I recently rented a flat just off of Campo de Fiori for a few days and there was a statue of a man. When I inquired who that may be, I was told he was Giordano Bruno. It seems that in 1600 he disagreed with the pope on scientific principles, for which he was burned at the stake for heresy. I have now learned from the Pope that the number fudging, mankind hating, government funded scientist-parasites are correct and we are causing dangerous global warming and half of us need to die to balance nature.
I have gone through security in the USA, Germany and Italy twice each. The industrial, financial capital of the world inflicts maximum pain and frustration on their citizens and can’t find my baggage much less a terrorist. While waiting for one final bag at Dulles, an agent with a bomb sniffing dog was walking around the conveyor, sniffing their carry-ons (this was behind gates at arrivals, not departures). Part of our party had their bags and they were sitting on a bench. The agent looked at them but they were across the room and in an inconvenient spot so the agent turned away dragging the little dog. The dog got very upset and would not budge until she let it cross over and sniff those bags too. Imagine how important it is to have such security when its integrity has to be upheld by a Beagle!
Italy is bankrupt, their people are unemployed, everyone is dependent on government services. I know this because I read it in the Washington Post. Italy has an income tax that I was told is 46%, but from what I could tell, no one pays it unless someone comes to their house and takes something by force (realizing that the enforcers don’t pay either). Everyone laughs at the government and the lawmakers that get into fist fights over new bills. I saw some beggars but they were gypsies or refugees from Africa. Most people I saw have “secret” 9 to 5 jobs, wear nice clothes and buzz around in small cars burning gas that costs 3.14 Euros per liter. They smile, laugh, talk excitedly and wave their arms while most Americans are scowling, gritting their teeth and cursing.
In Italy, politicians are viewed as a burden that you have to tolerate as a tradition and no one expects any positive results. You vote for your brother’s son-in-law because he in no good for anything else and it will get him out of your sight. In America we are hanging on every word for what they are going to “give” us when elected. I don’t like their system but, sadly, if we both proceed on our current paths, I can see their lives remaining the same after ours lie in ruins.