First, Alitalia has to be sold because it cannot be made a going concern by Italians. Then, Silvio Berlusconi, the face that never ages, sticks it to an offer to keep Alitalia flying by alluding to a mysterious (and apparently non-existent) group of Italian businessmen that would love to buy Alitalia - to anyone with half a brain an obvious effort to sway the unions to vote for him in the upcoming elections. But then, the unions are struggling to gather half a brain among themselves so they probably buy off on this fairy tale.

The unions piss away the only real offer to keep Alitalia flying and Air France-KLM pick up their marbles and go home. The idioti unions exclaim, "Wait! We weren't really serious! Please come back for some more abuse at the hands of out brain damaged union leaders."

Then the mafiosi or other like assholes, dump dioxin and more into the fields where the buffalo roam and poison buffalo mozzarella. Italians, taking the course of least resistance, say "What can you expect - if it isn't politicians it's mafiosi!"

Next, top vineyards in Italy, like Antinori, decide the Brunello di Montalcino isn't REALLY that good so let's beef it up with some cabernet franc, a little cabernet sauvignon, and perhaps a little merlot. After all, who wants to drink sangiovese!

But, the mafiosi come to the rescue! They offer to the market some very reasonably priced wines enhanced with manure and some delicate acids.

So, Italy has:

a) an economy in the crapper
b) a political system that commits suicide every 3 to 9 months
c) an old, evil, but good looking politico named Silvio that can't resist screwing things up and never fixing anything
d) Unions that could really give a merde about the country as long as they can screw over everybody else
e) reputable vineyards willing to prostitute themselves and their wines for no good reason
f) criminali that have penetrated the politicians and government and run Italy the way they want to.

And we thought George Bush was bad...

Stefano

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44539000/jpg/_44539875_alitalsign226afp.jpg

Some interesting observations Steve. Then yet again, show me a place that is totally free from all problems :)

...
So, Italy has:

a) an economy in the crapper
b) a political system that commits suicide every 3 to 9 months
c) an old, evil, but good looking politico named Silvio that can't resist screwing things up and never fixing anything
d) Unions that could really give a merde about the country as long as they can screw over everybody else
e) reputable vineyards willing to prostitute themselves and their wines for no good reason
f) criminali that have penetrated the politicians and government and run Italy the way they want to.

It makes me feel all secure and gooey inside to know that nothing will change. :D

Good Aliena, I liked your comment, it was funny :-)
She is right ...so ... what is new ?

People are dissatisfied ,
Center-right ( Berlusconi ) will win the elections
then People will be dissatisfied
Center Left will win the elections
then People will be dissatisfied
Center-right will win the elections.....

exactly....
is an endless history repeating!!

YouTube - Propellerheads - History Repeating

main issue is politics...
Italians i guess vote in terms of Ideology and not base on the capability of the leader running for prime ministership...

with politics, you can never satisfy everyone but with a good leader, you can satisfy the majorities which i see lacking in italian politics...

so where is Italy heading now?

My friends in Italy tell me that they are tired of living with a dysfunctional bureacracy and an unstable government. They have seen no increase in income levels (they say since about 2000). They would like to see someone step up and work for a better life for them. The ambitious talk of emmigrating to New Zealand, Australia, even the Stati Uniti!

The election of Silvio may be the result of a hope for a "strong leader". It may also be a reaction to immigration woes. I hope they find what they want. I fear that Silvio will be not much more than a well dressed and better looking (as long as his hair dresser and plastic surgeon stay with him) Mussolini, only not as effective. ;-)

The one thing he should be really good at is fighting crime and corruption - he's had a lot of experience with both.

...is to take an airplane up and down the coasts in August trailing a Huge Banner which reads, Basta! Can't they see that all this graft & corruption, stale politics, no labor movement, cheating is thwarting their very existence?
It's not that this does not take place the world over...but, as I heard someone put it, in America, people are corrupt but not the entire system.

But, I differ on the opinion of the politics. This election was revolutionary and while I'm no fan of Berlusconi, his young cabinet could actually pave the way to reforms just by power of suggestion (e.g., 'out with the old').

I believe it all truly boils down to understanding - teaching - practicing - the idea of The Common Good or Civil Society; something that the Italians far and wide all agree is lacking.

From double-parking someone in so they can't get out, to cutting in line at the Autogrill, to taking days of absence...to taking bribes--this in the end will affect the entire society.

I poke fun at all this and more (including Alitalia) on my blog below!

Double parking? In Italy? :D :D

YouTube - Un giorno di ordinaria follia...a Napoli!

i don't have a car and i used public transport..so i have no comments on this but getting my student visa was my worst experience so far...so bureaucracy has to go 1st...

labour movement is also not doing its job very well..how come there's always news about 'morti sul lavoro', even 2 weeks ago, one construction worker died near my office where they are doing some work...
does nobody in Italy ever took the time to take Occupational and Work Safety Hazard courses...

i pray and hope Italy will recover

I am an Italian Immigrant living in the US and I always question whether the politics here are any different from Italia. I think the US is more modernized than Italia. There isn't MSM there that bring issues to the homes of Italians as it is here in the US. In the same token, my parents say they could not even dream of having in Italia what they have obtained here in the US.

I think Italia can learn from the democracy of the US without loosing their core values. Such things as more government help for its citizens. A better economic standing in the world.

The US definitly leads the Global economy, yet I can see other countries, like possibily Italia become a more economic strengh. Just like here in the US, old politics have to change.

While it may have its problems, I know the life style is so more tranquil and I wouldn't want to take that away.

My hope is with the wealth of knowledge gained from sites like this (that I am behind in, with my own country) I hope to maybe go back someday and try help bring about some kind of change.

I agree it takes a good leader to win over the majority and maybe that's what Italia needs. It could happen in the years to come.

There is good and bad in both countries, question is, will we focus on the good more so than the bad?

Thanks for the great posts!:)

Cosa desidera bere?

vino! vino!

Io parlo 5 lingue. Italian, lo spagnolo,
French, Portuguese e naturalmente English.

Lo spagnolo parlo meglio che Italian. I lived in Italy for
2 years and went to school in Perugia il anno passato pero
ho molti piu anni parlando lo spagnolo. Sono lareato in lo spagnolo
con 18 classe di lo spagnolo. Sono andato alla scuola anche in Mexico.

I've spent the last 3 years trying to recuperate my Italian.

Mi sono innamorato dell'Italia, la lingua italiana e la cultura italiana.
E lo stesso con lo spagnolo e la cultura hispana.