Monday, December 26, 2011

Greeks Reeling From Health Care Cutbacks - NYTimes.com

Israel Risks Turkish Anger on Issue of Armenian Genocide - NYTimes.com

Calling attention to important historical events strikes me as a sound idea, even those that arouse controversy. Controversies that involve the exchange of views, some very strong, often help us all understand better and to reach our own conclusions about what is true, false, and unclear.

Struggle of Israel’s Channel 10 Tied to Political Wars - NYTimes.com

"Mediterranean Television" would make a great conference theme!

In Madrid, Even Maybe the Bronx, Parks Replace Freeways - NYTimes.com

And in other Mediterranean cities?

Friday, November 18, 2011

"Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Egypt’s Nude Blogger, Stirs Partisan Waters" - NYTimes.com

It takes all kinds.

"Socialists Brace for Resounding Loss in Spain" - NYTimes.com

So much change, and yet so little.

"The Technocratic Nightmare" - NYTimes.com

Apply the same thinking to the Mediterranean and what do you get?

"Berlusconi Will Be Back" - NYTimes.com

Who could possibly have thought that this would be the end of him?

"U.S. Group Offered to Aid Qaddafi, Documents Show" - NYTimes.com

I bet other stories can be told about people in other countries as well. Have they been reported?

"Egyptian Islamists Rally to Protest Military Rule" - NYTimes.com

So many challenges yet remain for the entire region.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

"The Rise of a Euro Doomsayer" - NYTimes.com

How to look at this from a Mediterranean perspective?

"As Graduates Move Back Home, Economy Feels the Pain" - NYTimes.com

This sounds especially Italian to me. Am I wrong?

"U.S. Warns Egypt as Military Stalls Transition" - NYTimes.com

Who else in the Mediterranean is saying what about this?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

"Greece's Mission Impossible?" - NYTimes.com

What a challenge for him and what a challenge for the media covering Greece as a story, inside and outside the country.

"Libya - Town Rallies Against Pro-Qaddafi Label" - NYTimes.com

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Friday, November 11, 2011

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

"Les salariés de "France-Soir" en appellent au gouvernement" - Le Monde

Times are tough.

"How to Save Money on Train Trips in Italy" - NYTimes.com

We need a lot more stories and a lot more practical information relating to transport all around the Mediterranean.

"Venice's Love Affair With Egypt" - NYTimes.com

An unusual cross-border Mediterranean story.

"Silvio Berlusconi Faces Intense New Pressure to Quit Over Debt Crisis" - NYTimes.com

Hanging by a piece of pasta, it appears.

"Max Mosley wins French privacy action against News of the World" - guardian.co.uk

We need to keep better track of the legal cases involving the media around the Mediterranean.

"In Bab al-Aziziya, Qaddafi’s Ex-Lair, the Thrill of Normal" - NYTimes.com

How many more secret places can we hope to see and which media will take us there?

Monday, November 07, 2011

"A Provocative French Newspaper Is Attacked, and Support Is Swift" - NYTimes.com

How do we better spread support for press freedom among all around the Mediterranean?

Sunday, November 06, 2011

"Arab Spring Spawns Interest in Improving Quality of Higher Education" - NYTimes.com

A great seminar to be organized: Education in the Mediterranean.

"Small Businesses in Greece Are Being Devastated" - NYTimes.com

How can we foster more reporting from Greece that tells us more than the press release/press conference story? This one seems headed in the right direction.

"His Libraries, 12,000 So Far, Change Lives" - NYTimes.com

How many of these are around the Mediterranean? It does not like any are. I wonder how they choose countries?

Saturday, November 05, 2011

"Europe’s Two Years of Denials Trapped Greece" - NYTimes.com

How are we doing "judging" the health of other Mediterranean countries?

"Greece prepares for departure of George Papandreou" - guardian.co.uk

Another Mediterranean person whom we need to understand quickly and as fully as possible.

Recherche - France2

There was an interesting piece at 13h today on the extreme challenges faced by sheep farmers in France, in this case, one particular family. I wanted to find it on line. Not a trace. When are media everywhere going to anticipate the cross-media movement that I tried to make and be there waiting for me?

Diffamation envers Morano :un journaliste condamné" - France 2

How about Defamation in the Mediterranean as a seminar?

Copeam

What a neat looking organization.

"The Aging of Spanish Democracy" - NYTimes.com

Democracy around the Mediterranean would make another great seminar topic!

"De violentes pluies font 7 morts en Italie du Nord" - LeMonde.fr

An MMC seminar on weather around the Mediterranean strikes me as a good thing to do.

Friday, November 04, 2011

"A Chef's Tour of Chiang Mai" - Video Library - The New York Times

Just think of the culinary treasures of the Mediterranean.

"L'Agence Française de Développement et Magnum Photos proposent de Nouveaux Reg" - Actuphoto

Looks like it must be a moving expostion.

"ParuVendu liquidé : le plus gros plan social de l'année" - Le Point

This is a really big story and we need to put it in a Mediterranean context.

