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Alright, so who whats to argue that a Greek swimming pool being declared as a watering hole is a tax loophole, and that servants residing on a Greek elite's luxury yacht, for the purposes of creating a tax loophole, although unethical, is not illegal.
Don't Americans and Germans enjoy tax loopholes? I promise not to lapse into the Queens English on you, as it seems to offend some Brits. Familiarity breeds contempt and all. What can I say? That's all that's left of my formal education as a New York State School Philosophy minor.
I'm taking on all comers. Create your own moniker, or you can even use mine. What do I care? Don't expect me to bow and curtsy if your a Mod though. My neck is Cretan, and it's stiff.
Birt! I'm calling you out guy. Give it a whirl, and may the best man win. No hard feelings, right?
Only the first two posts below are mine. Somebody was able to duplicate my moniker. Very strange, who would even care to bother? My mailbox is filled with strange comments form Zorbas898 and zorbas989. Had to turn off my response alert button.
Zorba tell us what was the name of that girl that posted a video of her?
Anjuli. As in Anjuli come back! Don't worry. Me, I'll never come unhinged. The Cretans make the English look like milk sops. We're good with knives you know...laughs
Marie, it was a pleasure meeting and blogging with you. Good luck in all things. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Kind regards,
Thank you Zorba, you're a nice fellow that I was lucky to meet
All the best to you and to your family for 2013
been back from Provence, where I passed Christmas with my two sons' families, had a wonderful time and weather
Courtjester, I once knew a person that did not want to spend any money for Christmas before Friday the 21st of December 2012
unfortunately that person did not have the chance to fulfill the plan because it died whilst building a bunker
too bad they didn't turn his story into a novel, it might have sold fairly good for Christmas
man doesn't live of stats alone, take then cum grano salis
Not sure whom I am quoting here - Lenin may be?
"Do not trust any statistic you have not falsified yourself?"
Question, which figures are we talking about?
Thanks to everybody who squared with Emma while I was sleeping.....
I have given up - I just ignore her. My respect for free speech.... is tested every time.....
Peter, re Euro: The Euro is part cause of the crisis, because a) it eleminated the interest rate differential that previously stopped the periphery from too much borrowing, and it gave the appearance of joint credit - but this is only half. The other half - many areas in Northern Italy are wealthier than Germany, and possibly as competitive/productive - however they are small in relation to the rest of Italy. And stifeled by rigid labour laws (which Monti did not get rid of) etc..
Everybody needs to do their homework (including the Germans, they are getting very much too complacant for my taste) first, and then back to vision building.
The Euro will only hinder us to get were - if I read your post correctly - actually all want to go.
With regards to the B. Tuchman - I just try to point out - that folly can lead to injure your self-interest - and I think her examples are spot on. No more, no less.
the areas in northern Italy that are wealthier than Germany are small but those that are as wealthy as Germany are not small at all, actually most of northern Italy is as wealthy as Germany and that's 40 millions out of 60 millions of the total of the population.
It might not look like that's the case at first sight since the infrastructure is not up the wealth but that's one of the reasons, in Germany a good part of private wealth ends up into infrastructures and services in Italy only a small amount of private wealth exits the pockets of those that own it because few people that aren't depending on wage labour pay the taxes they should pay if they pay any at all and a good part of the tax money from wage labour, VAT etc. ends up in the pockets of corruption and bureaucracy experts and not in services and infrastructure.
That's why at first sight Italy looks like a poor country compared to Germany, and the state actually is but the people aren't, all you need to do is to pay a visit at their home and you'll see that they don't make themselves lack a thing, this holds true for quite some people in the south as well.
I guess we are both missing the point - this is not about who is more productive or wealthier, it is about whether the Euro works. - or could work going forward....
Please discuss the following thought experiment with the best financial expertise you can find.
Imagine, Draghi would reinstate the ECB collateral requirements of 2005, would cancel SMP and LTRO, and require the settlement of Target 2 balances in six month down to lets say a floating three month average of EUr 20bn. (roughly the old normal till 2007) Italy's Target debit is about Eur 300-400 bn, along with Spain's Eur 400bn... France, which was more or less zero, went to negative EUR 40 bn recently.
Kaboom! What you are ignoring, the Euro is already dead, and Brussels & Co are doing their best to ignore it. It is a Potemkin village of epic proportions. Target partly represents the imbalances created since roughly 2002..... (which were previously hidden by reckless cross border lending).
And there is no way this can be patched over. It does not work for Greece on a (relative) small scale - it will work even less for France, Italy and Spain (together roughly representing 50-60% GDP of the EZ!).
The losses are there, they will not be repaid, and sooner or later, something will blow apart this house of cards.
What you are ignoring -at our peril - is the fact that the delay's of facing reality make things much worse. Concerted action in May 2010 may have averted the worst - now....
Besides what you are saying the biggest problem is that the eurozone is just not an optimal currency area, quite the opposite actually. It's as simple as that.
And on a side note: just small areas in Northern Italy are wealthier or as much wealthy as Germany? Check your facts, the average gdp per capita in Northern Italy is the same of Bayern or Baden Wurttemberg. And it used to be higher before we entered the euro!
I know, and I said before. And northern Italy is much richer on balance than average Germany - go compare Bolzano or Verona with any city other than Munich or Stuttgart....
However, however much wealth northern Italy has, (and by itself would be a perfect OCA with southern Germany) - Germany and Italy as a whole are anything but ....
No Courtjester - pardon me, but you are the victim of Axel Springer journalism. Peter Stern knows our country quite well, and he is right.
The Target 2 imbalances have already halted their negative trends. They are temporary.
No, the Euro is NOT a Potiomkin village - although I grant you Greece has turned out to be a mess of epic proportions. But Greece is 2% of Euro-zone gdp, and not representative.
The entire PIGS acronym has been vastly unhelpful in understanding the relative crises and merely a boon to market speculators - including Deutsche Bank, Europe's largest speculator. (But they are about to get theirs...)
The only "reckless" cross-border lending was what the Bundesbank failed to monitor from Germany banks. French banks INVESTED in Greek banks, but are not particularly over-exposed around the rest of the SPIG countries, like Germany. Italian banks had no significant exposure (and we are the ones closest to Greece geographically and historically).
I also find your estimation of France, Italy and Spain a bit puzzling - and highly insulting. You are discussing 170 million of the world's richest people. Do you really have such an over-inflated idea of Germany? You seem to vastly underestimate a powerful number of off-balance sheet assets the three countries possess which Germany does not.
You also refuse to admit - as do most Germans - that French and Italian banks are better managed than German banks.
Commerzbank has required how much in state assistance to avoid bankruptcy? (More than what was borrowed by the entire Italian financial system - not to avoid bankruptcy, but merely to boost capital to meet more stringent requirements.)
Deutsche Bank has now been involved in how many court cases for fraud, etc.? More than the entire Italian banking system, once again.
How much money has been pumped into the German Landesbank system over the last 4 years?
Italian Unicredit - in Germany the former HypoVereinsBank - is your country's most solid bank. (Third largest in all of Germany, the largest in Bavaria, Austria and Italy, and with strategic bank subsidiaries throughout Central and Eastern Europe, from Poland to Kazakhstan).
Finally, even if the Euro were too "burdensome" for France, Italy and Spain (a erroneous notion) - are you capable of enough irony to note the ridiculousness of suggesting any currency is too burdensome for a majority of its own users? A more rational conclusion might be that the Euro is simply over-valued, right?
I don't suppose the Chinese stocking up ridiculous amounts of currency reserves, including Euros, would have anything to do with that dynamic?
It doesn't even cross your radar screen that China may be playing Germans for fools, using their purchases of German cars to divide Europe - even as they drive our unified currency up to heights where the air is too thin to breathe? Nowhere else in the world do German cars so vastly outsell other European automakers as in China. Do you think that is because the Chinese are the most open traders in the world - and the most likely to recognise better German quality - as opposed to Brazilians, who have the impeccably bad taste and judgement to buy more FIAT's than VW's? Or do you think that is because of a political decision in Beijing? The Chinese automaker Great Wall did not hestitate to copy the FIAT Panda - and then their courts struck down FIAT's legal suit. So why have they been so impermeable to other European producers?
The only house of cards in Europe is the German banking sector.
I think you misread or mis-interpreted what I said unfairly... Most of the following I have said before somewhere on TE comments - so I am not changing my mind. Check it you like.
1. German banks. They are ONE big problem, and the main reason why Germany has not left the Euro behind. They badly invested the net capital gains of the last 10 or so years. However, if you were to take the EZB out of (as per thought experiment) equation, it would implode the entire EZ banking system, and some outside. And they are not the ONLY problem. It would be a little bit too easy - blame it all on the German banks?
1.a) How much of the debt recently issued by the IFS (see below) has ended out on the respective banks balances sheets, repo'd to the ECB? The whole game is rigged, by various measures, by everyone - which makes it almost impossible to sort out.
2. Euro is overvalued for France, Spain, Italy and others to various degrees. That's why I think it does not work, because the Euro is still not strong enough for Germany or Finland, Netherlands- just due to the way the economy works. More inflation - dearly needed in some places, would kill the German economy. Which is the rub which nobody wants to aknowledge or to deal with.
3. The Euro in its current form is not right either for Germany nor for I(taly, F(rance) or S(pain).
4. No intention to insult anybody - and I am too aware how rich - and much richer than most of Germany - many Europeans are. And Germany as a whole became much poorer due to renunification, and a currency that did not fit (creating capital exports in getting Fiat money in return - which will be worth nothing).
