Cuba

Cataluña Mi Amor – Catalonia’s Romantic Revolution

Posted on November 2, 2017 by gskaye

The Catalonian saga makes Brexit look positively boring and predictable. To begin with, an illegal referendum is so much more exciting and romantic than a legal one, even if the Brexit referendum was flawed. The Brits – bless them –… Continue Reading →

One Expat And His Blog

Welcome to CRYSTAL HORIZONS. The blog after the blog before. The "shares" have disappeared, but the posts haven't. If you think that 2018 was eventful, you ain’t seen nothing yet. This blog was originally about the EU and Brexit. Understandable because I’m half a British expat living in continental Europe (my other half is French). In my intro page I did mention that this blog is like cheese and will mature, and so it has... It has now acquired a new name - CRYSTAL HORIZONS. So many things are happening in the world that it’s obvious that not everything revolves around Brexit. My opinions haven’t changed though, and I still think that smashing the EU door is certainly not the political answer to the UK's philosophical dream. As for the blog, it still revolves around philosophy, politics and has a tinge of satire. Can philosophers and other learned individuals help me understand what the hell is going on?

Take Your Pick

The Posts That Were

Voltaire: "My God Hates You, but I don't."

gskaye

One of the most important philosophical challenges we are facing today is that of intolerance, particularly religious intolerance. Repeated terrorist attacks in France, Belgium and elsewhere, remind us all of how far these intolerant religious believers are prepared to go. A possible explanation of why religious believers react violently when challenged is a phenomenon known as... Read more

The Posts That Were

Politicians Have Taken the UK to the Brink of Extremism

gskaye

Having left the UK in 1984, I am beginning to wonder if my motherland is not the outward looking and relaxed land that I thought it was. I love the UK, don’t get me wrong. I can assure you that, on the 24th June, I was one of the most upset persons in the EU,... Read more

The Posts That Were

Charles de Gaulle: Why the EU and UK Will Never Understand Each Other

gskaye

Divorce can be a messy and expensive business. In the same way that people don’t get married with the intention of filing a divorce, I’m convinced that the UK didn’t initially join the EU (or European Economic Community, as it then was), in order to cause chaos and leave it. However, at least one notable... Read more

The Posts That Were

"What's up Doc?" - The UK's Allergic Reaction to Brexit

gskaye

I thought, at first, that in endorsing the UK parliament’s right to vote for the triggering of Article 50, the High Court ruling was a good thing. Having heard Theresa May’s views that it wouldn’t change her timetable or attitude, and other politicians saying that they were going to vote for Brexit anyway, has made... Read more

The Posts That Were

Democracy Menaced by...Democracy

gskaye

It’s ironic that former prime minister David Cameron put forward a referendum on Europe that now threatens the very nature of the parliamentary democracy that let him propose it in the first place. Of course, whether Cameron had any choice in the matter remains subject for debate. But the fact of the matter is that... Read more

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La Démocratie Menacée par....la Démocratie

gskaye

Le référendum ne tient vraiment pas sa place au sein d’une démocratie représentative. Les résultats souvent aléatoires, ajoutés à l’aspect populiste des campagnes référendaires, peuvent nuire à la démocratie même qui lui permet d’exister. En accordant le droit de voter l’application de l’article 50 du traité de Lisbonne au parlement britannique, ce qui déclencherait le processus du « Brexit », la... Read more

The Posts That Were

"Excusez-moi pour mon Français, Madame Le Pen."

gskaye

Même en ayant grandi dans un milieu bilingue, et pratiquant à ce jour la langue de Molière au pays de Spinoza, certaines expressions restent pour moi, intraduisibles. Le titre original de ce blog « Excuse My French » se traduit par « Excusez-moi pour mon Français ». Rien à voir avec le Français, mais bien la vulgarité. Marine... Read more

The Posts That Were

"Pardon My French, Madame Le Pen."

