And yet, how are pro-lifers protesting outside of abortion clinics (or worse, bombing them) helping life? If pro-life activists and politicians are truly pro-life, where are the programs to actually support women and their children after they are born? Pro-life does not stop after the child leaves the womb, but indeed, this is perhaps the time when the life needs even more attention and support. Similarly, pro-choice advocates and politicians must reconcile with the facts of science that there is indeed a separate creature in the womb from the early days of pregnancy with all the early features of a full-grown human being. This is a separate life, not simply an extension of the woman's body. Is it really simply her right to decide what happens to this separate creature? But if it is not solely her right, then society must provide the support necessary for her to care for it and be able to continue her life fully while providing for another. Unfortunately, I can't see this happening any time soon.

In the end, I must conclude that a proposal to cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood is decidedly anti- pro-life. The services that are funded are those very services (limited though they are) that enable women to have a healthy life and care for the children that they bring into the world. Isn't that what pro-life means?

EDIT: Also, mind you, this whole debate is only $80 million in the federal budget. In terms of the federal deficit and other federal spending, that is mere pennies! Yes, a penny saved is a penny earned, but have you looked at our defense budget recently?


*And I haven't even touched on the correlation between birth control and dramatic increases in women's equality in developing (and developed!) countries.

New Blog Project

Through a generous travel-grant from my university, I've been given the opportunity to travel throughout Central and Eastern Europe to examine current 21st century perceptions about the communist past and the recent decades of transition in Central and Eastern Europe. After much delay, I've finally launched a blog project for this purpose (entitled Transitions 21).

I'll be focusing mostly on my observations and studies within Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and hopefully also the Baltic and Balkan states, but I also intend to examine the perception of other countries, especially my native USA, toward this period of history and the Central and Eastern European region.

WM will continue to be my personal blog, and Transitions 21 will solely focus on this travel-study project for the next year or so.

Check it out: Transitions 21

"There is No 'Ground Zero Mosque'"

Thank you for some common sense at last, Mr. Olbermann



Countdown with Keith Olbermann, MSNBC, 16 August 2010

Almost a month later, and this over-politicized issue remains blown out of proportion, affecting even the mourning of yesterday's 9th anniversary, as stereotypes, prejudice, and misinformation continue to dominate. When will we learn?

Twittering Diplomats

I tend to usually fall into the category that mocks all the fuss and "twouble" with Twitters, but the antics of Jared Cohen and Alec Ross might make me rethink this position. As highlighted recently by the NYT, Cohen and Ross are policy advisers to Secretary Hilary Clinton, and they're personally bringing old-fashioned diplomacy into the new digital age. DoS has had an offical blog and official Twitter for a couple years now, but the tweets of 140 characters or less directly from the policy advisers seem to have a fresher, more candid or direct take. Not to mention that the official Twitter has only a fraction of the followers of Cohen or Ross.

A couple links from the news

It's been a month without posts again. Just a few links to share tonight.

Krugman insightfully provides some much needed perspective (and common sense!) to the current impasse in the Senate: America is Not Yet Lost

Also, looks like Viktor Yanukovich is poised to win the presidency in Ukraine. When's the last time we heard his name on the world stage? During the so-called Orange Revolution in 2004, when Viktor Yushchenko (complete with a blotched face from conspiracies) won in Ukraine's first truly democratic elections. Some have called Yanukovich's success a reversal of this Orange Revolution. Yet the elections were judged to be fair and very successful, so the perhaps democratic legacy continues despite the election of a Russia-leaning candidate. Perhaps this is the balance that Ukraine needs.

A Step Toward a United States of Europe?

... or perhaps just a breath of fresh air to make the unwieldy EU structure a bit more manageable. Either way, the Lisbon Treaty has now been signed by all 27 EU member states and may take effect as soon as December 1. The Lisbon Treaty updates the original 1992 Maastricht Treaty, which formed the European Union, and provides a permanent presidency and foreign minister.

This has been a long time in coming; the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by all the EU member states has taken almost two years--one could argue that that delay itself emphasizes the need for such a treaty. (Indeed, the origins of the Lisbon Treaty can be seen in the proposed and rejected European constitution, which goes back to 2005). Will the creation of a permanent EU presidency and unified foreign affairs activity gradually rob member states of national sovereignty, as many fear? Time will tell.

Sing-along with Gazprom

In the tradition of "Someone Like Putin", a new song is topping Russian charts, which praises the government-owned natural gas monopoly, Gazprom.




Russia holds the largest reserves of natural gas in the world, and Gazprom controls these reserves and the pipelines, servicing much of Europe and Eurasia. Thus, economic disputes often become political, such as when Russia cut off the gas to Ukraine in January of this year. Actually just yesterday, Turkey and the EU signed an agreement to build the Nabucco Pipeline, attempting to bypass Russian soil and thus avoid Russian dependence.

Election Reflections from a Student Observer

Well, I neglected to post much of anything during the campaigning season, so here's some reflections back on this incredible election.

Back in 2007, Bush was well out of favor, so a landslide win for the Democrats in 2008 seemed more than likely. At that point, the only one really on the scene was one Hillary Rodham Clinton. It seemed inevitable that we would be progressing from Bush to Clinton to Bush to Clinton. Senator Obama was on the fringes, the newbie with a great talent for speeches, not yet enjoying the familiarity of being a household name as Senator Clinton. To be honest, the first time I remember hearing his name was during all the fuss of the People paparazzi shots of Obama on the beach.