5. Target 2 balances are hard to get hold of, and the last time I looked they were still rising. Lux having a receivable of about EUR 200 bn...... Gross volume of a about EUR 1.000 bn, or one trillion. How are they reduced - and replaced by what - reckless lending by the ECB? (Which has been the only source of new "credit" since 2008?) And how do you propose to repay - in real terms, not in inflated Draghi Euros?
6. There is a currency war going on, including China, US, EZ, Japan, UK .... it is competitive devaluation - the UK started it, and if everybody does it, it is loose loose, and it was tried unsucessfully in the 1930' - outcome known.
7. Where do you get figures about China buying Euros? And why should they want to implode the Euro, if they are diverting their assets into Euros - to impair their own wealth, as you allege? I do not follow the logic. I only heard the Swiss central bank buying French bonds to keep the Franc down, and this seems to have reversed over the summer?
8. You seem to agree re overvalution of the Euro for the IFS's, which - as the Euro is kept stable to suit the core - requires "internal devaluation" permanently - which did not work in Greece, and will not work elsewhere. If you have contacts to Argentina - the "peg your currency to a currency which is too strong for your economy" experiment did not end well, ask them. (no I do not mean to say that Italy is like Argentina, I am saying that living with a too stron a curreny does not work).
Italy did live well with a weak state, lots of tax evasion and inflation, creating loads of rich citizens - it just does not work with a stable currency suitable for Germany, Holland et al. And it is not about better or worse, it is about being different.
Which is where we are turning in circles, the Euro is a political daydream, and it does not fit - any criteria of an optimal currency area, and thus doomed....
And the only solution I see - let the core go - and inflate the Euro afterwards...
I agree that there is immense private unseen wealth in Italy, but this reflects what maybe thought of as a deep selfish individualism in which the aim is to ensure the family is looked after but with little interest in wider society. Getting Italians to agree is like herding cats. Italy faces a crisis that requires its citizens to collectively make sacrifices for the greater good of the whole and I wonder if they can look beyond the walls of their villas.
Not only having the euro as a currency is a problem for the good functioning of the Italian economy, but it's also an enormous joke that we have to lend money at a lower interest rate than the one on our bonds while for the last ten years we always had our deficit under control.
Why blaming Berlusconi rather than the people who bring him to power, again and again?
From the article:
"Yet any doubts about Italy's readiness to work off its debt and adopt growth-enhancing reforms could easily push the euro zone back into an acute crisis."
Only a True Believer EUphile could have written that sentence. It is the policies imposed on Italy by the ECB and membership of the eurozone that is killing the Italian economy. Italy freed from the Euro could easily "work off its debts" (which, unusually in the Eurozone, are mostly held domestically) and the one reform that would immediately kick start growth in Italy is a return to the Lira.
Hello from an EUphile Italian!
It is probably true that Italy is paying or suffering the most from the Euro - and that we are the one country who could most easily afford a return to our national currency and benefit immediately - especially with a boost in exports.
1) Our national currency left us too vulnerable to outside speculation and inside attack (from the Vatican - which has plotted against the Civil State here for centuries). Entering the Euro was also a choice we made to ultimately strengthen our Civil State.
2) The weak Lira currency led to structurally higher inflation (not as bad as the Germans seem to think: our inflation topped out in 1980 at 24% - British inflation topped out in the period at 26%, while American inflation was over 12%).
3) The devaluation-to-boost-exports strategy cost us in R&D over the longer term. We are hurt today because our national Patent Office is a bad joke. Serious Italian companies tend to bypass it all together.
4) Until Berlusconi and the current crisis, my countrymen were always the MOST in favour of European federalism. The consensus for the Euro and the EU are at an historical low at the moment - as in every country; this is also tied to our quiet rage over Germany's mishandling of the Euro-crisis - anti-EU opinion is almost directly related to anti-German opinion. But I doubt this is a permanent trend, and I do not think this crisis is permanent. In other words, I expect, and I think our political leadership expects, that Italian public opinion will go back to being strongly pro-EU.
Finally, a word about the economic crisis in Italy and the periphery.
1) After 8 years of trade deficits (deriving mostly from our energy imports, given that our manufacturing trade has always been in surplus) we have achieved a trade surplus this year WITHOUT A CURRENCY DEVALUATION (first time in decades, if not ever). The Euro-crisis has also made clear (for those in the peninsula who have eyes to see it, if not for outsiders) that our real problem is energy consumption and domestic production. For Italians, this should be no surprise, but perhaps it has been forgotten by too many (including Sergio Marchionne - who in ten years has ended all production of smaller engines, apparently fearing Chinese and Indian competition).
2) Ireland had a badly-monitored banking sector; Spain had a badly-monitored savings bank sector. Those problems have been fixed, even if the consequences of past "sins" will remain for almost a decade. Euro-membership will help speed along recovery.
3) Portugal was never that bad off - and as a smaller country was simply the victim of a budget deficit that got a bit out of control temporarily, combined with international speculation. They will likely be the first out of the crisis.
4) Greece is an entirely different issue. The country still has no central Land Registry. We are still not 100% sure that the Ministries in Athens have a clear handle on the numbers. No significant privatisations have taken place, and the budget deficit, at over 15% three years ago, has of course taken more time to bring under control (we think 7.5% this year). Clearly some conditions of limited default were adopted, and others are being suggested (I am against the idea). But whatever happens in Greece, the country represents 2% of Euro-zone gdp - the country cannot sink the Euro.
So, I am far more sanguine than you are.
Italy is also one of the few countries with a "primary budget surplus"
You are right to point out the problem of energy imports (and this is just one more point where Berlusconi screwed his country with his friend Putin) the solution would be to invest in renewable energy where there is a huge potential in Italy second only to Norway in Europe, thanks to the sea and mountains (Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity) and wind in the shallow and narrow Adriatic sea surrounded by mountains east end west.
Plus there would be desertec of which Italy should be the first to work for.
Also there's 500 billions of shadow GDP in Italy if you'd get that to emerge and pay taxes the data and things generally would look much better, particularly considering that the household, financial and non-financial debt in Italy is lower than that of Germany and much lower than in the UK and France and private wealth is bigger in Italy then in the other comparable countries.
Peter, Peter... your posts are amazing. You really do know our country well (now don't get a swelled head, I still disagree with you on a few points ;-) I hereby dub you "Pietro Stella" - an adopted Italian.
Desertec is a mostly-Italian project - the Germans are already pulling out, it seems.
We have gone back to investing heavily in alternative domestic sources: Italy now has 28% of electricity needs supplied by these sources, higher than Germany and the highest percentage of G8 countries. Given our utter lack of domestic carbon fuels and nuclear power, not enough however.
We have also made the same mistake Germany has, I believe. Too much money has been invested in photovoltaic energy, which is a bit of a trap (being just feasible enough "to justify" subsidies, but not productive enough for a profitable return) when those countries who have invested more in wind power seem to have resolved their problems.
I would include in that analysis the island of Sardinia, which has its own power grid (which also supplies Corsica) and now exports large amounts of energy to the continent, having invested massively in wind power over the years.
Italy could easily go down the solar route similar to what has been trialled elsewhere on domestic property coupled to the grid. The biggest problem is that 'green energy investment' has previously handed the mafia large sums of money in Italy, seems such companies are good cover operations.
On the currency side, I could be an idea to 'suspend' membership till all the pieces have been put in place the ECB working as a backstop, proper regulation, shared bonds et al. Set a date for re-entry, and work with others to make it feasible, if that is what Italians really want.
It basically means a return of the ERM for the short to medium term.
Really? Most words ending with "phile" indicate some sick obsession.
Add "Italian" and one really needs to start worrying ...
We have gone down the solar route:
Photovoltaic energy production in Italy tripled in 2010 and quadrupled in 2011.
I think it's a mistake. Those countries who have invested in wind power - including our own island of Sardinia - have resolved their energy problems.
As for the Euro, I do believe in it. The problem is German rigidity. And, defeat in WWII left our Lira with its independence and credibility permanently compromised. British inflation in the late 70's topped out at 26% - higher than in Italy by a few points - and yet that fact never compromised the international credibility of the Pound Sterling, or prevented the Exchequer from selling 50-year gilts, etc.
The problem facing European politics at present is very similar to the problem troubling politics in the United States, i.e. The problem of gaining a common census on how to tackle the enduring problems cause by the credit crunch. It has been over four years and still no common consensus has arrived.
Britain, whiles its finances are not particularly in better order than anywhere else - indeed too much financial intrigue in the recent year could have done much worse in a nation like Italy - this nation has at least had a sizeable hold on stability since the Conservative-Liberal government came to power in 2010. Clegg, in my opinion, has acted quite responsibly.
Four years ago, I would have considered the Berlusconi hype an entertaining political side show. Today it seems very much the concern of all Europe, and this at very little least, is a good thing.
The main problem is that Mario Monti's government is not elected.
In other terms, Monti was not put in this position by the Italian People, he was given the power under very unusual circumstances.
Italy is a Democracy, and unfortunately when the Italians are asked to choose their leader, they do not choose people like Monti. They choose people like Berlusconi.
Even "the Economist" seemed to forget, during the last few months, that the stability that Italy was experiencing was actually unsustainable.
Monti is doing a good job, but since he is not elected, he will eventually leave the power to other leaders (Grillo, Bersani, Berlusconi, Alfano), who are clearly not up to the task.
Italy is doomed: we will go to Hell. Only then we will come back, like a phoenix. But we will have to go to Hell first.