gskaye

Have you ever wondered about the origins of the expression “pardon my French”? Some say that it originated in the 19th century and was used as an apology by people who used French words in conversations. Nowadays it’s used apologetically after swearing. How wonderful language can be. I’m sure that Marine Le Pen, leader of... Read more

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René Descartes And The Internet - "I Tweet, Therefore I Am."

gskaye

It’s that time of year again, where everyone reminisces over what has happened over the year gone by and you get bombarded with reviews of this, that, and the other. Well, I’ve decided to tell you what I think the most important event of 2016 is. And…you’ve guessed it? It’s Leicester City wining the English... Read more

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Claude Lévi-Strauss - Father Christmas Burned as a Heretic

gskaye

On December 24th 1951, a group of Catholic clergymen hanged and set on fire a Father Christmas effigy in front of at least 250 children in Dijon, France. Following the incident, the late French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss wrote an article entitled “Le Père Noël supplicié” (“The tortured Father Christmas”) in the literary journal... Read more

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Syria: Having a Caesarean Performed by...a Dentist

gskaye

All of us remember the horrifying picture of a 3 year old Syrian boy found lying on a beach. The scene epitomised the situation for ordinary people in Syria. But he and others are no ordinary people. We are. We, including myself, all live in our protected personal bubbles and are only temporarily affected by... Read more

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Syrie: Une Césarienne Pratiquée par un...Dentiste

gskaye

Nous nous rappelons tous de l’image horrifiante d’un garçon syrien de 3 ans retrouvé mort sur une plage. La scène reflète d’une façon cruelle la situation dans laquelle se trouvent la grande majorité des gens ordinaires en Syrie. Mais lui et tant d’autres ne sont pas ordinaires. Nous le sommes. Nous vivons tous protégés dans... Read more

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Theresa May in Conversation: A Cup of British Tea and a Swiss Roll by Lake Geneva

gskaye

Shortly after the EU referendum, Theresa May decided to spend a few days in Switzerland. What a coincidence that this country is part of the European Free Trade Area (EFTA), but not the European Economic Area (EEA). EEA/EFTA: RUOK? Complicated? Yes, it sure is. Luckily Google can help me out. Let’s start with the EFTA:... Read more

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Albert Camus: The Myth of Sisyphus, Jo Cox and Germanwings Flight 9525

gskaye

“Only one thing: this thickness and this strangeness of the world, that’s the absurd.” Albert Camus On June 16th 2016, the Labour member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was brutally murdered by Thomas Mair, an unemployed gardener. Although the perpetrator had a history of mental illness, he also had ties with extreme right-wing parties,... Read more

The Posts That Were

Aristotle And The Titanic: "Mayday, Theresa!!"

gskaye

Now that she knows where the bathrooms are in number 10 (I’m assuming that there is more than one), it’s down to business for Theresa May. She really got us going with her stirring speech and, with only a few weeks to go until the dreaded day when she sends THE LETTER to Brussels,... Read more

The Posts That Were

Lost in Translation: Allochtonen Moeten Allochtoon Blijven

gskaye

Op 23 januari l.l. heeft Premier Mark Rutte een open brief aan alle Nederlanders geschreven. Ik wil graag, als allochtoon, mijn reactie daarover delen. Voordat ik in het Engels schrijf, heb ik deze Nederlandse versie opgestelt, desondanks de taalfouten die kunnen (en zullen) verschijnen. Mijn taalfouten kunnen bewijzen hoe moeilijk 100% geïntegreerd te worden is.... Read more

The Posts That Were

Lost in Translation: Foreign Migrants Should Remain Foreign

gskaye

On 23rd January, 2017,the Dutch centre-right prime minister Mark Rutte wrote an open letter which was widely published in the national press. As a non-Dutch national, I would like to respond to comments he made in that letter. The present post is based on my previous post written in Dutch. It wasn’t easy for me... Read more