"Living the Nice Life"

May be something of value here, especially noting that no car is needed!

citynetmobil.org

For Chapelboroham?

"Jacques Chancel : 50 ans de carrière dans un livre - Dictionnaire amoureux de la télévision"

Looks worth getting.

"Italy Agrees to Allow I.M.F. to Monitor Its Progress on Debt" - NYTimes.com

What other Mediterranean countries are subject to the same or similar IMF oversight?

Azur TV - Exclusive Mediterranean Cuisine, Events, Stories, Villas & Yachts

"Opinion polling for the French presidential election, 2012" - Wikipedia

Looks like a good resource for the election.

"PortoFruit, Fruit Exports, Arta, Greece"

Someone told me yesterday that Greece is importing many more oranges than in the past. She mumbled something about the Greeks not wanting to do the work to grow their own. What's the real story? What has been the impact of the crisis on oranges going in and out of Greece? Other Mediterranean countries?

"Portuguese Jazz Singer Sara Serpa Releases ‘Mobile’" - PRI's The World

Ah, the music of the Mediterranean.

"Spain’s Hard-Hit Health Care System" - PRI's The World

Imagine the conference on all health issues around the Mediteranean, from the health of people the "systems" intended to serve them.

"French Magazine Firebombed After Muhammad Cover" - PRI's The World

One more report on this.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

""Charia Hebdo" de retour en kiosques vendredi" - La Provence

Let's hope that there is no more violence.

"Hanan Abdel Meguid Guides Entrepreneurs in Egypt" - NYTimes.com

So many interesting people in the Mediterranean in need of great profiles!

"Libya’s Forgotten Refugees" - NYTimes.com

Let us not forget anyone crossing the Mediterranean for whatever reason.

"Libya and Tunisia Share a Goal - Development" - NYTimes.com

I am sure that every country of the Mediterranean wants the same.

"Tunisians Occupy President Obama’s Facebook Page" - PRI's The World

Again, more real world stuff.

"Fossil Teeth Put Humans in Europe Earlier Than Thought" - NYTimes.com

Human roots in the Mediterranean run very deep!

"Libya's War of Lies" - Video Library - The New York Times

This is compelling, but hearing from Libyans would be even better.

"La page Facebook de "Charlie Hebdo" envahie de commentaires indignés" - LeMonde.fr

How do the media of the Mediterranean come to grips with all of the realities of our world, today, that are implicated by this story?

"Greece on the Brink" - NYTimes.com

What is the rest of the Mediterranean saying about this? After all, two of the three principal players in this editorial are also in the Mediterranean!

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

"Tourists Still Drawn to Tomb of Mussolini, ‘Il Duce,’ in Italy" - NYTimes.com

Well, I guess this is a worthwhile story?

"Staying the Hand of Vengeance in Libya" - NYTimes.com

We can only hope that this effort is successful. What are the indicia of success?

"Tourism in Alexandria After Arab Spring" - NYTimes.com

How do we keep track of tourism around the Mediterranean?

"Charlie Hebdo, French Magazine, Firebombed" - NYTimes.com

As we see so often, the cutting edge can bleed, too.

"Pro-Kurdish Activists Ordered Held in Turkey" - NYTimes.com

How do we follow legal proceedings like this one with utmost objectiving and context?

"Euphoria Turns to Discontent as Egypt’s Revolution Stalls" - NYTimes.com

We need a better way of putting each Mediterranean country in better comparative perspective.

"Israel takes punitive measures after UNESCO vote" -| euronews

Where will this lead? How do we understand it all better?

"Israel takes punitive measures after UNESCO vote" -| euronews

Where will this lead? How do we understand it all better?

"Le siège de Charlie Hebdo détruit par un incendie criminel" - Libération

We have so much to learn and improve in the Mediterranean.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

"MEDITERRANEAN JOURNALIST AWARD 2011"

"Europe Markets Drop on News of Greek Referendum" - NYTimes.com

I fear that the sound some of us hear is the Greek gurgle as it begins to go down the drain. Such an awful situation there and for the rest of us.

"WAN-IFRA - Media Support Delegation Goes To Libya"

It sure is unfortunate that this release talks about helping the Libyans "regulate the media landscape". I don't think that's what many independent news people had in mind.

"In Israel, Press Freedom Is Under Attack" - NYTimes.com

How would this play out in other Mediterranean countries?

"Libya Names Abdel Rahim el-Keeb as Premier" - NYTimes.com

I look forward to the opinion of Libyans and others in the region, reported by them.

"Lebanese Police Accuse Syria in Kidnapping of Dissidents" - NYTimes.com

What is the state of kidnapping around the Mediterranean?

Monday, October 31, 2011

"Silicosis From Work on Blue Jeans Killed Workers, Study Says" - NYTimes.com

Worker safety around the Mediaterranean is well worth a great deal of additional attention.

"Tunisia Seeks to Question Suha Arafat in Corruption Inquiry" - NYTimes.com

This may be more sentimental than significant, but it is good to see law enforcement at work in Tunisia and I just hope they are being as fair as they can be in pursuing such matters.

