The Solidarité Cycling Tour

11 volunteer bikers and 1 driver completed the 140 km bike tour challenge on the weekend of 22-24 July, 2011. The rainy weather forecast had scared away a few others but our little group remained determined and our enthusiasm brought us a completely dry weekend, just perfect for cycling. There was not a single drop of rain and some of us even got a little burnt by the sun.

Sunday is for soccer!

The ECS football tournament will soon reach its half way point. In total, some 150 stagiaires are playing in this legendary tournament which will rank DGs according to their football skills. The fun is not only reserved for the players, but also for supporters who come to cheer their DG teams to success on Sunday evenings! 

Free Will Vs. Determinism

Following the train of thought from our previous meeting on religion, last Friday at the Science Café the topic for debate was determinism vs. free will. The person in charge of waking up our sleepy Friday afternoon brains was Mantas with an introduction to the main positions on this issue (hard and soft determinism, libertarianism, fatalism) and their implications for rationality and moral responsibility.

Debating divinity

A question in the mind of every individual in every culture around the world, which satisfies an inner need for truth and consolation? An institution designed to control the masses and disseminate its particular political and ethical belief system throughout the population? Faith and religion, myth vs. reality – this was the topic of the latest Science Café meeting on April 29th in the Madou Auditorium.

  

Swirl, sniff, swirl – wine tasting for dummies

Ever been to a wine tasting? If not, you should definitely give it a try! If you have been to one before though, you will understand the need for a wine tasting survival guide!

 

Big Bang in a Brussels landmark

Sunny days are meant for things like these: exploring a new city, relaxing in the park… and discussing the nature of the universe. On Saturday April 2nd nearly 40 stagiaires met beneath a cloudless sky for a double whammy event: a tour of the Atomium and a Science Café discussion on the origins of the universe.

The Atomium is a massive replica of an iron crystal’s structure that was built for the World’s Fair 1958 Expo. It is over 100 metres tall and has become a Brussels landmark. As the stagiaires waited beneath its giant glistening spheres it was clear different people wanted different things from the day; some were there just for the view from the Atomium rather than views on the universe.

Amorous singles and a future Barroso - meet your new Stage Committee!

From stealing the spotlight to detecting fraud to maybe even meeting that special someone – a wide range of incentives for getting involved emerged when we met with our new Stage Committee and Court of Auditors.

But all nine of this cosmopolitan and multilingual bunch are keen to get as many of you as possible involved in stagiaire life. They're full of enthusiasm and new ideas and are itching to take over from the Liaison Committee and get started. We found out about their plans and priorities for the coming four months and what makes them tick…