The Posts That Were

Gevangen Tussen de Lijnen: Het Lot van Britse Burgers in de EU en EU Burgers in het VK

gskaye

What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes. – Cicero Deze week heeft het Britse parlement de eerste stap genomen om het Artikel 50 van het Verdrag van Lissabon te kunnen activeren. Het is nu bijna acht maanden geleden dat het Verenigd Koninkrijk de beslissing heeft genomen de Europese Unie te verlaten.... Read more

The Posts That Were

Caught Between The Lines: The Fate of British and EU Expats Post-Brexit

gskaye

This week, the UK parliament approved a bill giving Theresa May the authority to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, in accordance with the EU referendum result on June 23rd last year. Seven months on, and the fate of EU nationals living and working in the UK, as well as British nationals in other... Read more

The Posts That Were

Un Philosophe Roi Peut-il Sauver L'Europe?

gskaye

2016 a été marquée par une montée en puissance de la politique populiste et a abouti au vote du Brexit, et à l’élection de Donald Trump aux Etats-Unis. En 2017, la campagne présidentielle française a déjà été troublée par un scandale politique impliquant le candidat de droite et favori présidentiel, François Fillon. Il aurait versé... Read more

The Posts That Were

Philosopher Kings to Save the EU?

gskaye

2016 was marked by a sharp rise in populist politics and has culminated in the UK vote to leave the EU and the election of Donald Trump in the US. In 2017, the French presidential election race has already been marred by a political scandal involving the right-wing candidate and presidential front-runner, François Fillon. He is... Read more

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Pris Entre Les Lignes: Le Sort des Citoyens Européens au Royaume-Uni et des Britanniques dans l'Union Européenne

gskaye

Le parlement britannique a approuvé un projet de loi donnant à Theresa May l’autorité nécessaire pour déclencher l’article 50 du Traité de Lisbonne, conformément au résultat du référendum du 23 juin 2016. Presque huit mois se sont écoulés depuis le vote, et le sort des ressortissants de l’Union Européenne vivant et travaillant au Royaume-Uni, ainsi... Read more

The Posts That Were

Tony Blair's Appeal Not to Rush Brexit - But Was he Partially to Blame For it in The First Place?

gskaye

In October 2016 the former UK premier Tony Blair wrote an opinion article in The New European newspaper. He appealed to the UK not to rush into Brexit without seriously taking into account the consequences of such a decision. Tony Blair compared Brexit with a house move. For the former prime minister, it is only... Read more

The Posts That Were

El Mismo Sol: Poverty and Corruption in Peru

gskaye

An international arrest warrant has been ordered for the former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo amidst allegations that he received up to $20m in bribes from the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The former president would, in return, have granted a lucrative contract to build a transoceanic highway between Brazil and the Peruvian coast. Toledo would not... Read more

The Posts That Were

El Mismo Sol: Corruption et Pauvreté au Pérou

gskaye

Un mandat d’arrêt international a été émis à l’encontre de l’ancien Président péruvien Alejandro Toledo, suite à des allégations de pots-de-vin, estimés à $20m, versés par le géant brésilien de la construction, Odebrecht. L’ancien président, en contrepartie, aurait accordé un contrat lucratif pour la construction d’une route transocéanienne entre le Brésil et la côte péruvienne.... Read more

The Posts That Were

Socrates in the House of Lords: What is Democracy and Does Theresa May Believe in it?

gskaye

The fact that Theresa May, the UK prime minister, made an unprecedented appearance in the House of Lords speaks volumes over her respect for parliamentary democracy. It is now patently clear that the EU referendum that took place on June 23rd 2016 was flawed ever since the former prime minister, David Cameron, promised the vote... Read more

The Posts That Were

Call My Bluff with Theresa May...This week's word is...Brexit

gskaye

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time once again for “Call My Bluff”. And here’s your host, Theresa May. Hello everybody, and welcome to this edition of “Call My Bluff”, a panel game in which three contestants give me a definition of a political word that I have never heard of. I must guess the true... Read more

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EU Citizens and Brexit: "Leave if You Want to, The Expat's Not For Leaving."

