Back in the U.S.A

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Before I start my post, check out the new link!  Disney just got compared to something they might not appreciate.

I spent around 2 months in Brussels, Belgium interning for the European Parliament.
Sorry...I just love saying that all together.  It has a nice ring to it!

Anyways, it was definitely a worthwhile experience.  As I am very interested in international politics and diplomacy, this was the perfect opportunity for me to broaden my horizons and learn more about a government I was not very familiar with.

I worked in the office of the Vice of Legal Affairs.  I did so much copyright research and synthesizing that I am quite surprised my head didn't burst. Along with this, I got to draft speeches and messages for my MEP.  The research that I did do for my internship was very interesting and helped me to realize the interesting world of copyright and intellectual property law.  My only problem now is if I want to pursue intellectual property law, I need to have a degree in a science-related field.  Alas, I do not.  Dilemmas...

While in Europe, I got to go to some very beautiful and interesting countries.  While being in Belgium, I stayed in Brussels and travelled to Gent.  I also went to Zurich, Switzerland and Fribourg, Switzerland.  To Switzerland, I stopped in Koln, Germany.  Every place that I went to was so beautiful and breath-taking.  The landscape was to die for and the air was cleaner.  When walking along the river, I could not help but wonder why our lands and bodies of water could not be as clear and clean as it was in Switzerland.

After the two months, I am now home in the United States.  In Europe I would travel and do research to aid my MEP's knowledge on copyright, and to further his involvement in diplomacy.  What do I do now?  Study for the LSAT...sigh...

Until next time!

Transparency

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NEW LINK!
Check it out, it's...innovative to say the least.  However, warning, it's not the for the weak stomachs.

In other news, what are you waiting for Weiner?
You've already lied to the public.  
You started out by denying the pictures, saying they were not taken by you.  Then you recant and say you aren't sure, they could be yours, but you it is not a definite yes.  Then, finally, you tell the truth about taking pictures of your genitals and sending them promiscuously to some random woman - stupidly cheating on your very successful and beautiful wife.
One would think it would stop there, but of course not.  Four days ago Weiner announced he was resigning from office.  Unfortunate, but necessary after the political suicide this scandal has caused him.  However, it has been four days and he still has yet to leave office.

I am very sorry it had to end this way Rep. Anthony Weiner.  I'm sorry you did not have a tactful PR team telling you that it is always best, in these moments, to be as transparent as possible.  The public will have sympathy for you if you remain truthful and very apologetic.  We'll take it as a sign of loyalty to us - your constituency.  However, alas, you chose the worst route and now you are here.  The best thing you can do now is just leave.  Please, before your reputation begins to rust.

Never underestimate the power of having a creative and intellectual PR team.

"Junk Science"

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Let's start off this entry by talking about "junk science."
According to Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania GOP senator and current 2012 GOP presidential candidate, climate change is "junk science."  They're saying that he publicly announced this to set himself apart from other GOP candidate, Mitt Romney.
So what does Mr. Santorum have to say to back-up this claim?  Here are some quotes from Santorum in Politico's article:
"I believe the earth gets warmer and I also believe the earth gets cooler," Santorum said. "And I think history points out that it does that and that the idea that man, through the production of CO2 — which is a trace gas in the atmosphere, and the man-made part of that trace gas is itself a trace gas — is somehow responsible for climate change is, I think, just patently absurd when you consider all the other factors, El Niño, La Niña, sunspots, moisture in the air. There's a variety of factors that contribute to the Earth warming and cooling."
"To me, this is an opportunity for the left to create — it's really a beautifully concocted scheme because they know that the earth is gonna cool and warm," Santorum said. "And so it's been on a warming trend so they said, 'Oh, let's take advantage of that and say that we need the government to come in and regulate your life some more because it's getting warmer.' Just like they did in the '70s when it was getting cooler. They needed the government to come in and regulate your life because it's getting cooler."
Is it just me or is this all jibberish?
Does he even understand how the scientists were able to prove that global warming exists?  Other factors?  How about the rising sea levels?
Word of advice Santorum, if you don't understand something, it may be best to just not speak of it - at least at the start of your campaign.

