Essentially I want the following:
1. PC (no argument, Jon!)
2. Light weight (i.e. around 1.5 kg)
3. Reasonably-sized screen (13″ or rather 14″)
4. Price under 800 Euro

The nice thing about my current Acer is that it had all this (except it cost more than 1000 Euro at the time). In particular its low(er) weight was ace. Acer was simply saving me from carrying an extra half kg by making the DVD-drive external. I wonder why not more notebooks are produced in this way?

The problem nowadays seems to be that you are put into an unnecessary choice between light but small netbooks on the one hand and heavier (2kg and more) notebooks with 14″ or more screens (and including DVD drives) on the other hand. This wasn’t such a big problem if at least the producers were more informative about the weight of their produce. The following shall give an overview of what I found on the main producers’ websites.

HP: no selection option for certain features (like weight) on their product overview. At least they put the weight as a category once you select a product group. The Pavillon series starts at 2kg, the home notebook series at 2.2 kg. All useless for me.

Acer: minimal selection options for features (but not for weight). They do display the weight of the notebooks. TravelMate 4740 comes with 2.2 kg, the Aspire series starts with TimelineX 3820T at 1.8 kg or TravelMate 8371 Series at 1.65 kg or even better the TravelMate 8172 Serie with 1.35 kg but a screen of only 11.6″ (similar to Aspire Timeline 1810T or Aspire 1551 Serie). Interesting (light weight, screen size and long battery power) are Aspire Timeline 3810T, 3811T.

Asus: really messy website with no indications of weight and size for the overall serieses. Details only after clicking through too many options. Crap.

Sony: apparently you pay for style…  But on their US website they have a useful overview. Maybe the Y series (1.77 kg, 13.3″)?

Dell: Here you can actually select weight as an indicator. Goog logic for finding the right piece. Interesting model for me: Latitude 13 (1.5 kg).

Toshiba: Good search tools (incl leightweight) except for that the search results seem to change while I move back and forth between the different models. Interesting models for me: Satellite T215D-S1140, Satellite T215D-S1150.

Lenovo: has random information on the different models. The U series could potentially be interesting but no weight is mentioned for the 13″ model. Crap.

It is also interesting that the notebook manufacturers have very different offers for different countries.

Probably no other political figure/family as the Kaczynskis has attracted so much attention in Germany over the past years. Even worse, no other figure has evoked so much good-bad sentiments as the PiS (Kaczynski) vs PO (Tusk) competition. German media and also the progressive left (particularly leading Greens) have kept on portraying Tusk-PO as the great and pure good.This is a fair point when it comes to foreign policy, EU and lustration issues – and these are very important questions. However, a little less external advice and black-and-white-painting towards Polish voters, might have been of help more often. It is also easy to point at the Kaczynskys for what they stood for. But I wish the same broad criticism would also have been extended to Silvio Berlusconi who is possibly even more of a threat to Italian and European democracy than the Polish “potatoes“.

As much as PO deserves credit for bringing back reason to Polish politics, I wish commentators would also look at their specific policies with a little more detail. The energy-environmental policy of the current government is a desaster. As solid coal defenders and nuclear promoters, their horizon goes as far forward as the 1970s. The stupid Kaczynski vs PO competition over the last years has also covered a much more serious long-term challenge of Polish democracy: the inexistence of a viable centre-left party – not to mention a credible Green Party.

Now with PO in solid power, I assume that PiS-Kaczynski will be weakened and might disappear over the coming years. This is the chance for a revival of the left. They should grab it, to bring Polish domestic politics back into the European mainstream.

Reform of the EU budget matters deeply for the pursuit of the low-carbon economy. For there is arguably no policy lever as important as the EU budget for setting the direction of EU action. While the size of the budget remains close to just one per cent of EU’s Gross National Income, it has the ability to lever additional spending by member states and the private sector. However, it is perhaps its political value that is of most influence. For the way in which the EU spends its resources is the primary indicator of its political priorities and its institutional ability to organise their pursuit.

