Much that defines our age is not constructed of boulders but is composed as a mosaic. These pebbles we overlook because the detail obscures the whole. This ad hoc column presents some of these missed details that might deserve attention.
 
1. Serbia has voted. A relative moderate won the presidency against a radical extremist. Europe talks of a reward. It is EU membership. The question arises, who is not a future candidate? When will “Myanmar” be allowed to join?

2. My grandson is to enter the school that prepares for a college-track secondary education. The consensus in his community is that their public school, having been captured by educationalists, is a mess. Unless, of course is you regard “feel-good” a substitute for education. And this in a country that used to be dedicated to excellence and not to loafing! The private alternative costs around $18,000. Add to this the taxes that pay for public education. One realizes that, sadly, the voucher plan, originally an American issue, is becoming a general concern.

A quote from the Italian press agency AKI, 15 February 2008

Islamic courts must be ruled out in Britain and other Western countries if the democratic rights of all their citizens are to be safeguarded, Iranian born activist Homa Arjomand, told Adnkronos International (AKI). […] She strongly disagreed with remarks made earlier in February by the head of the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who claimed that Islamic (Sharia) courts in Britain seemed "inevitable" and could aid "social cohesion".

A Czech friend sends me this good news: Prague Czech lawmakers re-elected Václav Klaus Czech president for another five-year term in the third round of the second presidential election where he received a majority of votes and beat his rival candidate Jan Svejnar.

Klaus, who was nominated by the senior ruling Civic Democrats (ODS), gained support from a total of 141 lawmakers , which was the same number as in the first and second rounds.

In the third round of second and open presidential election Prof. Václav Klaus, a candidate of the senior ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) beat Prof. Jan Švejnar, supported by the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) and junior ruling Greens (SZ).

Yesterday I received a copy of an open letter from Aidan White, the General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). And very odd it was. It talked about the idea of a new journalist registration system, with Mr White pointing out that such a thing already exists in the shape of the IFJ card.

Yesterday, the French press agency AFP ran a report about Ayaan Hirsi Ali under the above title. Ms. Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born former member of the Dutch Parliament, was in the European Parliament in Brussels trying to raise funds to protect her from Islamist death threats. “I don’t want to die, I want to live and I love life. I find myself in a very desperate position,” she said at a press conference in the parliament building.

The New York Times has a slide show A Life less Dolce, “in a funk, Italy sings an aria of disappointment.”  It’s a splendid visualization of the declining welfare state model. Along with the pictures we learn that:

A quote from Eduard Gnesa, director of the Swiss migration office, at Swiss Info, 14 February 2008

It's also possible under Swiss law to expel the [non-Swiss] parents of juvenile delinquents, for example, if they neglect their children or fail to comply with conditions set by the school authorities. […] We don't want ghettos or a two-class society like in Britain or suburbs like in France where [immigrant youth] set cars on fire.

A quote from AFP, 15 February 2008

Six youths were arrested in Copenhagen for setting cars and dumpsters ablaze and throwing stones at police in a fifth night of riots in a predominantly immigrant area of the Danish capital, police said Friday. […] "We don't know why they're rioting. I think it's because they're bored. Some people say it's because of the cartoons but that's not my opinion," [Chief Inspector Henrik Olesen of the Copenhagen police told AFP]. He was referring to the reprinting of a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in 17 Danish newspapers on Wednesday. […]

A quote from the Italian press agency AKI, 14 February 2008

Association of Moroccan Women in Italy president, Souad Sbai, claims that some Muslim women in the north of Italy are being kept chained up in their homes. “In northern Italy, there are women that live chained at home, from the kitchen to the bathroom, without being able to open the door,” said the leader of the women’s group. In the North [of Italy] there are 4 and 5 year old girls that wear the [Islamic] veil in the summer, and in the winter. This is the culture of male chauvinists, of fundamentalists – and nobody is shocked”.

A quote from Jim Murphy, the British Minister of State for Europe, on his blog, 12 February 2008

A Referendum [on the Lisbon Treaty] will cost an incredible £110 million. That's enough for a new Eastwood High School, Barrhead High School, Carolside Primary School, Calderwood Lodge and St Cadocs Primary School put together and still have £30 million left over. Most people in East Renfrewshire know which is better value for money for our area. […]