In other news, I did not have to go to the European Parliament today.  Since Fridays are half days, my MEP's assistants told me it wouldn't really be worth it.
So instead, I have been doing my readings on copyright from the comfort of my bed.  Mmm...warm sheets and government shut downs...

Well, that's all I have right now. Until further notice...

How could you Barbie?

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Finally got that brief on the "Copyright in the Digital Age" conference done. Hooray!
It was not a tedious or hard task.  To be frank, I just kept getting distracted by music and facebook...
ALSO other research.  It's hard staying focused on writing a briefing when I felt like there was other research just waiting to jump onto the Hanna-Knowledge train.
Speaking of other research, I actually did find some articles that looked very interesting and useful.  Here's to hoping to make a difference!

On a completely different note, have you guys seen Greenpeace's new campaign?
Apparently Ken just found out that Barbie is, of all things (anorexic), a serial killer!
Yes, she is into deforestation and Ken will just not have that!
Why, might you ask, is Greenpeace doing this?  Here's what they have to say:
Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, is feeding this nasty habit by using paper packaging for the world's most famous toy from Indonesia's most notorious rainforest destroyer Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). 
They even made a cute little video of Ken being interviewed and getting "surprised" with information on his beloved Barbie:


I personally have to say good job Greenpeace.  Way to really use social media to your advantage.  What most companies need to understand these days is if you want your message to go viral, get it on #Twitter, @Facebook, and post it on your blog.  This generation, my generation, is the most important public because they are the way that messages get into the limelight.

How about your thoughts?

Alright, that's all for know.  Until next time...

Helplessness Blues

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The above needs to be accredited to the lovely Fleet Foxes.

They're really hitting the spot right now as I am trying to relax after a day at the European Parliament.
I didn't do particularly much to need relaxation, but the stress of being rather bored today, I feel, is enough.

On a brighter note, I finally got my real badge! Now I don't have to call the assistants every time I want to enter through the building.
Hooray!


So in political news...how about Weiner?
Yeah, I know, old news.
For those of you that don't know, Rep. Anthony D. Weiner released photos of his penis on twitter. Of course, it got exploited.  For a while, he didn't fess up to it.  Saying he couldn't be quite sure that he had released that photo or not.  To that, I felt John Stewart said it best.  To paraphrase, how can you not know what your own penis looks like?
Regardless, he finally admitted to putting the photos on the web in relations with a woman.
Now?  He's refusing to resign and now Pelosi is calling for an ethics investigation on the whole scandal.
It's great that Weiner wants to stay committed to his job and what he probably feels are his "duties," but after this much scandal?  Nobody is going to want you to be in charge of anything. How can they? You couldn't even recognize your own penis and now you expect people to trust your judgment?

Well folks, that's all I have for today.  Until next time...

Pssst!

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A quick reminder...

Check out my "latest link" tab.
There you will find a link to what I found the most intriguing this week.
Hint for what it is about?
Her last name rhymes with failin'....
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Belgium is an interesting place.  Despite not having insurance, the doctor's appointment was 30 euros and the medicine was around 14 euros.  That's not bad considering the $90 prescriptions we are sometimes subjected to in the states.

Today I did not have to go in to the parliament.  Alessandra and Francesco (the assistants to my MEP, Luigi Berlinguer) are in Strasbourg, getting ready to vote on important issues.  There is a girl to let me in, but alas, she was not in today.
My fingers are crossed for the contract law reformations!!  Let's hope "could favour" doesn't lead to a disaster.  I've been recently doing so much research on copyright debates and laws that my head could explode.  But interestingly enough, I find it rather amusing...
If anything else, I know this will help me greatly for my future law school endeavors.

Speaking of which, must get on studying for the LSATs.  I'm very stressed since I am taking it in October, but I really just cannot motivate myself to start studying in Belgium.  However, July, August, and September are days in which there will be no sunlight for me.  It'll be LSAT books and test preps.

So here's to another day Brussels, Belgium.  Missing home like crazy, but loving Brussels while I am here.

Until next time...
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