"BRITAIN has joined forces with France and Germany to agree a major step towards giving the European Union a military arm independent of Nato.

The proposals, which were presented to EU foreign ministers meeting in Naples last night, threaten a transatlantic rift by accelerating Franco-German plans for a separate European military identity.

Under the proposal, the EU will be able to conduct operations independently of America and Nato as a centrepiece of a new EU defence policy."

I can understand why a trans-Atlantic rift would arise; the EU is a clear threat to the United States' 'world-dominance'. However, the EU does have the right to a joint military force, and this has been in the public pipelines since the mid-nineties.

As a EU citizen, the kind of talk that comes out of the Bush administration regarding Europe frustrates me. Europe will undoubtedly be a single state someday soon, and historically, unions of states have been precursors to great nations. Great nations like China and Russia - nations that the Bush administration schmoozes rather than threatens, even when such nations constantly veto America's efforts at the UN, for example.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that becoming hooked up on issues like those mentioned here is dangerous; it breaks friendships and polarizes power even further. I can understand that since America helped Europe in the Second World War, Europe is expected to bow to every whim of our trans-Atlantic cousins. But on the other side of the coin, each country has sovereignty to defend itself and have its own foreign policy - even if the country in question poses economical and military threats to existing world powers.

You can read the full article I have quoted above, at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-912293,00.html

I bought a new mobile phone at last. The battery points on my old phone (Nokia 6210) kept coming loose and the phone wouldn't stay on for more than an hour or so without switching itself off. Anyway, I've moved onto the Nokia 3300 - it has an MP3 player, radio, WAP over GPRS (so I can stay connected on the move) - it's tricked out.

It's amazing how true it is that we take advantage of what we have in the richer countries of the world.

I read something today that agitated me somewhat. It was an email from a group here on TIG letting us know about an e-learning workshop @ WSIS the week after next. I totally support these efforts, but what annoyed me is that there is nobody on the workshop without a degree. Every single one of them has a masters or a PHD in something. I'm not an outright supporter of university as the 'only way to live', in fact I think people can do just as well or even better using alternative routes.

Sunday nights aren't my favourite, I just can't sleep - no idea why, I guess it has something to do with the fact I have to go back to a job in which I'm not happy. Anyway, I took some sleeping pills last night to make sure I got a good night sleep - ignoring the warning of side effects.

I slept right through my two alarm clocks and a phone call (which apparently was a conversation - couldn't have been very exciting). When I finally became conscious and up until this time (10.54am) I'm dizzy.

I don't get along too well with sleep. I can either be found doing all-nighters, night after night - getting those important things done. Or I'll be asleep 12 to 13 hours a night.

To continue with my work ... signing out

So it's finally happened. So called 'Islamic terrorism' (such a paradoxical name) has reached British interests. The UK Consul-General to Turkey is dead amongst (at least the last time I checked) 24 and 300 injured. Britain is no stranger to terrorism. Through the past three decades there has been terrorism on British mainland in cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and London.

One thing I do not understand is why Turkey is being used as the playing field to hurt Israeli, British and other foreign targets.

I have been looking at the directory of events at and around the World Summit on the Information Society, being held in three weeks time in Geneva. The following few are the ones I would really hope to attend:

Tuesday

Oracle Presentation
Palexpo Room O

Wednesday

Youth Caucus (09.30 - 16.30)
Palexpo, Conference Center, Room S

Thursday

Perspectives on the Internet media and south youth dialogue (09.30 - 12.30)
Palexpo Room T

Friday

Information Security (09.30 - 12.30)
Palexpo Room S
http://www.apkit.ru http://www.fort-ross.ru/wsis/index.html

Helloworld Project.
This project sounds exciting.

"HELLOWORLD is an interactive installation though which Johannes Gees intends to make the World Summit visible and actively involve civil society across several continents.
The inclusion of civil society is an important topic at the World Summit. HELLOWORLD will allow the general public to participate directly in the WSIS from 9 to 12 December. Short messages can be sent via the Internet or SMS. After being evaluated by SRI editorial staff, messages will be projected via laser beam in the six UN languages onto major sites in three cities: on the fountain in Geneva, on the Air India building in Mumbai and onto the Morro dois Irmaos in Rio de Janeiro. People in the cities of Geneva, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro will be able to witness these global moments. At the same time, these projected messages will appear in the PALEXPO hall, where the World Summit will take place. "