This collection of viewpoints from diverse businesses and NGOs, social organisations and think tanks, addresses the political challenge of acting on these two priority areas of climate change and the reform of the EU budget. These will be the defining tasks not just of 2010, but of the new terms in office of the European Commission, European Parliament, and President of the European Council. Successful agenda setting action in 2010 will set the EU on course for policy delivery throughout this new decade. Movement on the EU budget will help unlock a low carbon Europe, while the continuing pressure for action on climate change can create the momentum required for budget reform.

This text is copied from the Green Alliance’s website where the publication can be downloaded. Hardcopies can also be obtained from the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in Berlin or from me directly.

Let’s first consider what West Wing was: It was, no question, the the best (I say THE best) TV series ever! – It was so good not because it was about politics and that is what I like. No, it was good because it was smart, it had brilliantly-drawn characters with personality, excellent actors, it was realistic – and it had an intelligent but all-embracing humour. I am sure that we can find excellent actors and draw equivalent characters for an EU “13th floor” (as Conor calls it) series. But would we have the play writers to come up with dialogues and characters of such brilliance? In the end, I have not come across any European TV series that has impressed me so far…

I am sure public broadcasters in the EU with possible arte as a frontrunner would be happy to unite and prepare such a show. Moreover, the EU will surely make its MEDIA funds available for this – and the Commission, Parliament (and possibly less so the Council) would be happy to offer some insights and filming opportunities. So, all this should be set – if we only found the script writers!

Would this help to explain the EU?

Yes, I think very much so, if it was closely as intelligent as West Wing was. An overdrawn Delors or Barroso character as president, annoying Council presidencies and leaders from the EP would surely challenge the 13th floor team every day and offer sufficient material. There is enough crisis, both domestic and internationally, to offer stories and with its new-found powers in external relations there could even be some shady military/secret stuff going on. With all this, there is sufficient dynamism in the EU to make the 13th floor an exciting TV experience. Maybe this is exactly what is needed to explain the functioning of the machinery? – If timed well, it could even reveal the (recent) behind-the-doors selection of the current president and play a more democratic, primary-based selection of the next Commission President. If such were to happen in the 13th floor, this would not only bring light to the complexities of EU policy-making but also encourage debate towards the 2014 elections. What a difference this would make!?

My title suggestion would be Berlaymont by the way…

Picture from FCO/flickr with Creative Commons

The scholarships include travel to and from Berlin and full boarding. HBS will also try to offer exclusive interviews with all speakers. A competent representative from the Heinrich Böll Foundation will be available at all time. All your blog entries will be aggregated into the conference website and your blog will be featured in the relevant policy dossiers of the HBS.

All interested bloggers can apply for the scholarship. HBS will select a mix of interesting applicants. Your application should consist of a short (1-3 paragraphs) motivation, a link to your blog, some information of your blog’s outreach (if available) and potential topics of the conference that you are keen on blogging about.

More information at their website.Photo: Jorge Quinteros / Creative Commons License

Please find our first two recordings on Joe’s website. Our first debate was on the outcome of the German election and its implications for the EU. The second debate was recorded on monday night (me moderating) and focuses on the Irish referendum. – Many thanks to Joe for editing the recordings and putting them online!

In the future you can find all the podcasts on our Chasing Brussels website and you can follow us on Twitter. In the coming weeks we shall also try to register through iTunes.

Any feedback is very much appreciated!

[image from cc/flickr Colleen AF Venable]

Check out the reader or the nice 13-minute video! More information on their blog.

Besides the ongoing struggles of Barroso to get himself appointed, I assume Socialists and Liberals will eventually bow in and re-elect him as President already in September to send a signal to Ireland. This means that the Portugese portfolio is sorted. How does it look for other countries? I would divide up the table in three different groups: quasi-safe nominations, likely nominations and unpredictable races.

