My country doesn't exist

[SummerMorning]

At least as far as international news or foreign news agencies are concerned! It's really quite refreshing to find out how invisible, unnoticed and unimportant the place you live is! Makes a person wonder why anyone would bother you, if they don't even know you exist.

For example ... Slovenia just hosted the OSCE* ministerial conference. Big news over here, obviously. Now, CNN and BBC didn't cover it - at all. I double-checked their websites, just to make sure. But, neither did the main Italian dailies, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera.

In fact, the BBC pointed out that our capital is fraternising with Nottingham (news to me), while the Italians were primarily occupied with ... football. Soccer. It's so amusing to see a wider perspective on home-grown politicians and the like.

*the OSCE is the Org for Sec and Coop in Europe. It doesn't do much really. It has a few HR and conflict monitoring missions. It's not very important.**

**OK - I've visited its headquarters, I've spoken to people working for it and I've studied it a bit. I'll go further: it's an impotent talking shop, really just a glorified conference of Eurasian ministers.***

***They don't *do* anything really, just have speeches, hors d'ouvres and champagne.

 

[CharleyH]

In fact, the BBC pointed out that our capital is fraternising with Nottingham (news to me), while the Italians were primarily occupied with ... football. Soccer. It's so amusing to see a wider perspective on home-grown politicians and the like.

*the OSCE is the Org for Sec and Coop in Europe. It doesn't do much really. It has a few HR and conflict monitoring missions. It's not very important.**

**OK - I've visited its headquarters, I've spoken to people working for it and I've studied it a bit. I'll go further: it's an impotent talking shop, really just a glorified conference of Eurasian ministers.***

***They don't *do* anything really, just have speeches, hors d'ouvres and champagne.

Well, lol, isn't this what most 'governments' do? Come to think of it, it's what most Executive Directors and CEO's do too, lol.

 

[SummerMorning]

Well, lol, isn't this what most 'governments' do? Come to think of it, it's what most Executive Directors and CEO's do too, lol.

Yes, but it's nice to have a different point of view, which makes them look really eentsy weentsy and insignificant.

 

[kendo1]

Did you see the Invisible Man the other night?

 

[CharleyH]

Yes, but it's nice to have a different point of view, which makes them look really eentsy weentsy and insignificant.

LOL, political endowment issues.

 

[LadyJeanne]

Stick to skiing and tennis - that's where the real fame is.

 

[Guest]

Do you know Slovoj Žižek?

Perdita

(Will be very impressed if you answer yes . Seriously.)

 

[Lauren Hynde]

At least as far as international news or foreign news agencies are concerned! It's really quite refreshing to find out how invisible, unnoticed and unimportant the place you live is! Makes a person wonder why anyone would bother you, if they don't even know you exist.

For example ... Slovenia just hosted the OSCE* ministerial conference. Big news over here, obviously. Now, CNN and BBC didn't cover it - at all. I double-checked their websites, just to make sure. But, neither did the main Italian dailies, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera.

In fact, the BBC pointed out that our capital is fraternising with Nottingham (news to me), while the Italians were primarily occupied with ... football. Soccer. It's so amusing to see a wider perspective on home-grown politicians and the like.

*the OSCE is the Org for Sec and Coop in Europe. It doesn't do much really. It has a few HR and conflict monitoring missions. It's not very important.**

**OK - I've visited its headquarters, I've spoken to people working for it and I've studied it a bit. I'll go further: it's an impotent talking shop, really just a glorified conference of Eurasian ministers.***

***They don't *do* anything really, just have speeches, hors d'ouvres and champagne.

And you have the added benefit of always being mistaken for Slovakia! It's win-win.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

At least as far as international news or foreign news agencies are concerned! It's really quite refreshing to find out how invisible, unnoticed and unimportant the place you live is! Makes a person wonder why anyone would bother you, if they don't even know you exist.

For example ... Slovenia just hosted the OSCE* ministerial conference. Big news over here, obviously. Now, CNN and BBC didn't cover it - at all. I double-checked their websites, just to make sure. But, neither did the main Italian dailies, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera.

In fact, the BBC pointed out that our capital is fraternising with Nottingham (news to me), while the Italians were primarily occupied with ... football. Soccer. It's so amusing to see a wider perspective on home-grown politicians and the like.

*the OSCE is the Org for Sec and Coop in Europe. It doesn't do much really. It has a few HR and conflict monitoring missions. It's not very important.**

**OK - I've visited its headquarters, I've spoken to people working for it and I've studied it a bit. I'll go further: it's an impotent talking shop, really just a glorified conference of Eurasian ministers.***

***They don't *do* anything really, just have speeches, hors d'ouvres and champagne.

If it's any consolation, it's fourth on my list of "S" countries in Europe to visit.

 

[oggbashan]

Not the country but the event

I doubt that the event would be a news item beyond the venue town wherever it was held.

It isn't the country that is being ignored but just another b****y meeting.

There are so many similiar meetings hosted in London each year that do not get reported unless there is a major dispute.

TV news covers very few stories during a 24 hour period. Almost any newspaper covers three to four times as many stories and the quality papers nearly ten times as many. And TV news requires pictures. No demonstrators battling with the police? The meeting isn't worth reporting...