"Egyptian military officials jail blogger who criticized them" - Committee to Protect Journalists

Scary stuff as Egypt tries to make anew beginning, or at least that's what we thought.

novawind

Seems to have Mediterranean roots.

Seat Pagine Gialle Home Page

"Mamma Mia" - NYTimes.com

Italy and Italians, I fear, have no grasp of how much at the center of things they are today.

"Unesco Approves Full Membership for Palestinians" - NYTimes.com

The continued evolution of the Palestinian state has to be of huge interest to everyone who lives around the Mediterranean. But don't forget that every one of the Mediterranean states continues to evolve itself. Just think of changes we have seen in so many of these countries. That is not to diminish for a moment the Palestinian situation and challenges; it is to say, simply, that this is not just a matter of watching the Palestinians. Every citizen of every state can learn something from what is happening in Palestine.

""La source des femmes"" - Cinéma - Télématin - France 2

I have not found an easy way yet to follow the films that come from Mediterranean countries or deal with Mediterranean subjects.

"Journalistes Reporters d'Images" - France 2

Perhaps useful for others.

Servier accuse Bapt et Libération de diffamation" - FRANCE 2

Defamation around the Mediterranean needs a lot more attention.

"After Attacks, Efforts to Restore Gaza Cease-Fire" - NYTimes.com

Fighting anywhere in the Mediterranean is awful.

"Turks Recall German Guest Worker Program" - NYTimes.com

Many Mediterranean countries have especially strong links for many reasons to countries in other parts of the world. What is the full extent of them?

"Cable TV Holding Web Rivals at Bay, Earnings Show" - NYTimes.com

How would this story get written for the Mediterranean?

"Ad Companies Face a Widening Talent Gap" - NYTimes.com

And what will the impact be in the Mediterranean? What is the impact today?

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Badoo - Wikipedia

Worth looking at this.

"Arab Spring Reshapes Market for TV News" - NYTimes.com

Some things are as they seem, and some not.

"Libya after Gaddafi: freed journalist tracks down his jailer" - The Guardian

I suspect that there are thousand of these storie sto be written, at least for those who are still alive and able to write those stories.

"The Arab Intellectuals Who Didn’t Roar" - NYTimes.com

More to understand by learning more.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

"Libyan Leader’s Remark Favoring Polygamy Stirs Anger" - NYTimes.com

Where else is polygamy permitted around the Mediterranean?

"Kurds in Turkey Rended by War That Haunts Country" - NYTimes.com

The Mediterranean has so many conflicts at so many different levels.

"Morocco - Bomber Sentenced to Die" - NYTimes.com

The coverage of this case in France does not strike me as fair and balanced.

"Italy Declares Emergency in Flood Zones" - NYTimes.com

FYI

G20Yes Official Website | Young Entrepreneur Summit

It's interesting that only France, Italy and Turkey - plus guest Egypt - are to be represented.

"Western Companies See Libya as Ripe at Last for Business" - NYTimes.com

I hope the Tripoli Post and others will do an extremely serious job of reporting all of this for the rest of us.

"40 Killed in Deadliest Friday Demonstrations Since May" - NYTimes.com

How do we tell more of the Syrian story today? I don't mean that there is anything wrong with this report, but there is more to the story than this. How do we dig it out?

"Europe Seeks Chinese Investment in Euro Rescue" - NYTimes.com

What is China's role in the Mediterranean today and what could it be tomorrow?

"Greek Anger on Debt Agreement Is Focused Especially on Germany" - NYTimes.com

There are long memories and deep pain that transcend a video clip saying the problem has been solved. How do we come to appreciate this more?

"Tempers Flare After Some Tunisian Votes Are Nullified" - NYTimes.com

How can we harness more digital media might to follow more of the story components better than we are doing now? We miss so much.

Friday, October 28, 2011

"A Gothic Tour of Italy" - NYTimes.com

We need to see more stories on other countries of the Mediterranean and fewer about Italy.

"Magda Abu-Fadil: Where Do Media Draw the Line on Ethics During Revolutions?"

A good report of the program.

"Italy's Borrowing Costs Rise Amid Uncertainty About Rescue" - NYTimes.com

There was a time when Rome and Athens were at the center of the world. Never before has the world around them been this large or as seemingly dependent as now.

"The Spotlight Now Shines on Italy" - Common Sense - NYTimes.com

What are the Italian media saying about whether he is the best person for the job?

"In Piedmont, Seasons of Truffles and Barolo" - NYTimes.com

Ah, the wines of the Mediterranean!

"In Famine, Vouchers Can Be Tickets to Survival" - NYTimes.com

Imagine this being NC.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

"Banks Reassured by Euro Deal, but Italy Remains a Worry" - NYTimes.com

Why don't we understand Italy better?

"Slapping at Syria, Turkey Shelters Anti-Assad Fighters" - NYTimes.com

There is such a burning need to understand better all of the relationships between neighboring countries in the Mediterranean.

