Thursday, January 27, 2011

Again, poor 'ol Silvio...


Poor Silvio, once again he’s been pummelled to death by “The Economist”! This time in the January, 22nd, 2011 edition. There's almost something in every issue on Silvio’s sexual escapades. Quite the picture that also goes with the article on how in 2 years’ time little has been accomplished under his “reign”.

Has anyone thought that perhaps all that Viagra has finally gone to the poor man’s head? Indeed a nice way to govern a country, eh?

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Poor tired Silvio, all those young women tiring him out !


A rather beleaguered Silvio Berlusconi t Rome’s splendid Villa Madama as he’s waiting to greet Slovenia’s president. The image made the front-page and centre news of the January 19th, 2011 “International Herald Tribune”!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Are Italian university students really that well-prepared, and are Canadian ones perhaps a notch higher?

From the January 8th, 2011 edition of The Economist on a book called: “Not Quite Adults: Why 20-Somethings Are Choosing a Slower Path to Adulthood, and Why It’s Good for Everyone”, by Richard Settersten and Barbara Ray:

“A university degree has never been more essential for securing good employment. Graduates earn 54% more on average than those who have never graduated, yet only a quarter of Americans between 25 and 34 have a bachelor’s degree. Nearly half of the 3 million people who enrol in university in America drop out within six years (among wealthy countries, only Italy has a worse rate)”.



I do recall a few years ago reading that Canada had one of the world’s highest rates of students who begin their university studies and actually complete them: approximately 33% compared to America’s 32%. Looking around at the current situation in Italy (there are students who are well into their 30s, and they STILL haven’t completed their first degree!), the comment by The Economist isn’t terribly surprising…

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Italy’s (in)famous brain drain!


A (sad) article in the January 8th edition of The Economist on Italy’s ongoing brain drain (or as one less-than brilliant Italian journalist called it awhile ago, “brain train”!) of brilliant Italian students and researchers who have said “basta” with Italy and its national sports (no, NOT soccer): nepotism, corruption and recommendations!

So narrow-minded the Italians, especially those university profs who wield incredible power over these same students, as these young minds do nothing but further strengthen the economies of other countries such as England, Canada and the U.S. where they go study (and in many cases, never return to Italy). With the current political and economic climate in Italy, can one really blame them?

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Poor Silvio (and poor us)...


From the December 18th, 2010 issue of The Economist. No comment...