Tag Archives: human rights

Who can afford politics anyway?

Posted on May 17, 2020 by blaubear

For weeks, newspapers have been full of Covid-19 analyses, talking about threats, risks, and measures to protect us from the virus. Few have talked about the long-needed opportunity to reflect on our political systems – here is one of them. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged corruption, Covid-19, environment, España, human rights, Politics, society, Spain | Leave a comment

Covid-19 y la libertad en España. Un ensayo.

Posted on April 15, 2020 by blaubear

El domingo, día 12 de abril 2020 y Pascua de Resurrección, fui denunciado por circular en bicicleta por una carretera pública de un pueblo cerca de mi casa. Mientras que los agentes de la policía local eran de la opinión … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Covid-19, España, freedom, human rights, Politics, society | Leave a comment

Why Brussels’ position on Cataluña does the EU more harm than good

Posted on October 21, 2017 by blaubear

Brussels’ leaders have decided to condemn the Catalans’ fight for independence by backing a corrupt regime in Madrid. This weak, yet undifferentiated attitude may harm the EU in the long run. What does the average EU citizen know about Spain? … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Catalonia, Catalunya, citizenship, corruption, democracy, EU, Europe, European Union, Germany, human rights, Politics, Spain | Leave a comment

Europe – a bureaucratic oxymoron?

Posted on June 2, 2016 by blaubear

Last year I wrote about the bureaucratic struggles involved in a marriage with a foreign national in Vietnam. One year later, my wife and I are getting acquainted with the devastating bureaucracy that is sickening humans in Europe. Having lived … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bureaucracy, citizens, citizenship, EU, EU law, Europe, human rights, Human Rights Convention, humanity, Marriage, Max Frisch, Oprah Winfrey, Politics, racism, residence, Schengen, Swiss banks, Swiss federalism, Swiss law, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Vietnam, Visa rule | 1 Comment

Is international development doing the right thing?

Posted on February 14, 2016 by blaubear

‘Working in international development is often associated with ‘doing good’. A closer look at what international cooperation has achieved in Vietnam suggests that doing good requires more than simply working in a developing country. Although I was aware of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged corruption, Development, equity, Forest, French Indochina, FSC, Ho Chi Minh, Ho Chi Minh City, human rights, Inequality, International Cooperation, International development, Politics, Spain, Sustainable development, Switzerland, transparency, Transparency international, UNREDD, Vietnam, Vietnam War, world bank | 2 Comments

Who shall pay for the climate debt of the rich?

Posted on December 8, 2015 by blaubear

As in earlier COPs the Paris talks are dominated by discussions around degrees Celsius and who will have to pay for what. In reality those issues are not relevant at all. The climate talks in Paris have entered the second … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged climate change, climate change economics, environment, equity, human rights, market economics, millennium development goals, Politics, Rio Declaration, society, unfccc, united nations, world | Leave a comment

4-star service requires skills and a noble attitude, not paternalism and arrogance. An open letter to Vietnam Airlines.

Posted on October 14, 2015 by blaubear

While Vietnam Airlines targets at becoming a 4-star airline, the company fails to meet minimal standards and a proper business attitude. Far from overcoming the filth of communist paternalism, non-existent customer service still reflects the terror of governmental bureaucracy. Lately, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 4-star service, Air traffic safety, bureaucracy, business, Communism, human rights, justice, quality control, terrorism, Totalitarianism, Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines | Leave a comment

From the horrors of a marriage with a foreigner

Posted on August 14, 2015 by blaubear

Haven’t we all heard of how marriages between members of different nationalities can result in rather shocking experiences? Well, here is a live reportage of how horrific it really can be! Vietnam is a country with good experience in marrying … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged corruption, Diplomacy, Environmental law, human rights, Marriage, Marriage law Vietnam, rents, Switzerland, Vietnam | 1 Comment

Internet and human rights. A fairy tale.

Posted on February 6, 2015 by blaubear

I’m not exaggerating when I say that the introduction of the internet and the declaration of the human rights are among the best what humans have achieved in the last century. Unfortunately, both share a similar faith: while promising as … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Abbott, climate change, Environmental law, human rights, internet, IPCC, ISIS, society, terrorism | 2 Comments

Organic carrot or agrochemical stick – what is your choice?

Posted on June 23, 2014 by blaubear

Are you an individualist, rather someone who likes to be put in a box, or a person that likes to please everyone and everything? In any case, if you can tell the difference between a tomato and a Granny Smith, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bayer, biodiversity conservation act, environment, environmental justice, European Law, European Union, Food, food ethics, genetically modified organisms, GMO, human rights, indigenous knowledge, Monsanto, organic, seeds, society, Switzerland, syngenta, TRIPS, waste, WTO | 1 Comment