The already appointed

Belgium: Karel de Gucht, Flemish Liberal (ELDR), the Louis Michel replacement was nominated to stay, has 5-year experience as Belgian foreign minister
Portugal: Barroso (even though the government is leftist… but they remain happy to keep him away from Portugal so that the division in the conservative party continues), EPP

Likely nominiations

Estonia: Siim Kallas, Reform Party (ELDR), did a good, likes to continue and is apparently likely to be re-nominated
Finland: Olli Rehn, Center Party (ELDR) will continue; after doing a great job in the enlargement portfolio he hopes to become EU foreign minister and he might have chances, his re-appointment was part of the coalition agreement
France: Michel Barner, UMP (EPP), the former Commissioner and recent agricultural minister led the UMP list to the EP elections. He is the official candidate of the Sarkozy government but it could still happen that Christine Lagarde will become Commissioner if the French secure a key economic portfolio like competition policy (you would have to be a mad Commission president to do that…)
Ireland: Pat Cox, ELDR, if the Lisbon Treaty goes through in the referendum, for which he heads the yes campaign
Italy: Antonio Tajani, Berlusconi Party (EPP), current transport Commissioner seems to continue because Frattini is needed in Italy. However, there have been recent rumours that Frattini might become EU foreign minister. Also, there is the option that Mario Mauro will become Commissioner for not having been elected EP president
Lithuania: Algirdas Šemeta, has only just replaced Budget Commissioner Grybauskaite and was first tipped as a temporary solution but is now likely to stay. Given this economics background I would not even be surprised if he kept the portfolio
Luxemburg: Viviane Reding, EPP, was elected as MEP but did not take her mandate, would apparently like to continue and might achieve a high-profile portfolio
Poland: Janusz Lewandowski, PO (EPP), former chair of EP budget committee and apparent nominate of the Tusk government with declared interest in a key industrial/economic portfolio
Slovenia: Janez Poto?nik, not really party-affiliated, there is agreement in the Slovene government to re-appoint him and hope for a more exciting portfolio
Spain: Joaquin Almunia, PES – more than likely to continue, going for a big portfolio again as second-term Commissioner from an almost big member state, solid record and possibly highest ranking Social Democrat in the new Commission
Sweden: Carl Bildt, Moderaterna (EPP), Sweden’s foreign minister, former prime minister; he would obviously like to take the complete foreign relations portfolio (EU foreign minister) as created by the Lisbon Treaty but probably will not get it (my bet is on Olli Rehn)
United Kingdom: Shriti (Baroness) Vadera, Labour (PSE), Catherine Asthon will be surely replaced by “Shitty” Vadera as she is also called. Unfortunately, the high-fly names of Lord Patten and Tony Blair ring well in the ears, but Jon has more why they will not make it – and Brown prefers to have someone low-profile

Germany: it really depends on the outcome of the national elections. Should the CDU lead the government, it is more than likely that they will also nominate the next Commissioner. This will probably be current Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble. Should the Social Democrats be able to join the Commissioner this is supposed to be Martin Schulz, PES leader in the EP.

Unpredictable races or simply do not know

maybe I should have put Germany here?

Austria: very interesting case… Ferrero-Waldner thought her time is over and attempted to get a UNESCO job (I don’t know if that story is already over). The Social Democrats apparently think that they should get the Commissioner but also the Conservatives are still in the game. I hear former Chancelor Alfred Gusenbauer (PES) has best chances for the left, and Ursula Plassnik and Wolfang Schüssel on the right (EPP).
Bulgaria: hast just elected the populist GERB (EPP) party to government and will most likely see a nomination from their environment but Meglena Kuneva is surely not the chosen one
Cyprus: no idea but have also not heard why Androulla Vassiliou would not continue
Czech Republic: no government and no elections in time to be a dedicated player in the game. It might be that Spidla continues until a new government has formed but you can be sure that he is out right after.
Denmark: Fischer Boel did a decent job (but is approaching retirement age – not that this has ever stopped any politician). Word is that she has been offered Commission Vice-President. But domestic DK politics might have a word here as well and a cabinet re-shuffle is soon expected. Eva Kjer Hansen (agriculture minister) is domestic front-runner for Commissioner whereas Bertel Haarder (minister for education) is also very keen. What is sure is that the next Commissioner will be from Venstre (ELDR) again
Greece: Stavros Dimas is rumoured not to continue (even though interested) and the New Democracy party (EPP) will definitely nominate one of their own
Hungary: no idea… the Socialist government is in a mess and the “conservatives” will take over as soon as they get to have national elections. Until then maybe Laszlo Kovac could even continue?
Latvia: no idea as that state might be well bankrupt by then… it might well be that Andris Piebalgs may continue
Malta: to be honest I do now know – except for that I assume that the National Party (EPP) will again nominate. And why not re-appoint Joe Borg?
Netherlands: not really clear as to which party will propose – Labour or Christian Democrats (CDA). Frans Timmermans, Dutch Labour Party (PES), current minister for Europe with strong EU and international experience has good chances to succeed Neelie Kroes as her party is not in government anymore and she has approached retirement age. At the same time she earned herself a very good name in recent competition policy work. If things move towards CDA one option is Prime Minister Balkenende who might end up as the lucky one, should Barroso not be able to attract support by October, or even as EU Council president (and then probably the Commissioner for Labour)
Romania: no idea as government is also a bit unpredictable. But if they do not send a more known – and respected (!) person, they might be “orbanised” again
Slovakia: I don’t know… Jan Figel (EPP) did an OK job but I am not sure if the populist government will replace him

