E.U. president 1st day in office

[BobK]

Bikini course (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/5558637?source=Evening%20Standard)
A training school for Italian TV showgirls is being funded with £900,000 of European Union money, it emerged today.

The cash has been earmarked to train 97 girls in how to wear a bikini, dance, sing and put on their makeup.

It works out at just under £10,000 per bikini - more than twice the average cost of a year's tuition at an Italian acting school.


Is this the start of a pattern by the rotating E.U presidents?

[BillyTK]

I'm willing to keep an open mind unless the future French president gets a grant to train showgirls for the Moulin Rouge and the future UK president gets a grant to train talentless no-marks to be pop singers.

Love this bit from the article:
The 600 hours is divided up into 180 of theory and 420 of practice. Classes take place in Frattomaggiore, near Naples, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe.

180 hours of theory for parading around in a bikini? :eek:

[Reginald]

It's a skilled job........................someone has to watch......I mean do it.

[BobK]

How much power/influence does the president of the E.U. have over individual members?

[BillyTK]

Originally posted by BobK
How much power/influence does the president of the E.U. have over individual members?
Depends on who you listen to; on the one hand the position is little more than a glorified chairperson with one helluva expense account, on the other it's totalitarianism gone mad!

According to the website of the Italian presidency (http://www.ueitalia2003.it/EN/Presidenza/coselaPresidenza/), the president presides... :rolleyes:

[a_unique_person]

Well, any hope the EU had of overthrowing the US in any terms just went out the door with the promotion of Berlusconi to EU President. He is the biggest owner of Italian TV stations, which he used to get himself elected to President of Italy.

[Flo]

Originally posted by BillyTK
I'm willing to keep an open mind unless the future French president gets a grant to train showgirls for the Moulin Rouge ...

and what makes you think the current president doesn't ? :D

[Jon_in_london]

Oh and by the way, he just pissed off the germans by calling on of their diplomats a nazi deathcamp guard. :rolleyes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3040714.stm

[LillyThePink]

Yeah, but it's a ratings winner!! ;) *lol* I can't believe they are expecting him to apologise - it makes GREAT news if he won't....and they can't do much about it either (except take their bikes in, I suppose)

Standby for more EU faux pas in the next 6 months....

[richardm]

Originally posted by a_unique_person
Well, any hope the EU had of overthrowing the US in any terms just went out the door with the promotion of Berlusconi to EU President. He is the biggest owner of Italian TV stations, which he used to get himself elected to President of Italy.

Ah, Silvio Berlusconi. What a nice fellow. I see he's busy pushing through new legislation that makes him immune from prosecution. That'll be handy!

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by a_unique_person
Well, any hope the EU had of overthrowing the US in any terms just went out the door with the promotion of Berlusconi to EU President. He is the biggest owner of Italian TV stations, which he used to get himself elected to President of Italy.

Is this a joke? It makes me laugh...

I'm just wondering if I'm laughing with you or not.

MattJ

[ZeeGerman]

Originally posted by aerocontrols


Is this a joke? It makes me laugh...

I'm just wondering if I'm laughing with you or not.

MattJ

Well, I don't know about the first part - the one about overthrowing the US - that must be a joke because we certainly have more pressing problems to solve. One of those is that the second part - Berlusconi controlling most of Italy's media - is true
;)

He is also busily changing Italian law to keep his ass out of trouble.

But then, he's president of the council for 6 months, so what.

Zee

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by a_unique_person
Well, any hope the EU had of overthrowing the US in any terms just went out the door with the promotion of Berlusconi to EU President. He is the biggest owner of Italian TV stations, which he used to get himself elected to President of Italy.


The Presidency of EU goes to a different country-member every 6 months. The order is alphabetical.It was Greece until yesterday, now is Italy's turn. The PM of the country that holds the presidency , becomes president, so none really promoted Berlusconi...

He knows how to get dressed though ... ;) He is one of the most elegant europeans.

[Nikk]

To avoid confusing Australian and US posters.

The EU presidency can in no way be compared to the system in the US. The country holding the presidency is meant to expedite the EU political agenda and can emphasise certain aspects of that agenda at the expense of others but no special political powers are given to the holder.

Interestingly the President of the European Commission is another Italian, Romano Prodi, a bitter political enemy of Berlusconi.

Berlusconi is a corrupt, charming, political lightweight who likes to be liked. He is unlikely to do much harm.

.................

........( Edited to add word Australian before US in line 1 )............

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Nikk
To avoid confusing US posters.

Maybe you should have said Australian posters. This American was already aware of your info.

I'm sure AUP will appreciate it, however.

Originally posted by ZeeGerman


Well, I don't know about the first part - the one about overthrowing the US - that must be a joke because we certainly have more pressing problems to solve. One of those is that the second part - Berlusconi controlling most of Italy's media - is true
;)

The first part of what AUP said is funny on its face.

The second part of what he said is indeed true, yet I find it amusing that he seems to believe that it is somehow related to the first part. In fact, he seems to be arguing that the first part is true because of the second.

MattJ

[Nikk]

Originally posted by aerocontrols


Maybe you should have said Australian posters. This American was already aware of your info.

I'm sure AUP will appreciate it, however.



MattJ

Fair point, and congratulations on being so well informed. I think many other Americans as well as Australians would not be up to speed though.

n.b. the offending post has been edited.

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Nikk


Fair point, and congratulations on being so well informed. I think many other Americans as well as Australians would not be up to speed though.

n.b. the offending post has been edited.

offending?

No, not really. You're quite right that the functioning of the EU pseudo-state is somewhat unknown to most Americans. (Most Europeans as well, if I recall some recent poll results correctly.

I didn't take offense, really...

Ok, maybe a little ;)

[Shane Costello]

So why is it OK for a German social democrat to compare Bush to Hitler, but when Berlusconi compares a German Social Democrat to a minor cog in the Nazi murder machine there's uproar?

Sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander surely?

[reprise]

At least Berlusconi's gaffes will keep Bush's off the front page for a while.

[ZeeGerman]

Originally posted by Shane Costello
So why is it OK for a German social democrat to compare Bush to Hitler, but when Berlusconi compares a German Social Democrat to a minor cog in the Nazi murder machine there's uproar?

Sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander surely?

Who said it's OK? She lost her office over it after all.

Zee

[ZeeGerman]

Originally posted by aerocontrols


Maybe you should have said Australian posters. This American was already aware of your info.

I'm sure AUP will appreciate it, however.



The first part of what AUP said is funny on its face.

The second part of what he said is indeed true, yet I find it amusing that he seems to believe that it is somehow related to the first part. In fact, he seems to be arguing that the first part is true because of the second.

MattJ

As far as AUP's thinking is concerned, I'm as clueless as you :D
Zee