YOUR SAY, East Europe –People in English-speaking countries awareness of European foods is in some cases, low. Especially East European cuisine.

Following the huge popularity of our Serbian food article, and given this journal is read in over 975 cities worldwide, we would like to extend an invitation to you.
For Our East European Readers!
Please, write an article about the local cuisine of your city, region or country.
We want to know about what national foods you like to eat, what are the best examples of national cuisine, what you get homesick for …

REVIEWS, Europe — So being from Europe, Eurovision is a national pastime and real conversation piece this time of years.
I like to think of it as a way of watching a variety of cultures, and their attitudes to themselves. At 2thinknow, we study cultures, and globalism, so it is home-work!
Eurovision Song Contest – Belgrade 2008 Preview Player
Essentially a singing contest, with one representative of each nation, often controversially selected. The most interesting part is the voting, where neighboring countries often vote for or against each other, depending on the politics. …

COMMENT, Serbia — Healthy and delicious serbian food! Serbians eat big meals. Huge meals in fact. Bigger than Americans often!
Yet Serbs are generally fit, healthy and not fat. No obesity problems.

And Serbians even eat Hamburgers, although with a lot less ‘bad stuff’ inside!
Serbians are mostly healthy as a result of the homecooked dishes they eat. With no additives and not from the supermarket. Although, this is changing.
Generally Serbians who live in Serbia do not have obesity problems despite the fact they eat large portions of meat. Serbians who live in …

COMMENT, Balkans –I hate ignorance.
And bad ideas in nice policy binders.
Kosovo independence for 2 million Kosovars is a bad idea in a nice binder.
There’s only 2 million Kosovars. Balance that against the population of the Balkans, many of whom are not for the independence, as they will be the ones likely dragged into a war.
As Bismarck once said, “Albania, it’s a geographic expression.” (well that’s what he said about Albania, but you get the idea about Kosovo – which is even smaller.)
Families like yours and mine will die in their …

ANALYSIS, Balkans — There is a lot of discussion over an independent Kosovo.
Most of this naively assumes such independence is good, like independence is a golden panacea for the problems of the Balkans.

Much of this presumes, that the Balkans is a child-ish conflict. But the Serbs are not the ‘bad kids’ to be sternly warned by the US and EU. The causes are far more complex.
Too often nascent racism is played out, calling the Serbs ‘bad’ and to be blamed for the original conflict. There are more dirty hands regionally. …

COMMENT, Sydney and Global – Global is a word often thrown around like candy at Halloween.
Too often global operations have inbuilt assumptions that people are the same everywhere. We all do it.
The assumption of homogeneity effects Customers. Employees. Suppliers.
Assumptions of homogeneity are exacerbated when people speak the same language, often English.
These assumptions can cause big issues. Issues that surface when expanding into overseas markets or staffing a remote operation or even visiting foreign lands.
Why do we assume?
Too often we see similar western accoutrement’s like McDonalds, CDs, computers, internet, CNN, DVDs, …

ANALYSIS, Melbourne – With the recent tense stand-off in British relations, intelligent people are underestimating Russian power, when Russia has traditionally (even under the Tsar) been a pole of power in Europe.
The Russian Bear has always viewed the concept of diminished power as rather misleading, hence the recent ‘strong-man’ photos of Putin fishing as well as renewed nuclear force deployment and military investment.
Russian & America: Mein Freund?
US discussions on a missile shield in Poland/Czech republic were ostensibly to protect Europe from ‘rogue’ states.
Of course, no one in the US really …