"Monti is doing a good job, but since he is not elected,.."
So, what does Italy prevent to elect the only competent leader it obviously has right now.
"Italy is doomed: we will go to Hell."
Isn't this a little bit to fatalistic? Italy can't be such a basket case.
There must be at least some decent people who are not happy with the current situation.
Excuse me, but I think you are crazy.
The Italian constitution does not provide, and has never provided, for the direct election of our leaders. There were several reasons for this, but perhaps the strongest reason was that the founding fathers of our Republic feared "the people" would vote the Fascists back into power again.
No Prime Minister in Italian Republic history has ever been directly elected by the people - not even Berlusconi - although he is the most populist in a demagogic fashion.
Mario Monti was elected in an entirely legal way by the parliament - as all other Prime Ministers (actually we call them "Presidents of the Council of Ministers") were elected before him.
End of discussion.
not only the founding fathers of the republic but also the USA feared that "the people" would vote the fascists back into power again, that's why Italy and Germany have such complex political structures and bicameralism and very little direct democracy and that's also why Germany is a federal state, too bad they didn't turn Italy into a federal state like Germany I would not be surprised if the Vatican had something to do with sticking to the French centralism model that does not work in a long and narrow country like Italy with many equally sized cities (just as in Germany) and no dominating Paris.
Also it is not true that Italians never voted for people like Monti, because they voted for Prodi twice who was also a technocrat without a party backing him and that is exactly why he failed to stay for more than 2 years twice losing the backing from the parties that chose him to lead.
So the best position for Monti is that of head of state as President, that lasts 7 years and nobody can kick him out there (somehow it's the opposite to Germany wich recently changes it's presidents lile Italy changes its prime ministers ;) but they have a long way to go to turn this into a tradition), he can serve as a consultant to Bersani and to the guy that will take his position in two years when the Vatican will throw him out of his seat, who knows perhaps it will be Renzi to replace Bersani in 2015 ;)
You are right, definitely, from the theoretical point of view: none of the Italian Presidents of the Council of Ministers has been "elected". We are a Parliamentary Republic, not a Presidential one.
I do not think I am crazy, though. The Italians elect the Parliament, the Parliament expresses a Majority clearly indicated by the voters.
Let's say that the Italians cannot express a vote in which the Majority votes a person like Monti as Prime Minister. Does that sound more "correct"?
It is not in our DNA to vote tough. This time we need to vote tough: we need to give up our privileges, we need to express a vote for "hard work". We are (currently) incapable of doing it.
So... we will vote for Grillo's party. This party will not be able to participate to any "working" coalition in the Parliament, and the President of the Republic will have a hard time to nominate a Prime Minister (sorry for lack of accuracy - "President of the Council of Ministers").
We will also vote for Bersani's Democratic Party, that by nature is not capable of making tough decisions on behalf of the Italian people (although the Democratic Party has expressed the best Italian Governments of the last 20 years - incredible!!!).
By saying that we will go to Hell, I made a huge simplification (I wanted to be concise). What I meant is that we will have to face hard times because, for a while, we will not have a Government capable of making the Italians accept hard decisions.
This hard Government will eventually come. It might take a while, but it will come. A lot of Italians will fall below poverty before that.
Milovan Djilas, I don't think I am crazy... I am not an extremist. I think I am realistic. We will have to become poor: only then we will come back, because it is during very hard times that the Italians come out with unexpected strengths.
Vathek, yes, I was a little bit too fatalistic. By saying that Italy will go to Hell I made a huge simplification.
I just wanted to be concise, that's all.
You say that "thee must be at least some decent people who are not happy with the current situation". Yes, there must be. These people are currently not in the Italian political arena. So we can't vote for them, because we can't see them.
The only one we see is Monti, who is not clearly stating that he wants to enter the political area, although he implicitly did it by becoming Prime Minister.
Should he decide to enter the arena, I would definitely vote for whatever coalition would back him up, but I fear that he would anyway lose against parties like Grillo's...
Thanks for your explanation.
I do not really want to become poor. ;-)
Bersani is a good, credible figure. Will he have enough political courage to make the right cuts? It is not in my nature to express passive cynicism. I think we should SUPPORT Bersani as much as possible to give him the political strength to make the cuts, but CRITICISE the Centre-Left as much as necessary to force them to face the problem if they refuse to.
And, BTW, the problem is our pension expense - at 16.6% of gdp, by far the world's most generous and unsustainable. Particularly the Golden Pensions.
Berlusconi is an embarassment but Berlusconi or not it doesn't change so much, the problem is the euro.
It's just a wrong currency for Italy and as an Italian I get quite pissed off seeing Italy put in the PIGS group while we actually have to bear the burden of other countries mismanagement of their finances. We lend money to these countries at a lower interest rate than the one on our bonds while for the last ten years we always had our deficit under control, it's just ridiculous.
And supposedly we are a problem for the survival of the euro, reality is the euro is a problem for our survival. If we would exit we would face depreciation and high inflation for an year but in the next years we would quickly catch up with a very fast growing economy. We have always being an exporting country with positive trade balance, under the euro this never happened, this says it all.
I admire the Brits who were smart enough to make the right choice, for us it's better late than never.
Wrong the politics of devaluation and inflation are a thing of the past, Italy can not compete on that level in the future with places like India and after 2020 there will be African countries in that field as well
Italy like Germany has to invest in R&D and strengthen it's production of technology to do so the small companies have to merge and become medium sized ones because otherwise they don't have the money for research.
And like Austria it has to get a national system to promote tourism and enhance its outstanding cultural and archeological treasure, a field in which Italy is not using half of its potential.
The Euro is good for Italy exactly for the reasons you mentioned because it forces it to grow and stop the old habits
Look you misunderstood my point. I'm not saying to compete with devaluation, I'm just saying it's a fact that exiting the euro implies devaluation. What you are describing is absolutely necessary but has little to do with the euro. It can/should be done with or without the euro.
Reality is the eurozone simply isn't an optimal currency area, it's as simple as that but many don't want to face it because of political reasons. The very same which led Italy into the eurozone while everybody rationally new that a country with 110% debt to gdp ratio should have never entered the euro!
The only way to compete in the euro is to constrict internal demand, especially for us who have high taxes caused by the high debt, and that's just a policy which leads to disasters.
Such an embarrassment. If Italy votes for him, they deserve what they get.
Except that Berlusconi has never achieved a majority of the vote. At last election, he got 37% and his coalition ally another 5%. But he has achieved parliamentary majorities due to the vagaries of an electoral law he sponsored in 2003 and the divisions of the Centre-Left. These divisions, often historic, are mostly the result of corruption - various venal and corruptible left-wing leaders have long been bought off by the Right (forever in power in our country) to create problems.
This is the thing about a government by priests: due to the practise of the Catholic confessional, the clergy are experts in how to corrupt men and women - "softly".
Too bad the Italian people cannot vote (yet?) for a German to become Prime Minister...
The thought of Berlusconi returning from the (political) dead is like that old joke about the town gangster.
He was so mean that he swore that after he had died he would scratch his way out of the grave and continue to torment the town.
So they buried him face-down.
Courtjester the periphery of the old world are Scandinavia and the Sahara, the real center of culture and wealth production are southern Germany and northern Italy both historically and currently. The reason why the political center currently resides north of the core area is to be found in the history of the UK and Spain, ironically one could say it all started with Henry VIII and the storm that sunk the Spanish armada but obviously in reality there's more than that.
Anyway what resulted is the separation of the north and south shore of the Mediterranean splitting the old world in two and so the political center ever since is located between London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels happens to be pretty much in the center of this triangle,even if it might well be a coincidence.
However the productive center is still south of Brussels and all this talk of (albeit well functioning and well governed) economical dwarfs such as Finland makes little sense, the future and the way to make Europe function is to enhance the cooperation between southern Germany, northern Italy and the productive areas in the south east of France and connect them to the productive areas in Poland and the rest of the eastern countries. Immediately after this step that should have been completed a decade ago Europe should focus on helping the middle east and norther Africa to stand back up because in order for all of Europe to be a producer of wealth it needs all of the old world to to be functioning non just a small part in the north western periphery.
The best example for what happens when there is lack of cooperation is what happened to Italy after the renaissance.
Venice, Genoa, Florence and all the other powers of Tuscany and the rest of Italy that got rich through trade with the east and south where the most wealthy areas of the world just as the states of Europe are now.
But they were unable to unite and so first lost their political power and subsequently also their wealth...
centuries of decline and foreign rule followed before things eventually changed, without moves to increase unity and cooperation this could be the future of Europe including Germany, the Netherlands and even much loved Finland and perhaps even the UK
If you were to read my older posts, I think I've almost exactly said that southern Germany and northern Italy are most similar... ((for a currency union).
at which point we descend into "if only". Northern Italy does not come without the impediment of "southern Italy", dysfunctional and the mafia, thus corruption and a lot of unpleasantness. In addition the issues of a weak state, high level of tax evasion and lots of officials who do nothing much....
As you are started the history links, the French never overcame the defeat of Napoleon, and I know numerous historians who think that giving the territory west of the Rhine to Germany in order to weaken France was a terrible idea.... with hindsight.
With more hindsight, a shared currency needs more than similar economic fundamentals, it needs a shared culture and a similar vision how to deal with structural reforms (austerity vs. inflation, to keep it too short). Whereas the northern states are mostly free trade orientated (northern Italy as well) - France isn't - at all.
Which is the rub. The Euro always was a political idea by Paris to control the Germans, especially after re-unification. And the economics will not work. Basta.
