Silvio Berlusconi lunedì 30th maggio 2011
I had a dream last night about Silvio Berlusconi, the PM of Italy. I do not remember any of the details, other than he was in a front room, possibly of our house, possibly of another house and we were watching the TV. I have no idea why I dreamt of him, what he was doing in the dream, or why, all I remember was him being kind of ok.
This is timely. Today there are a number of votes in Italy, featuring hung decisions from previous votes, and he h as declared that especially in Milan, today is a referendum upon himself. 
It is incredible to imagine how this person became PM, and how he manages to hang on to that title. Certainly he is a driven man, a successful businessman, seemingly with the ability to keep his businesses successful in that uniquely Italian way, namely paying lots of cash in brown envelopes to the right people. Currently he owns a consotrium which includes the three major TV channels in Italy (Rai Uno, Rai Due and Rai Tre) and the football club AC Milan. Powerful yes, but how does he stay there, especially when you see the recent activities in French government, UK government and the DSK affair in the IMF. One thing that amazed me was the way that the reporting of the Ruby-gate occurs. It is not the fact that he was dating/cavorting/entertaining a prostiture that was the problem, but the fact that she was underage - and still I am not sure what this underage really means - if this is underage for the age of consent or underage for prostitution. As I mentioned in a previous blog, prostitution here is, well if not illegal, kind of condoned within certain boundaries and criteria.
He has served three terms of PM, allegedly is known on the circuit as being a buffoon, employs attractive women for his staff, with that being the sole criterion for selection, and is lambasted throughout most of Europe, but yet remains as PM. He is being indicted, and has lost the power to not have criminal cases brought against him, but still is in power, and only may be ousted at this round of voting. Countless reports in the papers speak highly of him.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11981754
He is 75 years old and still going strong, despite having a pacemaker fitted a few years ago. And then of course there was the attack by the irate Italian wielding a statue of Milan cathedral a few years ago. Again, he came out of that smelling of roses after he stepped out of his car after the attack to wave to the crowd indicating that he was not badly hurt, despite losing two teeth and getting a broken nose!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34404732/ns/world_news-europe/t/berlusconi-bloodied-hurled-statuette/
And finally, there is the notorious parties he held, shipping in attractive ladies to entertain his friends. Known as "bunga bunga" parties they are legendary and the phrase is now global - Berlusconi himself joked that he had patented the word. There are many suggested explanations, including the current favourite below:
Two of Mr Berlusconi's political opponents are captured by an African tribe. They are asked whether they would prefer to die or undergo bunga bunga. The first one opts for bunga bunga, and is immediately subjected to a sexual assault by members of the tribe. The second one, who now grasps what "bunga bunga" means, says he would prefer to die. To which the chief of the tribe replies: "Okay, you will die - but before you will have bunga bunga."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12325796
So for now, Berlusconi lives on in "Bunga Bunga City" - the La La Land in which Berlusconi not just survives, but thrives and takes on the world, one toooty at a time. But for how much longer? Today the vote happens, and despite the remarkable statements he makes, e.g. that Milan will become a GypsyTown" if he leaves,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13507941
the positive votes he gets such as the actress who says he helped her find god - always very useful a in strongly religious country.
Alora, oggi si vedrà - we shall see!
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