"In Spain, Creating a Back-to-the-Land Experience" - NYTimes.com

Many opportunities to do more with the subject of real estate in the media of the Mediterranean.

"Berlusconi ou les yeux en dessous de la ceinture danoise" - Le Monde

Is this really important to merit even mention in a blog on LeMonde's site?

"Embracing Arab Animation" - NYTimes.com

Let's collect all that's happening in animation around the Mediterranean.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

"Web censorship will fail, Huffington says" - Hurriyet Daily News

I could find no program for the conference.

"Film and Fitness in Rome" - NYTimes.com

We ought to have a really active calendar of all of the media events, including festivals, all around the Mediterranean.

"JORDAN: Drought may claim thousands of olive trees" - IRIN

How much more central to the Mediterranean can you get than olive trees and water?

"Les Tunisiens de Marseille restent vigilants" - La Provence

A good reminder of how interconnected so many places are around the Mediterranean even if except in these times, it does not get noticed or discussed for most people each day.

"Journalist Describes Captivity in Syria" - NYTimes.com

What can we learn from this?

"Egyptian Activists Summoned by Military Prosecutor" - NYTimes.com

This is not good.

"Tunisia Liberals See a Vote for Change, Not Just for Islamists" - NYTimes.com

There is so much to learn about this evolving story. Where are the analyses for the rest of the world from Tunisians?

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

"mediterranean radio" - Bing

Is there a single directory of all Mediterranean radio stations online? So that one could listen in in a variety of languages to broacasts all around the region?

"Confronting Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims in Public Discourse"

A very important meeting coming at such an important time.

"The Beauty of Institutions" - NYTimes.com

Worth remembering for the Mediterranean as well.

"Egyptian Police Officers Go on Strike" - NYTimes.com

How do we better monitor strikes all around the Mediterranean?

"Clashes With Kurdish Rebels Push Turkey Back Toward Conflict" - NYTimes.com

Turkey is in our headlights.

"In Libya, Surt Massacre Site Is Not Investigated" - NYTimes.com

Let's hope this changes and that reporting of these kinds of stories, if they recur, continues.

Monday, October 24, 2011

"Moderate Islamist Party Claims Victory in Tunisia" - NYTimes.com

So much "sorting out" to do to come a full understanding of what this means.

"In Balkans, Smuggling Forges a Rare Unity" - NYTimes.com

More issues capable of repeating themselves all over the Mediterranean.

"The Hazards in Turkey's New Strategy" - NYTimes.com

Turkey's role in the region is becoming more and more important.

"EDF of France Bids for Control of Edison of Italy" - NYTimes.com

A great story on who owns all of the electric companies around the Mediterranean and what the differences are between and among them in terms of power source and all the way to the charges imposed on customers and reliability of service.

"Envisioning University of Future, in Person or Online" - NYTimes.com

Why not in the Mediterranean for everyone around the Sea?

"Berlusconi, sous pression, s'attaque à la réforme des retraites" - Le Monde

How do we layout - perhaps graphically - the optional ways in which Italy survives all this?

"Berlusconi, sous pression, s'attaque à la réforme des retraites" - Le Monde

How do we layout - perhaps graphically - the optional ways in which Italy survives all this?

Sunday, October 23, 2011

"Tunisians Hold First Vote Since Revolution" - NYTimes.com

It surely is nice to see so much good news from here today!

"Palestinian Bid to Join Unesco Could Imperil U.S. Funds" - NYTimes.com

Somebody in this situation can change their minds or their laws or both.

"Abdel-Jalil Promises a Role Islam in a New Libya" - NYTimes.com

Another great chance for hopes to be realized.

"Tunisia Election Faces Financing Questions" - NYTimes.com

How to tell this story so as to communicate it effectively to more people?It's very complicated.

"Les blogueurs tunisiens, entre optimisme et amertume" - Le Figaro

This is how diversity and freedom of expression most often works - many different points of view.

"Le procureur de Marseille a consulté les factures téléphoniques de deux journalistes du "Monde"" - LeMonde.fr

I imagine that this happens in a number of countries around the Mediterranean without ever being reported or challenged. Where?

Saturday, October 22, 2011

"Le site de Mediterraneo" - France 3 Méditerranee

This program is very well done. How many others are there around the Mediterranean?

"Hedi Jaouad: From The Streets Of Tunisia To Wall Stree"t

There are so many interesting people from the Mediterranean all over the world with so much to say; the web permits them all to speak at once! Imagine the good ideas that could be gathered.

"La vie privée est devenue un enjeu de concurrence essentiel entre les réseaux sociaux" - LeMonde.fr

Another issue that could benefit from a thorough review under a full Mediterranean lens.

Friday, October 21, 2011

"New Design on Croatia’s Coast" - NYTimes.com

Looks like it surely merits a visit.

"Speaking for Qaddafi, Then Denouncing Him" - NYTimes.com

We need to see so many more profiles of key people from the Mediterranean so we can understand all so much better.