I am deeply scared by all the posters who still defend the Euro. I support a unified Europe (if democratic), I personally profit a lot from the single market and the free movement etc.
Almost 20 years of ("we do not need to listen to the populace - we know better, and we go on regardless of democratic support) has deeply impaired the European idea. I am as scared as you of a currency reform, not at least I know it will taint the concept for at least a generation.
However, ignoring the symptoms, denying the causes will not cure the euro crisis, quite the opposite.
The delusion apparently orbiting in Berlin and Brussels about the ability to "force" structural reform through the currency union. Ludicrous. And the only reason why the whole ponzi scheme has not yet blown up - because the US and China are as delusional about their respective realities as this bunch of dreamers having their head in the cloud in Brussels and Berlin.
And if you do not believe me, I have two impeccable sources of wisdom, I recommended already, but happily again:
Barbara Tuchman: the march of folly, aptly describing the (disastrous) consequences of pursuing policy contrary to self-interest and Rogoff/Rheinhard: This time is different (cue: it never is)
you are right about France not being as free trade oriented as Germany and Italy but you are wrong when you say that there would be a big difference regarding to this within Italy. There are huge differences between northern Italy, central Italy and southern Italy starting from the different sizes of the population with less than 1/3 living in the south.
Those differences are cultural etc. but when it comes to entrepreneurial matters the differences are not as big as one would think and the few businesses in the south (even organized crime but I'm not talking about that) are free trade oriented.
The Euro is not the cause of the problems within the eurozone, it is the economic politics of the governments of France, Italy, Spain that are the cause of the current crisis that was brought to surface by the financial crisis. The crisis in Ireland, Greece and Portugal is only the consequence of the wrongdoings decided in Paris, Rome and Madrid, they would have been hit by the financial crisis anyway but the financial crisis would not have doomed them as it did with Greece (Ireland and Portugal are not exactly on the same level as Greece).
Getting rid of the Euro would not cure the disease, it would be the equivalent of curing the symptoms when you really have to solve the cause for the disease.
I guess it's not the best comparison because the Euro is not really a symptom, the diminishing confidence in the Euro would be the equivalent of a symptom, so you should focus on what causes this lack of confidence in the Euro and not get rid of the Euro.
It would be like cutting off one of your arms because you feel an itch in your hand.
In the end it boils down to this, you and me don't live forever we will be replaced by the younger generations and so will they, these people stepping in will not think the same way and in the case of Europe will have more skills and be more open minded.
So we should not block their future but pave the way for them to grow and expand on what our generation left.
So far we have left the disaster of nuclear plants and a ton of other debts, but luckily we left also the EU and the Euro, not a finished house or job complete but something they can improve.
Southern Italy is a problem but it has also potential because it is a bridge to northern Africa. Problems can be fixed and potential should be used otherwise somebody else is going to.
Northern Africa on the contrary of Europe is full of young people with dynamism, it depends also on us where this dynamic energy is going to be channeled in, if it's going to be economy and science or fundamentalism and war.
Southern Italy is also scarcely populated so already an immigration program could change a great deal, it should be Europe's California but right now it looks like many people (and you could be one of them if you don't change your mind) would be happy if southern Italay would become Europe's Haiti.
"The Euro always was a political idea by Paris to control the Germans."
The German bundestag voted for the euro.
Is the German parliament under the control of the French?
Acknowledging the fact that the German parliament voted for the euro would mean Germans actually taking responsibility for their actions and we can't have that can we?
Also acknowledging the fact that Germany as a member of the eurozone voted for Greece's membership in the euro would actually mean Germans taking responsibility for their actions and we can't have that can we?
Someday perhaps someone will come with an explanation for the mass outbreak of stupidity that made Germany & other eurozone members think that they could share a currency with a country that scores lower than third world countries on international corruption indexes.
And don't worry about the USA. If you had a free press in Germany than you would be aware that shale gas and the ongoing oil boom will make the USA the largest producer of oil in the next decade or so, beating Saudia Arabia and Russia. This oil wealth will give the USA options that Germany and Europe does not have.
On another side note Barbara Tuchman is not an impeccable source of wisdom.
Just because you like what she wrote about the origins of WW1, does not mean she was 100% correct.
Other historians who dwelt more deeply into research have written excellent books which come with quite different conclusions.
One of the best written books on WW1 was by Oxford history professor Margaret MacMillian. I doubt you would know anything about her book since it doesn't confirm to Germany the victim theory that so many Germans cherish contrary to facts.
The facts are given. However we know you cannot deal with unpleasant facts.
"Her most successful work is Peacemakers: The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War, also published as Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World.
Peacemakers won the Duff Cooper Prize for outstanding literary work in the field of history, biography or politics; the Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History; the prestigious Samuel Johnson Prize for the best work of non-fiction published in the United Kingdom and the 2003 Governor General's Literary Award in Canada.
MacMillan has served on the boards of the Canadian Institute for International Affairs, the Atlantic Council of Canada, the Ontario Heritage Foundation, Historica, and the Churchill Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy (Canada). She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, an Honorary Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford and a Senior Fellow of Massey College, University of Toronto. She has honorary degrees from the University of King's College, the Royal Military College of Canada student #S154, and Ryerson University, Toronto."
"Europe's California"
There is nothing equivalent to California in Europe, never mind southern Italy.
There is no European silicon valley or Hollywood.
The creative genius, talent, entreprenership and ability to attract the best and brigtest from all over the world has made California create almost two thirds the GDP of Germany with less than half its population.
California GDP = 1.9 trillion (37 million people)
Germany GDP = 3.5 trillion (81 million people)
California GDP per capita = $51,000
Germany GDP per capita = $41,000.
Even the most productive areas of Europe can't compete with California, forget Italy.
PS: And needless to say if any continental European country had to face millions & millions of *illegal* immigrants pouring in through an open border for decades like California, a fascist putsch would have occured.
Please note the USA like all other nations of immigrants (Australia, Canada & New Zealand) has immigration programs that allow people to immigrate legally into the USA from all over the world. In fact the USA accepts one million *legal* immigrants every year. So don't confuse this with the issue of *illegal* immigration.
"Barbara Tuchman is not an impeccable source of wisdom."
That might be. But no historical analysis is ever 100%. Each author has his personal bias and preference (reflecting his times to a great deal).
"One of the best written books on WW1 was by Oxford history professor Margaret MacMillian..."...
Obviously chosen by you because it confirms to your personnel bias.
"The facts are given. However we know you cannot deal with unpleasant facts."
It is not just the "facts", but how they are interpreted. And here lies the rub. Therefore your statement is nonsensical and reveals that you definitely are not a historian by profession or in any sense trained in historical analysis.
Just reading books on historic matters is no substitute for that. Nor listing other peoples achievements and awards. And prizes and awards are not necessary a proof for quality. A mere compliance to the "mood of the day" sometimes suffices.
To close this post off, I advise you to do yourself and the other posters a big, and for you obviously a self-sacrificing, service:
Try to stay on topic (if as an American you really feel the strong urge to comment on things European) and do not get historical on us.
And you sure do not want to get us all medieval on you (comments-wise thats is).
Many Thanks for you compliance in advise. Greetings from Tórshavn.
I did not say that southern Italy is on the way to becoming Europe's California, on the contrary it's on the way to become Europe's Haiti.
California today is what Italy was until 200 years ago, basically all innovation came from there as it comes from California now.
What put the tombestone on Italy shortly after Galileo Galilei was the church when it stopped scientific progress and this had influences not only in the papal states but also in the rich states of Venice etc. a consequence of Italy failing to unify and become a national state like France, the UK and Spain.
In Germany although it only became a national state in the same period as Italy (1860 to 1870) things were less bad as in Italy because the church had less influence and because of Prussia, but I admit it is a very shallow analysis that barely scratches the surface.
Anyway it's true there is nothing like California in Europe (though if you look at the GDP and population data of the area just north and south of the Alps you end up with numbers similar to those of California but that area consisting of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Lombardy, Piedmont, Tyrol and Switzerland is not politically cohesive and also more populated than California so it's not really comparable but it's the thing that comes closest to it in Europe) but Italy has the potential to become something like it.
In the south there would be room for at least twice the population(roughly 20 millions), Sardinia alone would have room for 3 to 5 millions and there aren't only one and half million living there now, and these places in the south are not ugly places to live.
Together with Spain it is Europe's bridge to Africa, there is a huge potential for renewable energy, not only desertec in the Sahara but also in the sea and mountains (Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity) and wind in the shallow and narrow Adriatic sea surrounded by mountains east end west.
Also there's 500 billions of shadow GDP in Italy if you'd get that to emerge and pay taxes the data and things generally would look much better, particularly considering that the household, financial and non-financial debt in Italy is lower than that of Germany and much lower than in the UK and France and private wealth is bigger in Italy then in the other comparable countries.
The potential of Italy and particularly southern Italy is underrated, obviously it is not a short therm thing and without a vision and a plan and immigration nothing will happen.
But what would have become of California in the last 100 years without immigration and a vision and a plan? It might still be part of Mexico's periphery.
"I did not say that southern Italy is on the way to becoming Europe's California".
You do not even need to bother. She's not in for an honest debate.
She's the most extreme troll around here, although not the smartest, for sure...
Emmafinney: "The German bundestag voted for the euro.... Is the German parliament under the control of the French?"
Hideous double standards as usual.
If a parliament makes a certain decision it can't be because of foreign influence?
