Johns Hopkins NEWSPAPER seminar

I am running a newspaper seminar at the Johns Hopkins - Bologna
center in Italy this semester. Basically its not the Daily Show but a
Weekly Show (doesn't have the same ring to it does it?) and I am no
Jon Stewart just yet though I do select reading, invite speakers and
run the show. I will post on my blog here weekly the topics and the
readings so you can be up to date. And if you are passing by bologna,
italy you are always welcome to stop by for some good times....

Good evening my people. It is with great pleasure and honor that I
inform you of the commencement of The Newspaper Seminar Series at SAIS
Bologna center this Friday November 3rd, 530PM in the SAIS bar area.
The Newspaper seminar has been a weekly tradition here at the Bologna
center, serving as a much needed forum in which students can discuss
and actively stay informed about current events. The seminar will
serve to identify key trends and stories in the news and relate them
to what we study in our courses. It is student organized and run with
professor Erik Jones as faculty advisor and myself Gabo as the TA.
Every week we will highlight some key topics for discussion, send out
links, ask people if they would like to present and over time with
your input discuss topics you feel most interested in. This is all
going to be very relaxed and you don't have to do the readings to
participate (although it helps), you can just show up and join the
discussion. We will also from time to time have prominent guest
speakers and faculty to join in to spice things up.

This week our theme will be

The U.S. MID TERM elections and their relationship with the WAR in IRAQ.

As many of you know the war in Iraq is becoming the numer one issue in
the US mid term elections, so we will devote our first session to analysing and exploring the links to possible election outcomes and their influence on US foreign policy.

As an added treat, our very own Professor JOHN HARPER has agreed to stop by to discuss and comment on our presentations and perspectives.
Now thats exciting. And to make it even more exciting we are also offering a free aperitivo (wine, cheese, etc) for the first 15-20
Students who show up.

So are you lonely? Workload got you down? Don't have time to keep up
on whats happening in the world? Looking for a platform to spew your
crazy views? Are you are looking to make friends and influence
people? Then NEWSPAPER SEMINAR is for you. I look forward to
facilitating our first discussion this friday 530pm in the SAIS bar
area.

Peace and Love,

Gabo

P.S. below our the links and quotes from them we will use as a
luanching point for discussion. If anyone wants to present and or
comment write me an email. after the first session we will set up our
own listserv to get this party started.

<fontfamily><param>Helvetica</param>Cut and Run? "America's voters are entitled to punish George Bush. They should not punish the people
of Iraq." The economist October 28th, 2006

"You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do
your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If
you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." Senator John Kerry

http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8080507
Watching from afar - How the rest of the world sees America's mid-term
elections

http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8101412&top_story=1

War with Iran?
"A hidden crisis is under way. Many government insiders are aware of
serious plans for war with Iran, but Congress and the public remain
largely in the dark"- Daniel Ellsberg (of pentagon papers fame)

For full text

The Next War - Daniel Ellsberg

http://www.harpers.org/TheNextWar.html