gskaye

The title of this post paraphrases something Margaret Thatcher said during the 1980 Conservative Party Conference. Having been asked on several occasions by the media whether she would perform a U-turn concerning her economic and social policies, she had always replied that she wasn’t one to change her mind. At the conference she spoke a... Read more

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Pokemon Go...Going...Gone - Cyberspace And The Human Brain

gskaye

Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed in ten years. – Thomas Edison – 1913 You’ve got to give Thomas Edison credit for his vision. Of... Read more

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When "Likes" Can Kill: The Darkest Side Of the Web

gskaye

Sometimes by pure accident you read about an act of violence in the news, that fills you with such disgust and hate for the perpetrators that you just feel like shouting your anger to the world. Today, quite by chance, I came across this news story from the Dutch television news website. The act of... Read more

The Posts That Were

"Erdogan, Leave Your Bloody Politics At Home..."

gskaye

In prohibiting entry to two senior Turkish politicians, the Netherlands has sparked a serious dispute with Turkey. The decision not to allow Turkish politics to be officially expressed on Dutch soil can only be justified if the decision to do so is based on moral principles that can be as universally applied as possible, and... Read more

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"Erdogan, Laissez Votre Démocratie Bidon à La Maison''

gskaye

En interdisant l’entrée à deux élus politiques turcs importants, les Pays-Bas ont déclenché un conflit sérieux avec la Turquie. La décision de ne pas permettre que la politique turque soit officiellement exprimée sur le sol hollandais ne peut être justifiée que si la décision prise est basée sur des principes moraux qui peuvent être, autant... Read more

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Piggy-In-The-Middle: Even Centre-Ground Politics Can Be Cool

gskaye

The result of the Dutch parliamentary elections, that took place on Wednesday 15th March, is a victory for the current prime minister, Mark Rutte. Although his party, the VVD, remain the largest political party in the Netherlands despite losing 8 parliamentary seats, Mark Rutte may face difficulties in forming a working coalition. It is probable... Read more

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Pays-Bas: Même Une Politique du Centre Peut Etre Cool

gskaye

A droite…la gauche Le résultat des élections parlementaires du 15 mars aux Pays-Bas, est une victoire pour le premier ministre actuel, Mark Rutte. Bien que son parti, le VVD, demeure le plus grand parti politique du pays, malgré sa régression en termes du nombre de sièges obtenus, Rutte peut rencontrer des difficultés lors de la... Read more

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Quand "J'aime" Peut Tuer: Le Coté Sombre Du Web

gskaye

Parfois, un acte isolé de violence vous remplit avec tant de dégoût et de haine pour les malfaiteurs, que vous ne pouvez vous empêcher de crier votre colère au monde entier. Tout à fait par hasard, j’ai lu le fait divers décrit dans cet article, sur le site d’informations NOS de la télévision néerlandaise. L’acte... Read more

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Frère Jacques: Les Escroqueries de Médecin

gskaye

Ce n’était pas une maison de vacances ordinaire, la maison de ma grand-mère. C’était un chalet de montagne situé dans une banlieue de Nice. L’entrée était peinte d’un bleu turquoise qui resplendissait de toutes les couleurs, sauf le turquoise. Le chalet, d’un ocre jaune qui n’était pas cassé mais bien brisé, brillait par sa différence... Read more

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The UK's Farewell to Europe: "Au Revoir les Enfants"

gskaye

March 29th 2017 will be remembered as the day the UK officially triggered Article 50 of the European Constitution, signifying a two year slog to disentangle itself from the European Union. I have no intention of browsing the glorifying headlines on the front pages of the UK tabloids. I’ll let the Brexiteers rejoice in their... Read more

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Beyond The Pillars Of Hercules - The Gibraltar Conundrum

gskaye

Together we stand, and together we wait And there was I, thinking that we were utterly alone in our battle as UK expats, to avoid being cast into oblivion by the forces of evil from both sides of the channel. It now appears that an entire dependency is about to suffer the same fate as... Read more

