wow, what's next? the pope opens the vatican state and coffers to build a shipping line from libya to lampedusa, with 'welcome centres' up and down the italian coast, and free beds and food in saint peter's square?

italy is changing, thank god.

by refusing the perks and salaries of parliamentarians, the grillini remind me of the francescans preaching against church finery 800 years ago.

some of the 'casta' receive E90,000 a month pensions, while some little old nonnas are receiving E3-400.

these deaths at sea are causing a crisis of conscience in italy. the bossi-fini law made it a criminal offence to help an alien, so fishermen and other boat people have been prosecuted for offering food, shelter or rescue.

of course alfano wiggled when asked about this, saying 'it is shameful to talk about politics on a day of mourning'.

?!?!?!

laura boldrini was quite orwellian yesterday as she explained the law of the sea made it ok to stop them dying, in fact it was a crime not to, but then when they got to shore aiding them was abetting a crime as just because they didn't have contracts to work in italy that made them de facto criminals for coming here.

such a christian way of doing things... the mind boggles at the idea of the coast guard asking these refugees in open seas and leaky boats if their papers are in order.

otherwise, ciao!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty