Eurosphere roundup: “Porn habit of British Parliament…” Germany’s anti-euro party…

UK Commons official: Report of 300,000+ porn accesses from Parliament isn’t “accurate”

As the UK government continues to roll out the Great Firewall of Cameron (by which ISPs are required to opt their customers into an “adult content filter” that is meant to block sites related to porn, gambling, “esoterica,” “forums” and more), an official report reveals that the Houses of Parliament network logged 300,000+ attempts to access online porn last year. However, a Commons spokeswoman says the figure isn’t “accurate.”

Porn habit of British Parliament unveiled

More than 300,000 attempts were made to access pornographic websites at the British Parliament in the past year

Germany’s anti-euro party may still yet make it into the Bundestag

Don?t think the German elections are a done deal ? and, in particular, don?t rule out Germany?s anti-euro party, Alternative für Deutschland.

 

The high price of Europe?s lost lead

With the iPhone and iOS, Steve Jobs defeated the effort by operators ? both US and European ? to maintain the mobile world as a walled garden

ECB preview – is the ECB already seeing the limits of its new communication policy?

The ECB holds its monthly meeting today in what may be seen as the most positive eurozone economic environment for some time.

 

European Men Grow Four Inches in Century, Says Researcher

Sci-News.com

According to a new study by Prof Timothy Hatton from the University of Essex and the Australian National University in Canberra, the average height of European men grew by an unprecedented 4.3 inches (11 cm) from the mid-19th century to 1980.

 

Lewandowski ‘puzzled’ by new demands to cut EU budget

The EU’s Budget Commissioner, Janusz Lewandowski, expressed dismay today (4 September) at requests by EU countries for fresh cuts to the bloc’s 2014 budget. These contradicted decisions to frontload expenditure as a way of speeding up economic recovery and tackling youth unemployment, he said.

“Common sense has not prevailed in the Council, and that is worrying,” Lewandowski said in a statement, referring to the EU Council of Ministers where the 28 EU member states are represented.

Viviane Reding: The EU Commissioner for Mars

Yesterday, Viviane Reding, the EU Commissioner for Justice and vice-President of the Commission, gave a speech saying she wanted to increase the EU’s powers to intervene in member states where there is a “rule of law” crisis. Citing the “Roma crisis in France in summer 2010; the Hungarian crisis that started at the end of 2011; and the Romanian rule of law crisis in the summer of 2012”, she said she wants to establish a “far-reaching rule of law mechanism, which would include more detailed monitoring and sanctioning powers for the Commission”.

The third age of European integration?

Returning from UACES, and eager not to get lost in the big pile of emails that awaits me, I spent some time thinking about how to integrate all of the things that I?d been hearing over the past few days. While my focus had been mainly on euroscepticism, I also listened to sessions on the eurozone crisis and governance, as well as having many discussions over the (excellent) refreshments.

European integration to become one of key points during Ukraine?s presidential campaign

The topic of European integration is becoming more urgent for Ukrainian politicians to use in the electoral struggle.

Recent sociological research reveals, first ? high interest of citizens in the issues of Ukraine?s geopolitical choice, and second ? the dominance of their ?pro-European? sentiments.

Norwegian Pirates Slam Dunk School Elections; Talk Of Town Ahead Of Real Elections

Pirate Parties:?The Norwegian Pirate Party has reached parliamentary levels in the mockup school elections, to the surprise of everybody but the pirates themselves. In Norway, mockup school elections are held one week before the real elections, and the school results are discussed in the run-up week to the elections. With the Pirate result being discussed in most major news outlets, this provides a strong Pirate boost to the coming election.

 

Thousands remind the EBRD that coal is not an option

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development received a little surprise visit this week from 16 000 voices against coal.

by Fidanka Bacheva-McGrath, cross-posted from the Bankwatch blog

During this week?s consultation meetings in Istanbul, Belgrade and Moscow, the EBRD is discussing its new energy lending strategy with NGOs from its countries of operation. As a contribution to the debate and to amplify the resounding call for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, environmental activists are bringing more than 16 000 people with them ? in spirit at least.

 

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