Global Voices Online

The Journeys of Captain Oddsocks writes about the Temelín nuclear power plant, which has been in the news recently “because of a controversial and overpriced contract awarded to a shady company whose former director was recently jailed for planning the violent abduction of his replacement.”

Hungarian Spectrum writes about the 20th anniversary of the Pan-European Picnic, which was “held on a field in the middle of nowhere on the Austro-Hungarian border on August 19, 1989″: “A memorial park now commemorates the event that allowed about 600 East Germans to cross into Austria and to freedom while the Hungarian border guards looked on.”

Der Spiegelfechter comments on [GER] the agreement to build gas pipeline Nabucco and wonders where the gas will be coming from, whereas Der Unbequeme questions [GER] the need of yet another pipeline. LJ user xystos argues [RUS] why Nabucco is a mere mirage, and LJ user tertiaroma sees [RUS] the pipeline as an expression of Russophobia and advocates raising the Russia issue in Ukraine.

Gabriela Ionita of Power&PoliticsWeblog discusses the recent agreement in Ankara on the construction of the western financed Nabucco gas pipeline and competition with Russia over Caucasian and Central Asian gas supplies and deliveries to Europe.

The Reference Frame examines the biography of ingenious Czech inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), and discusses his role for the development of science and industry.

Hungarian Spectrum writes about the 1989 opening of the Austro-Hungarian border, eventually leading to the rise of the Iron Curtain, dividing Eastern and Western Europe.

Belatedly, links to some posts on Entropa: Margarete of The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia believes “it should be taken down”; Kosmopolito thinks that “the debate around the project is also part of the installation”; BBC's Mark Mardell writes that “the fact that it is a hoax does not mean that the art itself is bad”; Blue, Black and White Alert doesn't think Entropa is “that incendiary”; A Fistful of Euros considers Entropa “an ugly but really funny piece of work.”

The Czech Daily Word writes about the wonderful travel opportunities that Central European citizens enjoy, now that the borders are open and cheap plane tickets are available.

Hans Stege of Kremlin, Inc is trying to figure out who's behind “a mysterious Austrian investment firm called Integrum Technologies [that is] involved in the controversial Vanco Black Sea offshore project.”