"Morocco: Peace Corps Trains Moroccan Youth in Journalism" - AllAfrica.com

What other Peace Corps projects are there around the Mediterranean in general and which ones include the media in some fashion?

"French Jet Halted Qaddafi’s Escape From Stronghold" - Bloomberg

I have a feeling that we will see many more versions of this story until we get it all right.

"Moody's Downgrades Spain's Biggest Banks" - NYTimes.com

We need a really good, ongoing, analysis of all banks around the Mediterranean.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

"Rachid al-Ghannouchi Imagines Democratic Future for Tunisia" - NYTimes.com

I hope we will find better and better ways to understand all of this better for everyone's sake.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

"Listeria Outbreak Traced to Colorado Cantaloupe Packing Shed" - NYTimes.com

Wow!

"Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Still Face Peril"- NYTimes.com

One of the massive challenges facing those who cross many Mediterranean borders.

"Va bene?! La Germania in italiano – Italien auf deutsch" - Goethe-Institut 

I wish that I could attend!

"Easing Debt Crisis Will Take Time, E.U. Official Warns" - NYTimes.com

How much more downgrading will we see?

"Greek Workers Start Two-Day Anti-Austerity Strike" - NYTimes.com

I wonder how many more strikes we will see....

"Journalists join strike in Greece before austerity vote" - Daily Tar Heel

How do we get a fuller picture of this?

"Italy’s Interior Minister Anticipates More Unrest" - NYTimes.com

The Mediterranean has witnessed a broad diversity of "unrest" in the past year, not to mention centuries. I wonder how we can put it all into some perspective? The odd report of a protest here or there does not do a very good job of telling what is a complex story.

"California’s Olive Oils Challenge Europe’s" - NYTimes.com

Is it time for a blind taste test competition - the Mediterranean v. the rest of the world?

"Hillary Clinton Meets With New Libyan Leaders in Tripoli" - NYTimes.com

How do we collect informaiton on what all countries are doing by way of assistance to Libya today?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

"Milan Court Throws Out Berlusconi Tax Fraud Case" - NYTimes.com

What sorts of cases are pending against other Mediterranean leaders?

"Tunisia Elections Roiled by Dispute Over the Film ‘Persepolis’" - NYTimes.com

It's so hard for some of us to appreciate why this sort of thing happens, but we need to keep trying to understand better.

"Head of French Spy Agency Faces Inquiry" - NYTimes.com

A very important case, not just for France but for the whole Mediterranean.

"Ilan Grapel, American Held in Egypt as Israeli Spy, Could Be Freed in Prisoner Swap" - NYTimes.com

American citizens, as well as French, and every other nationality, must be very careful - as well as having good intentions - in traveling the Mediterranean these days.

"Greece’s Bloated Bureaucracy Defies Efforts to Cut It" - NYTimes.com

The pile of things we don't understand fully continues to grow ever higher.

"Israel and Palestinians Begin Prisoner Exchange" - NYTimes.com

How many prisoners are being helf across national borders in the Mediterranean?

Monday, October 17, 2011

"King Abdullah II of Jordan Fires His Government" - NYTimes.com

We are getting to think of huge government changes as being almost normal. That's not a good idea.

"In Cairo Quarter, Islamists Try to Profit From Revolution" - NYTimes.com

Increased democracy is surely not a path to the predictable.

"In Italy, Recrimination Follows Rome Riots" - NYTimes.com

How much more of this are we going to see around the Mediterranean?

"Italy Strengthens Universities in South to Blur Economic Divide" - NYTimes.com

I can imagine a Mediterranean Media Center meeting on the universities of the Mediterranean and how they relate in so many ways to the region's media.

Vive L'Union - NYTimes.com

Vive L'Union - NYTimes.com

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

"Egypt Withdraws as Host" - The New York Times

Sports and the Mediterranean deserve so much more attention on every level, not just the reports of big matches, but behind the scenes as well.

Monday, October 10, 2011

"Social Media Accounts of Violence in Cairo Challenge Official Narrative" - The New York Times

We have to develop tools that will allow us to better filter the cascade of information emerging as a result of social media use. This just is not good enough.

"Tunisian Islamists Riot Over Animated Film About Iran"

It's hard to talk about what you cannot see.

"Copts Clash With Egyptian Troops in Cairo, Leaving 24 Dead" - Businessweek

This is very troubling news.

Friday, October 07, 2011

Thursday, October 06, 2011

"In a Changed Libya, Schools Face New Challenges" - NYTimes.com

What could be more important than education all over the Mediterranean?

"Real Estate in Montenegro" - NYTimes.com

Another reminder of the need to understand better real estate all around the Mediterranean...not just the very expensive places, but where most people call home.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

"Tunisia’s Interim Leader Essebsi Defends Gradualist Path" - NYTimes.com

Each country of the region must make terribly important decisions about the future.

Monday, October 03, 2011

"Greece’s Urgency Challenges European Union Efforts" - NYTimes.com

This crisis remains very much focused on the Mediterranean part of the Euro zone.