Does this all-embracing wisdom of yours also apply to decisions of European parliaments TODAY? Tell us, does it apply to the Greek or French or Spanish parliament today? Or ONLY to the Bundestag 20 years ago?
"She's the most extreme troll around here, although not the smartest, for sure..."
Fair statement, a little bit too positive for my taste.:-)
Your opinions are ridiculous.
Firstly, Italy has a trade surplus with California. We also have a trade surplus with all the US - probably over $25 billion this year. The US is the country with the competitiveness problem, given its $800 billion trade deficit, not us.
Secondly, half of California was built by Italians, you ignorant person.
The entire Californian wine industry and most of its agricultural industry was built by Italians, especially from Piedmont, Tuscany and Liguria. Ever hear, btw, of the "Del Monte" company?
Thirdly, Californian development would have been nowhere in the 20th century without the Bank of America. Founded in 1904 as the Bank of Italy by Amadeo Giannini, it became the "Bank of Italy and America" in 1922 and the "Bank of America" in 1930. It was the largest bank in the US and the world for half a century.
Fourthly, Giannini's Bank of America financed Walt Disney's "Snow White" thus launching the Disney Corporation. It also financed William Hewlett and David Packard when they founded Hewlett-Packard.
Fifthly, it was Giannini who decided America needed a home-grown cinema industry - and founded Hollywood, by importing Jews from Russia. The Tsar had founded the world's first film school, and some of its Jewish graduates found it a better idea to leave that country. So Hollywood has always been a Jewish-Italian "conspiracy". This Italian influence was also largely responsible for the strong influence of the peninsula's school of Neo-Realismo on American Cinema - differentiating it from British Cinema. The British considered that projecting ungrammatical language on the big screen was something akin to blaspheming in church - American Cinema instead, soon after WWII began using "street language" to make the films seem more "life-like".
Giannini's Bank of America was also the only financial institution left with a strong branch network presence in both North American and Europe at the end of WWII - so that all American Marshall Plan monies were actually transferred by the Bank.
It was Hewlett-Packard and Stanford Research Centre that founded Silicon Valley - where do you think those institutions would have been without Bank of America?
There was an attempt by Genoa to launch a new Silicon Valley in Liguria in the late 70's/early 80's. This was seen as likely also due to the historic, massive connections between Genoa and San Francisco. The initiative got nowhere. In Genoa I was told by city leaders that "the initiative was eventually quashed by Bill Gates, who sought to block any potential competition."
In July Mario Monti was at the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho to meet and negotiate with Bill Gates and others, regarding their investment in the former Ligurian Silicon Valley project.
In May of this year, a new project was inaugurated in Genoa in conjunction with Swedish Ericsson.
So far, a billion euros have been invested.
Some local websites mentioning the Italian and Genoese contribution to the development of California:
"Fair statement, a little bit too positive for my taste.:-)"
I see you are a conoisseur, too.
As for your previous question, you need to ask him directly.
Good example. BTW...
The Pope convened the Italian city-states to a diplomatic meeting in the "Jubilee Year" 1450. This meeting is considered the beginning of permanent ambassadorial missions - as the Papacy convinced the other city-states there to hold regular meetings in Rome.
The dogma of the Nation grew out of the French Revolution. But the geographical structure of nation-states in Europe grew as a reaction to the Fall of the East Roman Empire in 1453. This event shook up and terrified the West. On one hand, there was no longer an original holdover from Ancient Roman days to challenge the legitimacy of the "Holy Roman Empire" (as the old joke went, "Neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire). On the other hand, the Ottoman Muslims now had consolidated their hold on the Balkans and were quickly sweeping south into the Holy Land and Africa and north into Central Europe.
This event sparked many peace settlements/state consolidations in western Europe. By 1472, the English and French were signing a peace treaty to end what would come to be called "The Hundred Years' War" - thus defining the territorial limits of those two countries. The bankruptcy of Genoa (at Constantinople) removed the last foreign defender of the Kingdom of Al-Andalus, paving the way for unification of the Iberian peninsula in 1492 (exactly what Genoa had been trying to avoid). The Hapsburgs, allied to the Vatican, were consolidating their hold on the "Eastern March" (Austria) by the 1520's.
Germany and Italy "got the shaft" so to speak.
In 1454, the Papacy negotiated the famous "Peace of Lodi" between warring Milan and Venice. This Peace Treaty:
1) Basically defined what were Neapolitan, Roman, Florentine, Venetian, Milanese, Genoese, etc. territories, after centuries of back-and-forth conquests. From that date on, the territorial changes within the peninsula could be counted on one hand over a period of 3-4 centuries.
2) The treaty however, in creating and enforcing a certain peace, also prevented one or another city-state to eventually emerge victorious, conquering the others and forming a nation-state. The Papacy therefore used this peace treaty to keep Italy divided for four centuries.
3) On the bright side, the end of military expenditures led to more expenditures on art and the Renaissance...
4) but on the negative side, it left Italy, hitherto the richest country in Europe with the best military technology, quite disarmed and open to foreign invasion - which started in 1492 with the French-Italian Wars and continues with American occupation to this day, despite the precious interlude of something closer to true independence from 1870-1914.
5) The treaty was signed at the moment of the greatest weakness and bankruptcy of the Genoese state (this was no coincidence). Despite rivalry with Venice, we were always the strongest military power in the peninsula - and always the land destined to unite Italy. In the 1400's Venice built up a bigger land empire than Genoa (Venice had turned its attention inland, as Genoa had already defeated "La Serenissima" in the East, winning domination of the East Roman Empire, the Black Sea and what trade remained to Christians in Cyprus and the Holy Land). But that empire was never and would have never been able to conquer lands southwards in the peninsula. Nor was the Republic of Venice able to hold off the Ottoman Empire on its own - without Genoese help.
For Genoese expansion, it was a question of islands: first Corsica, then Sardinia, then Sicily - and on to Cyprus and the Holy Land. But Liguria needed a bigger land base from which to draw upon - it needed to conquer Piedmont, piece by piece. The Treaty of Lodi prevented that. All the other Italian city-states, jealously watching Genoa, made sure the Republic would make no territorial gains - because any moment that the Republic could consolidate a hold on land north of the Ligurian Alps, they would have the people and natural resources to fund conquest of the Mediterranean islands.
This Balance of Power (the term was coined in Renaissance Italy to refer to exactly this peace system) was upset by the Congress of Vienna. In the end, after 3 centuries, it was the little mountain dukedom of Savoy that conquered Piedmont piece by piece, not Genoa. This kingdom, with its little port of Nizza (Nice) was never going to challenge the seas. But when the Congress handed over Genoa to Piedmont they had no idea what they were doing. They wanted a state strong enough to resist French expansion to the south - but they created a new colonial power (which is what Genoa had always been - perhaps the west's first colonial power since Roman times.) Expansion, both at land and sea, was assured. As was unification of the peninsula (and conflict with the Papal States).
This system played itself out differently in Germany. But it was the Holy Roman system sponsored by the Vatican that kept Germany divided. And their war against the Protestants ;-)
All this to say what:
That it was the Church who kept Italy and Germany divided. And it is the Church that is screwing us again. What Berlusconi was really all about was the maintenance of Christian Democratic power in the peninsula - long after their corrupt governance was useful or desired, even to the Great Powers.
De Gasperi, Schuman and Adenauer were all Opus Dei - did you know that? They have been named "Servants of God" and are up for beatification - ha!
And now the Vatican is deafeningly silent about the Euro-crisis. They seem to be convinced that the EU has escaped their control, since unification of protestant east Germany and the addition of countries like the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, etc.
To come back to the theme of this article: foreigners misunderstand that Berlusconi (despite his TV stations) is now useless to the Vatican, which is attempting to change horses to Monti, just as they changed from Hitler to Roosevelt in 1943. Without their assistance, Berlusconi will return to the fringes of Italian politics at less than 15%, which is where he would have always been without their assistance (ditto for Schickelgruber and Benito, by the way).
"But what would have become of California in the last 100 years without immigration and a vision and a plan? It might still be part of Mexico's periphery."
Don't forget democracy, political stability and good governance that created California in the first place and gave its foundation. Not to mention excellent state funded Universities like Stanford, Berkely etc.
You underestimate how crucial political stability, democracy and good governance are to creating successful states
Take Canada, in the early 20th century it was a sparsely populated nation which was poorer than Argentina.
Today it is one of the most affluent nations in the world. There was no EU structural funds, no Marshall plan, no nothing. However there was a lot of good governance, political stability and democracy.
However I accept that Italy is underrated. Its potentional is immense. However due to Italy's dysfunctional political system it will be hard to trap into that potentional.
"(though if you look at the GDP and population data of the area just north and south of the Alps you end up with numbers similar to those of California."
Those arepockets of certain regions in a country. Not exactly a good comparison. It is kind of like comparing super affluent Beverly hills with oil rich Brunei.
"I advise you to do yourself."
I gather it still hasn't hit you what a ludicruous sight you present pompously giving "advise" to someone who comes from a country that has to come in every few decades to put down one of your homegrown genocidal tyrants. The last one was in the 1990's Balkans complete with ethnic cleansing and genocide-Sebrenica on European soil.
"and do not get historical on us."
Since you seem to be supremely ignorant of your own European history as illustrated by my comments above, I think it is wise you not even mention the word "history."
On another note, can you tell us when we will have to come in next to put down one of your homegrown genocidal tyrants? So that we have some advance notice instead of getting a shock like in the past. Is it Hungary or perhaps Romania where hatred against Roma is whipped up, with Jobbik jackboots marching on the streets.