As we approached primary season, suddenly the rising star took off to become a serious contender. Until after Super Tuesday, I really expected that Clinton would clearly dominate or try to dissuade him by asking him to be her VP. But while Mrs. Clinton is certainly qualified, she is a polarizing force. It seems that everyone was starkly divided toward her, with either strong support or intense dislike. In contrast, Obama not only proved himself to be equally talented and qualified, but a uniting force that brings people of many backgrounds together.

Initiate the six-month showdown: Clinton vs. Obama. It was fascinating to be teaching in Austria during this time, and trying to explain to the students what was happening and why it had stretched on so long. I polled the classroom at one point in March, and the majority of the 18-year-olds supported Hillary Clinton (a handful supported Obama and none supported McCain). Yet only a few months later, hundreds of thousands gathered to hear Obama in Berlin and support the presidential candidate.

We all know how it ended. After a bitter season and much division and derision among the Democrats, Obama squeaked by with more votes and was declared the official candidate. We all waited tensely throughout the summer, biting our nails in fear that he might choose Hillary as his VP. Instead, he chose the well-seasoned senator Joe Biden to balance his youth.

Enter the conventions. The Democratic convention was exciting enough, as Obama and Biden began working side-by-side and really seemed to complement each other. But McCain shocked the world with his announcement of the unknown Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Someone asked me recently whether Sarah Palin lost the election for the Republicans or whether they were doomed from the start. I tend to lean toward the latter, but we cannot discount the Palin factor. Her selection electrified McCain's campaign; suddenly conservative voters were rallying with enthusiasm in the same way that the liberals flocked to Obama. She was frank, to the point, and fresh; but she was not ready for the media attention or the interviews or the SNL impersonations. (Do not discredit the power of Tina Fey's Sarah Palin! Tina Fey really solidified America's view of Sarah Palin). Her inexperience and novelty status backfired.

After a few tense last weeks (with much name-calling and mud-slinging), crowded flooded the polls. I maintain that the source of these record turn-outs was not McCain or Biden, but the two younger names on the ballot--Obama and Palin. Voters came out in record numbers to show their support for the electrifying factors of each party. In the end, Change and Hope conquered the straight-talk Mavericks. People took to the streets around the country in cities both large and small to celebrate victory, history, and change.

I've brushed over quite a bit, but also consider More Intelligent Life's Entire Election in a Single Graphic for a hilarious summation.


To close, a drawing that's been circulating. I don't want to emphasize the race factor, but it is not something to overlook. Obama will indeed be our first black president, but I would instead like to stress that he is our first non-white president and one of the youngest elected! We have had many excellent leaders in the past, but many have come from similar backgrounds of well-established white upper-class political families (or dynasties). Whereas Obama--with a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya, born in Hawaii, schooled in Indonesia, educated at Harvard, and working in/with Chicago--not only represents diversity through his skin but through his life story. In many ways, he is the American Dream. We did not elect solely the first black president, but a true American.

Reactions to the Election Abroad

I'm at work, so must keep it short and sweet. Here's an interesting article from an ex-pat living in Wien in response to Obama's election.

Suddenly, it may be cool to be an American again

Election Day

It's the big day in America. The first Tuesday of November. The polls are open and the voters are rolling in.

I haven't had the opportunity to express my thoughts about this election here yet, but suffice to say that it has been fascinating. The old methods of campaigning are gone, replacing by campaigning of the internet age. From this idealist's perspective, it seemed that in this election individuals had a say more than ever before. Anyone could start a blog and publish their views, or spread links to YouTube commercials or parodies rapidly through facebook posts. Online ads are everywhere, and even the hip webcomics have endorsed candidates. These individuals have reached the generation of younger voters, the 20-somethings and college students who live daily on the internet. Indeed, over the past few days, over a million facebook users have donated their status to support one candidate or the other.

If you are an American citizen, please get to the polls today. For years we've been slack and little more than half of the American population has exercised their democratic right and privilege. Let's not take it for granted, and let's make our voices heard. Records have registered, and the younger generation is coming out in hordes. Let's make it an election for the history books.

Even Starbucks is making a push by giving out free coffee to anyone who voted.

Two Things

Austrian political front: Freedom party leader Joerg Haider, governor of Carinthia, was killed suddenly in a car accident today. See the full report from BBC. Terrible and very sudden, especially considering his party's success in the recent elections.

And just some numbers for reference on the economy: Consider these numbers from when I was abroad and dealing with the rising exchange rates, and now the current rates-- $1.36 for 1€ or $1.86 for 1 GBP.

Just some specifics in case you were wondering.

Austrian Politics

The Freedom Party, one of the youngest political parties in Austria which built its platform on anti-immigration, has been making strides as of late.

Far-Right, Anti-Immigrant Parties Make Gains in Austrian Elections

Not sure how I feel about this one. My Modern Austria class taught how this party was formed only in recent decades and taps into the public's desire for change from the SPÖ (Social Democrats) and ÖVP (People's party/former Christian Socialists)--immigration and the desire to preserve their Austrian-ness was one of the touchy topics that FPÖ tapped into. I admit, I find it hard to consider objectively, as my background in American cities has given me a subconscious expectation for ethnic diversity. However, the word is that the FPÖ is less anti-foreigners than it once was, so we shall see.