"Mosque Set on Fire in Northern Israel" - NYTimes.com

More reason why we need to understand so much better the religions of the Mediterranean.

"Tasting Humble and High Cuisine in Istanbul" - NYTimes.com

One of the reasons, I think, that Turkey is advancing in the region! What do others in the region think of Turkish food?

Sunday, October 02, 2011

"High-End Dining in Italy" - NYTimes.com

How does one compare the food of Italy with the food of the rest of the Mediterranean? Is it a question of image or fact?

Saturday, October 01, 2011

"In Greece, Barter Networks Surge" - NYTimes.com

I still think there are limits as to how far the Greeks and others can be pushed.

"Kobe Bryant To Italy: Virtus Bologna Scrambles To Finish Up The Deal"

There surely is very little of this sort of Mediterranean assignment for US sports stars.

"After Much Wrangling, General Assembly Seats National Transitional Council of Libya as Country’s Representative for Sixty-Sixth Session"

I think the official name of Libya is now simply "Libya".

"Turkey's Quiet Deal Keeps U.S. Close, Israel Not Far" - NPR

The continued rise in importance of Turkey.

"Kurdish Protesters Besiege Newspaper" - NYTimes.com

Among other things, I think this demonstrates the perceived power of the press.

"Group backing Basque separatists disbands" - TriCities.com

The relationship between newspapers and other media and interest groups, especially ones like ETA, is extremely important. The rest of us need to make sure those relationships are fully and transparently reported so everyone can judge ideas knowing who authored or paid for them.

"Les Portugais de nouveau dans la rue contre l'austérité" - Le Monde

A good example of why we need much more regional coverage around the Mediterranean about the economic situation, and especially the situation in individual countries, some of which we sometimes omit, like Portugal.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

"Greece Adopts New Property Tax" - NYTimes.com

What are all of the property taxes around the Mediterranean?

"US expresses deep disappointment as Israel announces new settlements" - The Washington Post

The metaphor that best fits this situation is that of two people negotiating over a piece of cheese. One of those people sits in a chair, not touching the cheese, while the other nibbles away at the cheese.
How can one every make progress in that environment?

"Fearing Change, Many Syrian Christians Back Assad" - NYTimes.com

More to learn about all religions of the Mediterranean.

"Boston Museum Returns Bust to Turkey" - NYTimes.com

More good news.

"Serbia - Property Confiscated After WWII to Be Returned" - NYTimes.com

European Union negotiations have had a big impact on the policies of Mediterranean countries.

"Spain - Parliament Dissolved" - NYTimes.com

More Mediterranean turbulence.

Monday, September 26, 2011

"Israel - Dead Sea Scrolls Now Available Online" - NYTimes.com

So much more from the Mediterranean to get online.

"Turkish Paper Names Israelis It Says Were in Flotilla Raid" - NYTimes.com

Clearly, one of the most important Mediterranean cases in search of resolution.

"Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan Blasts Syria, Israel" - NPR

A very interesting interview.

"Algerian Activists Struggle Amid Confusion on Social Networks" - NYTimes.com

We have been far too quick to associate social networks with all of the actions taken in the Arab world in the past year. There is a need now to sort out some truth from the rest and to try to understand better just how new ways of connecting people are affecting something like protests in Algeria.

"In Mideast Riddle, Turkey Offers Itself as an Answer" - NYTimes.com

Turkey is surely a country that could play a huge role in advancing the quality of the whole Mediterranean region.

"Muslim Students Convicted of Disrupting Israeli Envoy's Speech" - NYTimes.com

Conflicts in the Mediterranean play out in many different places and while context is important, speech is more important.

"Italian Company Resumes Oil Production in Libya" - NYTimes.com

The natural resources of the Mediterranean merit far more detailed reporting beyond the hot news of the day.

"Libyans Say Qaddafi Loyalists Mounted Raid From Algeria" - NYTimes.com

If true, this strikes me as quite serious, involving at least one other country of the Mediterranena. (Niger has already been placed on a suspect list by some.)

"Germany’s Love for Greece" - NYTimes.com

We need to see a lot more of this kind of analysis in order to relate better the rest of the world to the Mediterranean.

"Even an ancient canal is cultural heritage " - EUROMED

We need to know so much more about the canals - past, present and future - that I have served the countries of the Mediterranean.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

"Investors Ask if Anything Can Save Greece From Default" - NYTimes.com

I sure hope that the Mediterranean has its best reporters - local and foreign- working on this story. There seems to me to be so much of it yet untold and so much that is left to people whose doors are almost always closed. How to change that?

"Rivalries Impede Government Formation in Libya" - NYTimes.com

This will take time, and we need to know all that we can about what's happening.

"Palestinians Give Abbas a Hero’s Welcome" - NYTimes.com

How leaders relate to the people they serve is at the core of the Mediterranean future.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

"As Welfare State Collapses, Greeks Suffer and Fear Future" - NYTimes.com

There has been far too little reporting about this aspect of the crisis.