"Since you seem to be supremely ignorant of your own European history..."
Oh, please. Your "moral" outbursts are just ridiculous.
Bas acting school, I presume.
Especially bearing recent events in mind. What's wrong
with the US? Why are you so obsessed with violence?
Is it because there are too many people like you?
The ones of the intolerant and aggressive variety...
If an old man a gaga has only young girls in his head is on the way to become a moron and should shut down with politics and other main issues. He's not all there any more.
la.výritý Berlusconi would certainly be fit for jail but he is not gonna end up there, absolutely no chance ...so at least those in jail don't have to be afraid of his tool, he has a rubber penis connected to a pump, that's what they say, probably made by art critic Philippe Daverio's brother surgeon Dr. Paul Daverio who is an expert on female to male operations.
Indeed about the only good thing in all this is the weak start of the development of a European common political consciousness.
It is a good thing that European politicians are making their comments about the candidates of an other country, normally this would be the job of the media but there is no real European media (the only one is the financial times that is clearly spreading the word of the London banksters cheering for further division and less cooperation in Europe, the usual financial short time perspective to cash in) and particularly Italians live in some sort of cultural self-isolation and do not follow the media of neighboring countries at all.
This is actually a manifest gap in the market waiting to be filled, as they say in German "Marktlücke" it might have been a niche market so far but it isn't anymore.
A European economic online/newspaper in English, not focused exclusively on finance and based outside the UK could be be the cradle for a European demos.
The younger generations more and more tend to think globally and not nationally as those older than 30 or 40 years do, most of them also speak English and so I guess they would read it.
In order to work I guess it would have to be based in Germany because this would be the biggest market for it, but since it should not be dominated by financeit would not be ideal to be based in Frankfurt, so Munich or Stuttgart might make more sense.
The existing partially bilingual cities Strasbourg French/German and Bolzano German/Italian are too small, though they could theoretically work as a head quarter for the publication but only once the newspaper is established and that would take at least a decade.
Without such a European media there can be no functioning European demos and hence no functioning democracy for lack of control.
There is no vision, and there are no representatives with a vision that is different from that of their backyard.
But in order to get somewhere you need to have a vision.
The lack of a vision is why the following will sound totally foolish to almost everyone.
I'm not saying to drop the EU or the Euro, all the contrary, but I think it is time to create a "core Europe" where to start the establishing of a European democracy that goes further than national democarcies cooperating.
This would have to be in the core of Europe including the main productive areas, and that is the area just to the north, south and west of the Alps.
Since you can't break up France, Germany and Italy It would mean to create a federal state including them entirely but as a federation of areas roughly as big as the least common denominator, this LCD would be 8 to 10 millions represented by Austria.
The result of this would be a "Europan Federation" ...EF some kind of "MEGA-SUISSE" surrounding Switzerland the CH "Confoederatio Helvetica", obviously Switzerland would not be a member but that is not a big problem.
There are only 3 languages spoken in Germany, Austria, Italy and France so it would be much more realistic to introduce English as a common second language and the French could not block this anymore with the help of other small countries.
In theory some decades later it could be expanded to Poland and Spain but only after the structures of direct and representative democracies of the EF (European Federation) are working, again Switzerland would be a model since it has some sort of permanent "Grosse Koalition" focused on cooperation.
Practically it would be a federation of the regions that make up these countries, such as Bavaria, Lombardy, Baden-Württemberg, Piedmont, Rhône-Alpes etc. plus the state of Austria.
Germany is already a federal state so the modifications would not be impossible, in Italy it would be much more difficult but still possible since it is obvious that (if only) because of its geography
(long and narrow just as the BRD used to be) it would actually function much better as a federal state.
The real problem is France so concentrated around Paris, plus it would be the only part of the EF with the problem of nuclear plants.
Obviously this EF once it is really working, many decades later, it should also include the rest of Europe that in the meantime could adapt to this area of cooperation that generates most of the European GDP.
The vision should not end there, because to really work the area needs to include both shores of the lake i.e. the entire old world and that never was only Europe north of the Mediterranean but it includes the south shore as well, so north Africa and the Middle East need investments to grow.
isn't "solidarity" a socialist/communist term?
It was also the name of the union movement that brought down communist rule in Poland.
Don't get worked up trying to find code words in everything.
"Mr Berlusconi is exploiting a well-established current of Euroscepticism, says Charlemagne, with an air of disapproval. So what on earth else should he do? Ignore it?
If Mr B were to show signs of doing well in the election campaign (unlikely but not impossible), the EU supported by Mrs Merkel would no doubt find a way of crushing him. Wake up, Charlemagne. Europe is ruled by powerful elites who have precious little time for democracy and who want to see dull and biddable elitist national leaders sitting around the top conference tables of the EU. Public opinion (or in other words "populism") really has nothing to do with it.
@ Charlemange,
how dare you talk like this about the 'Cavaliere'!!
Silvio Santo Subito!
"Just look at the horrified headlines and statements across Europe."
It is not a surprise for me, in fact big Media had supported wars, kills and dictators in the past, and this pornographic robbery made by European Banks today.
It's clear why they don't like Berlusconi. ¿parties? ¿private life? No, That's what they want to show.
The point is they can't manage Berlusconi easily as they're doing with Monti (or Rajoy in Spain), and it could be a obstacle for their European Proyect, which it needs to destroy National States if they wanted to be sucessful.
Who are they? Bankers and Big companies in the EU, and big Media is the key, because they do the "dirty work".
As i already wrote,Berlusconi has no true intention of running for prime minister:he wants only,and on this issue is perfectly right,to convince a good number of disillusioned voters to go to the polls and happily kill again any pretense of ruining Italy.I must add that never i would believed that TE would quote the shame of the European press:the BILD ZITUNG read by the cream of the xenophobe and ignorant share of the german society.But...never say never
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subset: commoncrawl


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Companies matching "boston consulting"
Boston Consulting Group Interviews
www.bcg.com / HQ: Boston, MA
286 Interviews
Boston Industrial Consulting Interviews
www.bicinc.com / HQ: Danvers, MA
0 Interviews
Boston Consulting Group Digital Ventures Interviews
www.bcgdv.com / HQ: Manhattan Beach
0 Interviews
Boston consulting Interview Questions
"Should asset mgmt company expand into China if their stock market indices are growing by 80% a year while the american indices are growing at only 5%"
|1 of 1 found helpful
"Case interview involving mining company that pioneered a new mining process that made extensive ore deposits accessible but required new equipment not commercially available. Should they…"
"The client was a major credit card company (e.g. Mastercard, AmEx, etc.) with $2B annual revenues. Last year, they entered into the Chinese market with limited success -- only bringing in $6M in…"
"A coal mining company with majority market share in Canada is witnessing declining profits. Find out what's wrong."


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Town Square
Saturday marks Palo Alto's 91st annual May Fete Parade
Original post made on May 1, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 9:25 AM
Comments (3)
a resident of Midtown
on May 3, 2013 at 8:42 am
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Midtown
on May 3, 2013 at 1:34 pm
Looking forward to participating in this wonderful family event.
a resident of Palo Verde
on May 4, 2013 at 7:52 am
The parade is such a wonderful tradition.
Too bad it doesn't pass by Channing House any more. That always felt like the high point of the route -- All the senior residents on their balconies and in lawn chairs waving.
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Freebirds Palo Alto shutters, Pieology to move in
By Elena Kadvany | 15 comments | 4,086 views
A Glimpse into local HS Suicide
By Chandrama Anderson | 16 comments | 3,334 views
I blame soccer (teamwork)
By Douglas Moran | 19 comments | 3,127 views
Deny the 429 Univ Ave Project Appeal
By Steve Levy | 11 comments | 2,084 views
Ill have the Kraft Mac n Cheese w/Ketchup, Please
By Max Greenberg | 2 comments | 1,038 views


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French Lick tickets are available now for all French Lick events. Whether on vacation or a current resident, you'll never get tired of all the things that are available in French Lick, Indiana, and the surrounding areas! Get tickets to French Lick, IN below.