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Father Jacob: The Scams of "Medicine Man"

gskaye

It rains on the roof, like it rains on the stairs My grandmother’s house was no ordinary house. It was a mountain chalet on the outskirts of Nice, in the South of France. The colour of its turquoise entrance to the garden, and ochre yellow walls, had nothing to do with turquoise, and even less... Read more

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Read All About It: "In The Media We Trust?"

gskaye

The British Press: Responsible but not guilty? When the offices of the French satirical journal Charlie Hebdo were gruesomely attacked in January 2015, the world was shocked, and rightly so. The attack focused on the press, one of the most sacred institutions of our democracies. The terrorists also challenged something that most of us... Read more

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The Moral Landslide: Defying Discrimination

gskaye

I’ll be honest with you. Before writing this post, I had no idea what a “LGBT person” actually was. “In what sort of world is this guy living?”, I hear you ask. Well, I live in the same world as you, but the meaning of this dreadful label that has been tagged on the shoulders... Read more

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France Can Accept The Truth, But Cannot Stand The Lies

gskaye

Mes enfants, it’s fast approaching squeaky bum time in France, with the first round of the 2017 presidential election due on the 23rd April. The political situation in France is, as I see it, similar to that of 2002, when far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of present-day Marine, reached the second round to everybody’s... Read more

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Am I Dreaming, Or Is Turkey About To Leave The EU?

gskaye

If I talked to you about a country that just had a dubiously run referendum, the result of which was so close, as to be invalid for such a huge constitutional change, you would probably be thinking of Turkey. If I then told you that the leader of this country will organise elections with the... Read more

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French Press - A Coffee Drinker's View On The French Presidential Election

gskaye

A series of short posts highlighting interesting points arising during the final countdown to the French presidential election. (I) – Storm in a “Whirlpool” It’s what we call “l’entre deux tours” (between the two rounds) of the French presidential election. And I can just sit back behind my computer and relax. All I... Read more

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Why You Should All Vote For Jeremy Corbyn

gskaye

Plato And Jeremy Corbyn: “Whose Idea Was This Anyway?” With the June election rapidly approaching, I’m going to dedicate a post to the current leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn. I know that my views don’t matter one iota, and, what’s more, I cannot even vote. Well, that should make you listen... Read more

The Posts That Were

French Press (2) - A Coffee Drinker's View On The French Presidential Election

gskaye

(II) Marine Le Pen’s Splitting Headache Over Europe The situation at the Whirlpool plant, situated in the northern town of Amiens, underscores the nature of the combat between Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron. The fact that the American owners want to relocate the plant in Poland, is, for Le Pen, the epitome of... Read more

The Posts That Were

French Press (3) - A Coffee Drinker's View On The French Presidential Election

gskaye

(III) Evolution And Decomposition Of French Politics The fact that there is no Republican candidate in the second round of the French presidential elections, coupled with the disintegration of the French socialists, underscores the fact that the French political landscape has undergone a seismic shift, for the first time in the long history of... Read more

The Posts That Were

French Press (4) - A Coffee Drinker's View On The French Presidential Election

gskaye

(IV) Emmanuel Macron’s Late Night Out Up to now, compared to Marine Le Pen, I’ve been quite nice to Emmanuel Macron. Well, one thing’s for sure: nobody’s perfect I was fortunate enough to attend the Euro 2000 football championship final between Italy and France, that took place in Rotterdam. I was standing in the midst... Read more

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Joan Of Arc And The Little Prince

gskaye

Joan of Arc, having liberated France from English occupation in the 15th century, has become a symbol of ultra-nationalism expressed by the French National Front Party. The Little Prince, written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is a poetic tale, in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince fallen to Earth from a... Read more

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French Presidential Debate: Much Ado About Nothing

gskaye

From time to time, there is such a build-up to a mid-week football match, that you cannot wait for the Wednesday night. The build-up to this week’s French presidential debate promised a night of high drama, philosophical insights and antipodal ideologies. Instead, I was forced to watch the debate on my iPad, my son having... Read more

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