"Syria - Woman Held by Security Is Beheaded, Rights Group Says" - NYTimes.com

Thorough reporting of all aspects of this crisis is needed.

"Our Man in Tripoli" - NYTimes.com

Knowing more about the lives of the peope reporting all around the Mediterranean is a good thing.

"Palestinian Kids' Art Deemed Unsuitable For Children" - NPR

I find myself thoroughly skeptical of the rationale provided. What did the Jewish community, either groups or individuals, say about the exhibit before the decision to cancel was taken?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

"Palestinian economy ramps up for potential statehood" - Marketplace

There are too many things standing in the way of our really understanding what is happening there.

"Europe to Redouble Efforts to Stimulate Growth in Greece" - NYTimes.com

Right or wrong, we seem to be learning that one can be pushed only so far.

"King Abdullah: Jordan Needs 'Stable Middle Class'" - NPR

We don't see many interviews with kings. How many countries of the Mediterranean have them?

"Egypt's Political Turmoil Drives Foreign Tourists Away" - NPR

In contrast with Greece.

"France fines two women for refusing to remove veils" - The Globe and Mail

The media of the region need to be concerned about this for reasons that go well beyond public reaction. It sets quite a bad precedent.

"In Egypt, Islamists Reach Out to Wary Secularists" - NYTimes.com

How can we follow this more regularly than through these excellent, buy spotty, stories appearing in The New York Times and elsewhere?

"Palestinian statehood team cause for concern" - Al Jazeera English

So much for the rest of us to understand better, from all perspectives.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

"Shelly Yacimovitch élue présidente du parti travailliste israélien" - Le Monde

So many elected leaders to understand so much better around the entire Mediterranean.

"400 Books Banned From Algeria Book Fair" - NYTimes.com

This is not a good development.

"To Tourists, Greek Debt Crisis Is a Distant Concept" - NYTimes.com

With all of the tumult in the region, we need to get a fresh handle on the state of tourism.

"Turkey’s Leadership" - NYTimes.com

We need to understand so much more about all leaders around the Mediterranean.

"The Surreal Ruins of Qaddafi’s Never-Never Land" - NYTimes.com

I am sure we will continue to learn a lot more about him and his decades running Libya.

"Western Finance Bodies Face Challenges in Funding Arab Spring Countries" - NYTimes.com

This requires a lot more solid reporting, from the perspective of Mediterranean countries.

"Obama’s Tax on Millionaires" - NYTimes.com

Around the Mediterranean?

"Spain Examines Long Hidden Swiss Account" - NYTimes.com

There is a huge amount of reporting on financial matters that is needed all around the Mediterranean.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

"Italian scientists on trial over L'Aquila earthquake" - CNN.com

Important case.

"Despite Wiretaps and Economic Woe, Berlusconi Endures" - NYTimes.com

How does he do it?

In Turkey, a No-Men-Allowed Answer to Unruly Fan Behavior - NYTimes.com

What a surprising but perhaps logical move.

"Islam-Based Party Is Banned" - NYTimes.com

This is a tough subject, no matter how one slices it, but restrictions on what people can say alone or in groups is not a positive direction in which to travel.

"Italy Rejects S.&.P. Downgrade" - NYTimes.com

Well, that's one possible response, for sure!

Monday, September 19, 2011

"As Greece Struggles, the World Imagines a Default" - NYTimes.com

It is getting so much more imaginable.

"Q&A: Morocco in Winter" - NYTimes.com

Useful.

"Spain's foreclosure crisis" - Marketplace From American Public Media

We should be looking at mortgages and foreclosures in all countries of the Mediterranean.

"Greece Scrambles To Show It Can Cut Budget Deficit" - NPR

My sense is that the situation in Greece is far worse than what we are seeing - mostly in terms of how Greeks feel about it. We need more reporting of the Greek person ont he street all over the country.

"Professor works with Libyan rebels" - The Daily Tar Heel

I wonder if he has been interviewed by any local media and why there is not a link to the project on which he is working?

Thousands Revive Protests in Morocco - NYTimes.com

The problem with these sorts of stories is that they pop up like mushrooms and then coverage disappears until there is some event to spark a review. That's a real indictment of how the Mediterranean winds up getting covered for most people.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

"Greece Nears a Tipping Point in Its Debt Crisis" - NYTimes.com

The clouds over Greece are looking more and more ominous.

"Turkey Predicts Partnership With Egypt as Regional Anchors" - NYTimes.com

New Mediterranean relationships are evolving very quickly.

"Tumult of Arab Spring Prompts Worries in Washington" - NYTimes.com

It has become increasingly difficult, I believe, for the US to relate effectively with many countries overseas, including all those around the Mediterranean. Think about it.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

"Israel - Adrift at Sea Alone" - NYTimes.com

More light here, too.

"In Italy and America, the Affliction of Comfort" - NYTimes.com

More light and less heat, thank goodness.