|Event & Venue/City
|Apr 11, 2015
Sat 8:00PM
Air Supply
French Lick Springs Resort & Casino -
French Lick, IN
From $87


text: Master of Public Policy Student Research Papers http://hdl.handle.net/1957/4129 2015-03-30T13:21:27Z Underserved Students' Expectations & Perceptions of Higher Education in Oregon http://hdl.handle.net/1957/55376 Underserved Students' Expectations & Perceptions of Higher Education in Oregon Nguyen-Ventura, Jessica In 2011, Governor John Kitzhaber, along with the Oregon legislature, affirmed a clear and ambitious goal for the State. The 40-40-20 goal states that by 2025, 40% of adult Oregonians will have an Associates degree or a meaningful postsecondary certificate, 40% will hold a Bachelors degree or advance degree and 20% percent will hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent credential. These ambitious goals include underserved students –low income, first-generation, students of color, and rural students–whom the educational system has not served well in the past and whose college-going and completion rates fall below the average. However, there is little research about the experiences, expectations or perceptions of underserved students in Oregon's higher education system. This project used qualitative methods to understand the barriers that underserved students face once they begin their postsecondary career. Twenty-five interviews were conducted with Oregon community leaders who work with "college-going" underserved students and another 21 interviews were conducted with underserved students. Consistent with predictions of social reproduction theory, both community leaders and students described barriers related to cultural and social capital. This research proposes that social reproduction theory can explain how the experiences of underserved students may hinder the effectiveness of policies intended to increase access to and retention in higher education in Oregon. Successful implementation of these policies will need to heavily invest time and funding to educate families and students as they make the transition to higher education in Oregon. Graduation date: 2015 2015-03-16T00:00:00Z Perceptions of Variable Energy Integration Innovations in the Pacific Northwest Power Sector – An Application of the Diffusion of Innovation Framework http://hdl.handle.net/1957/54789 Perceptions of Variable Energy Integration Innovations in the Pacific Northwest Power Sector – An Application of the Diffusion of Innovation Framework Eckstein, Jeremy Wind and solar energy levels are expected to increase in the Pacific Northwest as a result of maturing renewable energy technologies, and state and federal policies. Because wind and solar energy is intermittent, only producing electricity when weather conditions permit, the integration of these resources has posed challenges to operators of the electricity grid. These challenges are associated with managing the balance of electricity supply and demand in real time. This paper investigates which innovations are likely to be deployed by balancing authorities, the entities responsible for maintaining demand-supply equilibrium, in Oregon and Washington in order to address the integration issue. The possible adoption of an energy imbalance market, energy storage systems, and demand response programs are examined by analyzing interview responses of managers of each of Oregon and Washington's ten balancing authorities through the lens of the diffusion of innovations framework. By focusing on the framework's five innovation perception categories the study finds that an energy imbalance market offers the strongest perceived benefit and least perceived cost of the three integration innovations analyzed. Nonetheless, the deployment of a regional imbalance market faces significant challenges associated with perceptions held by the region's public utilities. Other innovations are currently perceived as cost-prohibitive. Graduation date: 2015 2014-11-06T00:00:00Z A Sticky Problem: Identifying the Barriers to the Adoption of Fats, Oils, and Grease as an Energy Feedstock in Oregon http://hdl.handle.net/1957/54776 A Sticky Problem: Identifying the Barriers to the Adoption of Fats, Oils, and Grease as an Energy Feedstock in Oregon Davidson, Ian T. This study investigates the barriers faced by fats, oil, and grease (FOG) as an energy feedstock in the state of Oregon. FOG, which typically originates in food service establishments (FSEs), historically has been treated as waste, yet it also has the chemical make up to be an energy feedstock in anaerobic digesters. Despite this potential, Oregon currently experiences a low level of FOG adoption. Important barriers to this adoption are identified using Painuly and Reddy's (2004) framework for renewable energy technology (RET) barrier identification. Under this framework, barriers are established by analyzing the literature and vetted through a stakeholder engagement process. Stakeholders include those familiar with FOG and biogas energy in Oregon, specifically wastewater treatment technicians; representatives from interested non-profits; and managers of commercial biogas plants. These stakeholders were interviewed and asked questions concerning the barriers to FOG adoption, and their insights serve as the basis of this research. Lastly, policy recommendations to increase the adoption of FOG as an energy feedstock in Oregon are made. Graduation date: 2014 2014-12-10T00:00:00Z Indicators of Social Vulnerability in Fishing Communities along the West Coast Region of the U.S. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/54750 Indicators of Social Vulnerability in Fishing Communities along the West Coast Region of the U.S. Miller, Stacey D. Social vulnerability is often thought of as a culmination of social factors influencing the susceptibility of various groups to harm and govern their ability to respond. In an effort to identify communities that may be susceptible to social impacts from changes to fishery policies or fishing conditions, NOAA Fisheries is developing social vulnerability indicators for fishing-dependent communities in five regions within the U.S including the northeast, southeast, west coast, Alaska, and Hawaii. Place-based data from the U.S. decennial census, American Community Survey, NOAA Fisheries, state fish and wildlife agencies, and a myriad of additional sources are included in a factor analysis to identify communities engaged in and reliant on commercial fishing, and to derive indicators of social vulnerability. Using these indicators, 18 communities along the west coast were identified as having high levels of both commercial fishing dependence and social vulnerability, although the drivers varied among communities. This research complements the development of a national vulnerability assessment by using the vulnerability resilience linear conceptual model to evaluate exposure and sensitivity of communities along the west coast to potential policy or environmental changes that affect commercial fishing activity. Graduation date: 2014 2014-12-01T00:00:00Z


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With cameras, informants, NYPD eyed mosques
Across the Hudson River in Jersey City, an undercover officer reported a pair of worshippers at the Al-Tawheed Islamic Center reacted with "sorrow."
"The worshippers made remarks to the effect that `it better be an accident; we don't need any more heat,'" the officer reported.
Another informant told his handler about a man who became agitated after learning about the crash. The man urged the informant not to go into Manhattan until it was clear what was going on, the informant said.
Five days after the crash, long after concerns that it was terrorism had passed, the NYPD compiled these reports into a memo for Kelly. The report promised to investigate the man who had appeared agitated.
"A phone dump will be conducted on subject's phone for that day and time period," the memo said.
In some instances, the NYPD put cameras on light poles and trained them on mosques, documents show. Investigators could control the cameras with their computers and use the footage to help identify worshippers. Because the cameras were in public space, police didn't need a warrant to conduct the surveillance.
If the NYPD badly wanted to know who was attending the mosque, they could write down the license plates of cars in the mosque parking lots, documents show. In some instances, police in unmarked cars outfitted with electronic license plate readers would drive down the street and record the plates of everyone parked near the mosque.
Abdul Akbar Mohammed, the imam for the past eight years at the Masjid Imam Ali K. Muslim, a mosque in Newark that was cataloged in NYPD's files, said of the program: "They're viewing Muslims like they're crazy. They're terrorists. They all must be fanatics."
"That's not right," he said.
In 2006, the NYPD ordered surveillance at the Masjid Omar, a mosque in Paterson, N.J., a document shows. There's no indication that the surveillance team was looking for anyone in particular. The mosque itself was the target.
"This is reportedly to be a mosque that is attended by both Palestinian and Chechen worshipers," the document reads. "This mosque has a long history in the community and is believed to have been the subject of federal Investigations." Federal law enforcement officials told the AP that the mosque itself was never under federal investigation and they were unaware the NYPD was monitoring it so closely.
Police were instructed to watch the mosque and, as people came and went from the Friday prayer service, investigators were to record license plates and photograph and videotape those attending.
"Pay special attention to all NY State license plates," the document said.
The brief file offered no evidence of criminal activity.
To conduct such broad surveillance as the NYPD did at Masjid Omar, FBI agents would need to believe that the mosque itself was part of a criminal enterprise. Even then, federal agents would need approval from senior FBI and Justice Department officials.
At the NYPD, however, such monitoring was common, former police officials said.
The Omar mosque sits in central Paterson in a neighborhood heavily populated by Palestinians, Egyptians and other Arabs. It's about 20 miles west of Manhattan. About 2,000 worshippers meet regularly at the Sunni mosque, which was once a church.


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Space Battleship Yamato 2199
View Single Post
July 10 2013, 07:50 PM
Fleet Captain
Location: Republic of California
Re: Space Battleship Yamato 2199
Most companies today release subtitled anime or subtitled anime with their dubbed track. Aside from older anime, ever since DVDs came about I've seen English dubde anime that still retains a subtitled track in Japanese. At that was from the 1990s. Well and I suppose heavily altered anime from an old property (Transformers).
Maybe something changed in the market, but I've not bought a American DVD released anime for five or six years (Galaxy Railways and Full Metal Panic were the last new anime I purchased locally).
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Town Square
Smoke signal or smoke screen?
Original post made by Renee Batti, news editor of The Almanac, on Feb 14, 2007
Will Atherton turn over a new leaf or another blind eye?
Will the City Council be able to find a fig leaf large enough to cover up the naked truth of exposed mismanagement from anywhere within Tree City USA?
Will the council ever see the urban forest through the trees when the sawdust settles only on the building department? Will triple audits, multiple independent investigations and a pending grand jury report spin anyone at all into forgetting that the town pays good money to management to prevent forest fires from ever happening?
Wouldn't a few annual performance reviews by the city manager or at least a glance at the town's zoning ordinance have been more economic and prophylactic? If our duly elected, all-volunteer and extremely bright council chose to continue to use skillful but reactive containment as a governance style, then they should remember where there is smoke, there is fire.
We need Smokey the Bear in the watch tower, not Teddy.
Melinda Tevis
Tallwood Court, Atherton
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Freebirds Palo Alto shutters, Pieology to move in
By Elena Kadvany | 14 comments | 3,628 views
A Glimpse into local HS Suicide
By Chandrama Anderson | 15 comments | 2,778 views
Deny the 429 Univ Ave Project Appeal
By Steve Levy | 12 comments | 1,825 views
Now Playing - Your Dinner!
By Laura Stec | 0 comments | 1,027 views
Water War & Peace
By Paul Bendix | 1 comment | 378 views


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Golden moles are burrowing mammals native to southern Africa that are completely blind. Yet, their fur produces "a rainbow of colours when viewed from various angles, much like the surface of a compact disc," according to Dr Kevin Rowe, Senior Curator of Mammals. This raises the question: why would an animal that lives in the dark, and can't see anyway, be brightly coloured? Kevin and his colleagues, including MV Research Associate Dr Karen Rowe, have published a new study in Biology Letters that considers the implications of how and why iridescence evolved.
Golden mole specimen from the Museum Victoria collection.Source: Museum Victoria
Many insects, reptiles and birds use iridescence to attract mates, but this depends on keen eyesight on the part of the viewer. Analysis under scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that the golden mole's colourful sheen is produced by the same mechanism as other animals: microscopic surface structures that refract light. The minute layers of scales on the surface of each hair are "most likely to reduce drag and damage while the moles swim through sand and soil," explains Karen. "The colours they produce are merely a by-product."