Og

 

[Munachi]

Thinking about it, I can't remember when I last saw Slovenia in the newspapers here.

But I almost went there once - just that I broke my foot before I got there. And I have a small map of Slovenia somewhere, that I had hanging on my wall for a while.

 

[Clint Taurus]

At least as far as international news or foreign news agencies are concerned! It's really quite refreshing to find out how invisible, unnoticed and unimportant the place you live is! Makes a person wonder why anyone would bother you, if they don't even know you exist.

For example ... Slovenia just hosted the OSCE* ministerial conference. Big news over here, obviously. Now, CNN and BBC didn't cover it - at all. I double-checked their websites, just to make sure. But, neither did the main Italian dailies, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera.

In fact, the BBC pointed out that our capital is fraternising with Nottingham (news to me), while the Italians were primarily occupied with ... football. Soccer. It's so amusing to see a wider perspective on home-grown politicians and the like.

*the OSCE is the Org for Sec and Coop in Europe. It doesn't do much really. It has a few HR and conflict monitoring missions. It's not very important.**

**OK - I've visited its headquarters, I've spoken to people working for it and I've studied it a bit. I'll go further: it's an impotent talking shop, really just a glorified conference of Eurasian ministers.***

***They don't *do* anything really, just have speeches, hors d'ouvres and champagne.

Where?

 

[Liar]

Thinking about it, I can't remember when I last saw Slovenia in the newspapers here.

There was something this morning. In the sports section, I think. Don't they have a bunch of good alpine skiers?

 

[Munachi]

Hm I just searched the site of the paper I like best and didn't find anything... Then again the thing is I don't read the papers regularly, so I wouldn't know (if they just gave us a little bit less reading at university I might find the time, but...) But I am sure they mention it sometimes. Next time I read the paper I will spend attention.

 

[Alex756]

At least as far as international news or foreign news agencies are concerned! It's really quite refreshing to find out how invisible, unnoticed and unimportant the place you live is! Makes a person wonder why anyone would bother you, if they don't even know you exist.

I didn't find much but I did find something

Namely that

"Last week Annan finally appointed an executive director for the Alliance, a historian based in Slovenia, named Tomaz Mastnak" in reference to the 'Alliance of Civilizations' so last news ref was Nov 22 not -too bad-

~Alex

 

[SummerMorning]

Do you know Slovoj Žižek?

Perdita

(Will be very impressed if you answer yes . Seriously.)

Yes. He's very confusing to listen to, tends to jump from issue to issue. Much like in his books. But some of his points are quite profound. Although I have to admit, it's hard to get a hold on him without a thorough grounding in Lacanian pyschoanalysis.

(impressing)

 

[SummerMorning]

And you have the added benefit of always being mistaken for Slovakia! It's win-win.

Even the flags look the same. The languages sound the same. The slovak name for Slovakia is "Slovenska republika," which means Slovenian Republic in slovene.

 

[SummerMorning]

Which is which?

 

[SummerMorning]

I doubt that the event would be a news item beyond the venue town wherever it was held.

It isn't the country that is being ignored but just another b****y meeting.

There are so many similiar meetings hosted in London each year that do not get reported unless there is a major dispute.

TV news covers very few stories during a 24 hour period. Almost any newspaper covers three to four times as many stories and the quality papers nearly ten times as many. And TV news requires pictures. No demonstrators battling with the police? The meeting isn't worth reporting...

Og

I know - but the interesting thing is the disproportional coverage and *importance* attached to the OSCE meeting here in Slovenia. I have a sneaking (full-blown, rampant) suspicion that it's just our politicians trying to sound very puffed up and important.

 

[SummerMorning]

Thinking about it, I can't remember when I last saw Slovenia in the newspapers here.

But I almost went there once - just that I broke my foot before I got there. And I have a small map of Slovenia somewhere, that I had hanging on my wall for a while.

It looks like a chicken heading East.

 

[SummerMorning]

There was something this morning. In the sports section, I think. Don't they have a bunch of good alpine skiers?

Apparently. The amount of money they pour into them, they should. There seems to be this conception that our wonderful athletes are going to win us the recognition we deserve.

 

[SummerMorning]

I didn't find much but I did find something

Namely that

"Last week Annan finally appointed an executive director for the Alliance, a historian based in Slovenia, named Tomaz Mastnak" in reference to the 'Alliance of Civilizations' so last news ref was Nov 22 not -too bad-

~Alex

*amazing*

Now I'm surprised!

 

[SummerMorning]

OK - just so you won't have misconceptions. It's actually very nice and bucolic here. Very relaxing. Lots of countryside. Forests. Mountains. Bears. Rivers. Not very stressful, especially if you're a tourist. A surprising number of people actually speak English. And during soccer matches you occasionally have large numbers of Scotsmen in kilts tramping around.

But it is a bit invisible.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Why don't you dig around and see if you can find some oil. Then we'll talk.

--Zoot

 

[SummerMorning]

Why don't you dig around and see if you can find some oil. Then we'll talk.

--Zoot

No thanks! I much prefer the president of the USA can't find us on a map! It's dangerous being too visible.