"Israel and Turkey, Foes and Much Alike" - NYTimes.com

Relationships between and among Mediterranean countries remains of critical importance as does the need to understand every aspect of each.

"Silvio Berlusconi wiretaps reveal boast of spending night with eight women" - The Observer

No more comment needed.

"U.N. Takes Steps to Assist Libya’s Transitional Leaders" - NYTimes.com

A significant move.

"For Palestinians, U.N. Is Best Chance to Change Conflict’s Dynamics" - NYTimes.com

This will be a dramatic few days in New York and elsewhere.

"Aref Nayed, Man of God and Technology, Tries to Steady Libya" - NYTimes.com

We need better - and always more current - information about all leaders of Mediterranan countries. Today, it is spotty, often out-of-date and not at all easily accessible.

"Libya Counts Its Martyrs, but the Bodies Don’t Add Up" - NYTimes.com

We need to dig so much deeper into the truth of Libya today.

"Bonne nouvelle : le mérou est de retour en Méditerranée" -| La Provence

It's nice to see a positive story like this, but it all needs to be put in a larger context.

Friday, September 16, 2011

"Aref Nayed, Man of God and Technology, Tries to Steady Libya" - NYTimes.com

We need to understand so much about so many new names.

"Scandale sexuel : Silvio Berlusconi n'a "pas honte" de son comportement" - LeMonde.fr

This surely speaks for itself.

"Toddler to be adopted after court rules parents too old"

How would this issue play out around the Mediterranean?

"Anti-Israel Rally in Jordan Also Exposes Arab Rifts" - NYTimes.com

The "anti" sentiment expressed in so many places needs to be chronicled better around the Mediterranean. Israel is not the only target for demonstrations, and it would be helpful to see just what is being protested where on a map of the region.

"Egypt Sentences Mubarak-Era Tycoon, Ahmed Ezz, to Prison" - NYTimes.com

We ought to strive toward both a practical and contemporary understanding of how legal systems work all around the Mediterranean.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

"Spain to Reinstate Wealth Tax It Dropped 3 Years Ago" - NYTimes.com

It looks quite likely that wealthy people will be paying more taxes quite soon in many countries. What does it look like around the Mediterranean.

"France - Time Limits on Begging" - NYTimes.com

This raises some tough questions about freedom.

"In Libya, Islamists’ Growing Sway Raises Questions" - NYTimes.com

How can we best follow the Libyan evolution?

"Israeli Diplomats Leave Jordan Ahead of Protest" - NYTimes.com

How can we begin to treat Israel in some new way? It gets too much attention as it is, and in order to promote peach, the balance neeeds to be struck anew.

"Austerity in Italy May Not End Its Jobs-for-Votes System" - NYTimes.com

Another exhibit in the case to be made on why Mediterranean countries merit so much more professional media coverage, like this story. We need to be able to compare and contrast among all of the nations of this region.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

"Arts & Leisure Weekend at the Centro Neimeyer" - NYTimes

What a neat, innovative program!

"Libya’s War-Tested Women Hope to Keep New Power" - NYTimes.com

The role of women around the Mediterranean needs more reporting so we can understand it better.

Monday, September 12, 2011

"Arab Spring Blooms On Libyan Radio" - NPR

I have not seen a version of this that covers the printed press - in Libya or any of the other countries in the Arab Spring region.

"Critics of Italian Austerity Plan Find Rallying Point" - NYTimes.com

Those who oppose change, for whatever reason, have so much easier a job of finding rallying points than often is the case for proponents of change. It would be interesting for the MMC to have a discussion about whether this is true, and if so where, and to what effect around the Mediterranean.

"Reports See Fiscal Woes Undermining Palestinians" - NYTimes.com

Another need to probe more deeply in a difficult environment for all.

"Three Options for Peace Between Palestinians and Israel" - Interactive Map - NYTimes.com

While this is useful, there are many other options as well.

"Le blocage d'une résolution à l'ONU contre la Syrie est "un scandale", selon Paris" - Le Monde

There continue to be so many quickly evolving issues around the Mediterranean and yet we continue to treat them as stray bullets. Such a compelling need to look at them in a broader context beyond national boundaries.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

"Returning Greece to the Drachma" - NYTimes.com

We surely need to understand more of the specifics of how this would work.

"Greece Announces New Measures to Close Budget Gap" - NYTimes.com

While we focus on Greece, I think we also need to have a better means to compare how the economies of all countries around the Mediterranean are performing in the volatile global marketplace.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

"Beyond Cairo Embassy Attack, Israel Senses Wider Siege" - NYTimes.com

The role of Israel in the Mediterranean is complex and largely operating on myth. We need to understand it so much better than most of us do. That's the role of the Mediterranean - to explain it for us.

"Greek Economy Will Shrink More Than Expected, Finance Minister Says" - NYTimes.com

How can we help others follow Greece better than these occasional bursts of reporting? How do we provide a real time measure of how Greece is doing from multiple perspectives so that both those readings, and what they mean, can be reported better by more Mediterranean media?