Hairs from these four golden mole specimens were analysed with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in this study.Source: Museum Victoria
The only other known example of mammal iridescence is the 'eye shine' seen when torchlight reflects from the retina of nocturnal animals, a useful trick for spotting animals in trees. With more investigation, the researchers may find other species with true iridescence and thus piece together the story of its evolution.
Holly K. Snyder, Rafael Maia, Liliana D'Alba, Allison J. Shultz, Karen M. C. Rowe, Kevin C. Rowe and Matthew D. Shawkey (2012) 'Iridescent colour production in hairs of blind golden moles (Chrysochloridae)' Biology Letters
World's first iridescent mammal discovered
Media release
Updates on what's happening at Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum, Scienceworks, the Royal Exhibition Building, and beyond.
the last time i spotted the emperor moth was about ten years ago it was in marlborough-blenheim nz
To read the latest tweets from @museumvictoria
Follow Museum Victoria on
Hi Lorraine,
Dates and prices for Discover the Night Sky are still being finalised. Please keep an eye on our website or subcribe to E-News for further informa...


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One on One
Who's your favorite gymnast?
NAME: Mari Young
School: Pueblo West High School
Year, age: Senior, 17
Sports: Gymnastics
Shawn Johnson. I love that she is so short and so powerful.
How did you get into gymnastics?
I was a dancer for about nine years and then one day I went out into my grass and I just started flipping around and I went and told my mom, "You know, I think I want to join gymnastics." So I joined when I was about 12 years old.
What is it like to be able to do all the stunts you do on uneven bars and floor exercises?
It's unexplainable. You honestly get this feeling that I have never been able to reach unless I am doing gymnastics. The adrenaline when you are competing and the adrenaline you get when you are twisting in the air is just so unexplainable.
How do you prepare for a meet?
I love Red Bull. It's my favorite drink to drink before a meet. I also usually eat a Clif Bar and I always turn to music. It gets me pumped up.
What kind of music do you like?
I like pretty much everything.
What's the last novel you read?
Oh goodness. Honestly, I really don't read that often.
What is your favorite Pueblo Italian restaurant?
I am going to go with Angelo's. I love their pizza crust.
With the conflict going on in Syria, do you worry about future chemical warfare with threats overseas?
I don't think too much about that, but yes there is a concern.
How far do you think you can go this season?
I just want to have a fun and memorable season and kick some butt with my team.
- Pueblo West guard, Central guard named MVPs
- Kimber success comes in 3's
- Chieftain baseball rankings
- Prep sport stats/standings
- Pueblo West Ewing wants state title after placing 4th in '14
- Dogs' hurler goes the distance for win
- PHOTO: Girl watching
- D'Evleyn posts 2nd comeback in 2 days
- West's Retzlaff is loud and clear
- PREP BASEBALL: Eagles sweep doubleheader


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The volute is the decorative turnout at the base of a staircase. In this image the seam where the two joined handrail pieces meet is called the up ramp.
Volutes spiral to the right or to the left of the staircase depending on the placement of the baluster.
The volute is an extravagant gesture adding character to an otherwise linear staircase.
The spiral of the volute can be simple, or it can be exaggerated, as with this amazing piece of woodwork. When the handrail ends with a single turn, the detail is called a turnout.
Under this volute the curtail is visible. The curtail is the curved staircase tread that extends beyond the first step at the outside of the baluster.
The vertical rod that's more robust than the surrounding spindles is called the volute newel, and it supports the volute at its center.
Another option for a staircase landing is to just use a large newel post, which is located at the beginning of the baluster and forgoes any spiraled woodwork.
Some newel posts have curved decorative elements adorning them, like this ball finial.
Here a newel post and a volute are combined.


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Writer: Kyle Higgins • Artist: Juan Jose Ryp, Vicente Cifuentes
Dick Grayson's life lies in ruins in the wake of the events surrounding 'DEATH OF THE FAMILY'! Is his career as Nightwing over? Where will he go now? Will the voice of reason come from Damian Wayne?
Item #: 1241456 • Diamond code: DEC120284 • UPC: 76194130514101711


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Bradenton Times News Articles
Sunday, January 25, 2015
The Sarasota-Manatee MPO will conduct a joint meeting the Charlotte-Punta Gorda MPO just before having its own meeting at the Venice Community Center on Monday; the Palmetto City Commission will workshop then have a meeting through the afternoon and evening. On Tuesday, the BOCC will hear a petition by Cargor Partners VIII - Long Bar Pointe LLLP requesting commissioners to adopt an ordinance that would establish a Community Development District in Long Bar Pointe. Later on Tuesday, the Manatee School Board may come to a decision regarding whether to terminate former Manatee High Assistant Principle Greg Faller. Wednesday, the Bradenton City Council will hear information from City Planning Director Tim Polk on modification of the WCI-Tidewater community.more»
Thursday, January 22, 2015
At Tuesday's BOCC Workshop, members discussed options to the fate of five of the many county properties which sit vacant within the county, unable to generate more value than cost. From stalled plans for a convention center hotel to an east county water park, proposals have fallen through. County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said, "This is an invitation to negotiate."more»
Coastline West Realty of Florida is happy to announce that Alicia Armstrong, Realtor, has joined their Bradenton office as a Sales Associate. Alicia is a native of Clearwater, FL, and has also lived in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and Colorado. Armstrong has extensive office and property management experience, also works as a Pre-School Ministry Director, and has been an actively licensed Real Estate agent since 2012.more»
Kerkering, Barberio & Co., Certified Public Accountants, is very pleased to announce that Johna Kennedy-Preston has joined our Healthcare Advisory Services Team as a Senior Medical Consultant.more»
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
At Tuesday's Manatee County Commission work session, members were given a presentation that identified a hole it the county fiscal bucket and pointed out how to fix-it. Increase the Facility Investment Fees; a policy that supports growth paying for growth.
Willis A. Smith Construction recently hired Daniel "Dan" Bridinger as its new Assistant Director of Accounting. Mr. Bridinger has 17 years of experience in construction accounting, and will primarily be handling the firm's general accounting in addition to assisting the director of accounting.more»
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Dr. Jennifer Leigh has joined Gastroenterology Associates of Manatee, LLC. She possesses in-depth specialized knowledge in identifying and treating disorders of the digestive system.more»
Monday, January 19, 2015
Manatee County Government offices will be closed today to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Also, through the holiday weekend the County's e-mail system will be inactive as IT teams transition more than 1,600 Manatee County Government accounts to Microsoft Outlook e-mail.more»
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Local governments will be closed for the holiday on Monday. The BOCC will hold two work sessions on Tuesday: one in the morning (when it will discuss service improvements to transit and citizen comment procedures), then one in the afternoon (when it will discuss the Southwest County Improvement District Plan's Neighborhood Improvement Program and disposal of five surplus county properties). The Bradenton City Council will workshop on Wednesday.more»
Saturday, January 17, 2015
All City of Bradenton offices will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. There are no changes to trash collection this week for city residents.


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Those of us who build websites for a living have been waiting to see the door hit Internet Explorer 6 on its way out for a very long time now. It could be that the day long awaited is right around the corner. And it may be that that is a very big corner, and that there are traffic cops making us walk really, really slow.
So that's the selfish part. There is another part of me that knows many hours spent on a website design project goes toward simply fixing things that "break" in IE6. It's not uncommon that, at the end of a typical site build, clients have paid a few thousand dollars just to get IE6 to show the site exactly the same as newer versions of IE or Firefox do.
For all of us, life without IE6 would be an improvement. So why are people still using it? There are a few reasons, really. First, some people are using computers they've had for years and have just never felt the need (or known how) to upgrade their browser. Maybe they are on dial-up modems and tying up the line for an hour or so while the new browser downloads is just not worth it.
Second, there are users who are prevented from upgrading by their IT departments. It may be that their organization relies on applications developed years ago using short-sighted programming techniques targeted specifically for what was then the best browser on the market. Allowing users of systems like these to upgrade may require a substantial investment to re-engineer those applications.
Third, there are those who just don't care.
As someone who is concerned with the usability of the web and who wants websites we build to be usable for everyone, I have to be concerned about all three of those types of IE6 users. Ok, more the first two groups than the last ;) Here is where things get tricky. I'm no longer talking about "looks exactly like" I'm talking about "is usable." I want all users of the sites we build to be able to find what they are looking for, engage with the organization in all the ways that they want, and to feel that they are getting the same, complete experience out of a website that any other user of that website does.
It's not just me either. Microsoft Australia has a campaign in which you can send sour milk to your friends who are still using IE6 to equate using nine-year-old browser to the risks of drinking milk the same age. The information on the site claims that IE8 detects malware and phishing 85% and 83% of the time, respectively, making it one of the most secure browsers available today. While its comparisons to other new browsers from Firefox to Opera may be disputed by makers of those browsers, that it is safer to browse the internet using IE8 than IE6 is beyond dispute.
As websites continue to get more sophisticated and we ask more and more of designers and developers, the need to be able to use current technologies and solutions is becoming more and more important. HTML5 is on its way (sloooowly), and CSS3 is pretty much here. All indications are that IE9 will support the new standards in a way that it never seemed Microsoft was terribly interested in before. It will have to…the others are forging ahead daily and Opera, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox will likely get there first.
Keep your fingers crossed!