Portfolios

This is the most difficult thing to say. First of all, much depends on whether the Lisbon Treaty is accepted in Ireland – but then again, you don’t know what is still coming up in countries like the Czech Republic… Moreover, the new Commission President needs to assign the portfolios and he needs to be put in place first. I would not bet anything here except that the both the four big member states and second-term Commissioners who did a good job (Reding, Kallas, Almunia etc) are likely to attract the interesting portfolios.

I will try to keep this list updated in coming weeks as events and rumours unfold. You might also like to have a look at EurActiv’s overview.

[first updates on Netherlands and Denmark on 2009-8-31]

Austria: 1 (+ 1 after postal voting is counted in around Tuesday)
Belgium: 3 (2 for Ecolo, 1 for Groen)
Denmark 2 (+1 to gain from the Social Democrats, depending on personal votes/preferences that can probably only be declared late on Monday)
Finland 2 (great showing, one more than I thought!)
France: 14
Germany: 14
Greece: 1 (first Greek Green in the EP – welcome!!)
Luxemburg: 1
Netherlands: 3
Spain: 1
Sweden: 2
UK: 2 (but maybe one more from Scotland – either for Greens or SNP)

Besides the Green MEPs, EFA have stabilised their previous results and gained again 1 from Latvia, 1 from Spain, 3 from the UK (1 Welsh, 2 Scottish); moreover there is my hope that the Swedish Pirate Party MEP will join the Greens-EFA group.

In total this will – so far – make a group of 51 MEPs. If the Greens or SNP gain an additional one in Scotland, have the Pirate Party join and win SF’s third MEP in Denmark as well as the second Austrian, then the group size could go up to 55 MEPs. I have not yet understood what happened to László T?KÉS, the EFA member from Romania.

In any case the current group size of 51 MEPs equals 7% of the total share of MEPs, 55 MEPs would equal 7,5%. This would be an increase from 5,5% at the end of the 2004-2009 term. In consequence the % increase is quite substantial (1,5-2%) and should go along with a broader allocation of group staff and financial resources.

Finally, given the impressive showing of both their national parties, there is hardly any argument now you can put forward against a new Green Group co-leadership under Rebecca Harms and Dany Cohn-Bendit (if they both want it).

The European Parliament should have the overall results up here. Hopefully, there will also be soon all the names of those elected!

NB. Good that I have not put any money behind yesterday’s guesstimate – and even better that the deviation went strongly in the right direction

My guess is that there will be 40 original Green members of the Group. This would mean MEPs from member parties of the European Green Party (EGP). However, I expect the group to renew its alliance with EFA (European Free Alliance), the European party of the regionalists parties which I expect to maintain their 6 seats. Moreover, I assume that this common group will also include the 1 MEP of the Swedish Pirate Party. In total the Greens-EFA will then have 47 members out of the new total of 732. This would see a total increase of 4 MEPs and an even higher percentage increase from currently 5,5% to 6,4% in the new chamber due to the changing composition (Nice Treaty).

The following gives an overview of all countries where I expect the Greens to win seats:

Austria: 1
Belgium (Ecolo): 2
Belgium (Groen): 1
Denmark: 2
Finland: 1
France: 8
Germany: 12
Greece: 2
Luxemburg: 1
Netherlands: 3 (already announced)
Spain: 1
Sweden: 2
UK: 4

N.B.: Obviously I wish the Greens were to win many more seats, but this is a guess that I would put my money on!