Bad Day...

...to be at sea:

At least 40 migrants found dead at sea in smuggling boat near Libya, another ...

Search underway for crew member who went overboard cruise ship off Newfoundland

This Is A While Back...

..., but I don't think I've covered it:

Italy Makes New Law: Muslims Will Not Be Allowed To Build Any New Mosques

I tells ya, Europe is finding it's backbone --- finally.

Welcome Back, Europe

Italians Fight Islam, And Reject Plan To Have Islamic Center In Italy

The Very Definition Of...

...Hell Hole:

'I just want to be human': Teenage boy tells story of desperate migrant boat journey to Italy

EU rallies to combat migrant crisis as more die in Mediterranean

Europe officials set to discuss migrant crisis after capsized boat disaster

"Survivors told authorities that between 700 and 950 people were aboard the ship that went down on Sunday"

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Italy Has Just Sent Naval Ships Into Libya And ISIS Flees At The News Completely Abandoning Their Major Stronghold On The Mediterranean Coastal City Of Derna

"Several sources from within the city of Derna Libya confirmed that ISIS in a surprise move decided to pack up and completely escape from their stronghold coastal city of Derna on the Mediterranean seacoast.

Reason?

Italy declared that warships will be sent for exercises in the Libyan shores to intimidate ISIS after the latter announced in its branch in Sirte for the execution of five Libyans charged of dealing with the enemies of the Islamic State.
Italian military sources said that several Italian Navy ships were already deployed yesterday towards Libya claiming to conduct naval exercises on the territorial waters of the shores of Tripoli borders. But a spokesman from the Ministry of Defense stated that the maneuvers aimed at terrifying ISIS.

The call by ISIS to evacuate completely from Derna, which surprised most people ordered all fighters to get out quickly which started at midnight on Friday through Saturday in which ISIS fled to the nearby mountain at Ras Al-Hilal area."

Brings to mind Fabrizio Quattrocchi's "I'll show you how an Italian dies."

Apparently they mean business:

Italy said to be preparing an action in Libya, probably near Misurata


Iraqi forces gear up for fierce assault on Tikrit

Every day it seems we are closer and closer to WWIII.

What Could Possibly Be...

...the reason for this?

Angry Italians demand an end to the rescuing of hordes of Muslim illegal alien boat people

It's Going Viral

Scottish separatism fuels movements in Spain and Italy

"From Spain’s Basque Country to Veneto in north-eastern Italy, independence-minded European regions are licking their lips at the prospect that Scotland will vote to secede from the UK in its September 18 referendum...."

I'm wondering if a "yes" vote will cause a tidal wave that makes its way up the St. Lawrence all the way to Quebec City.

Way To Go, Italy!!

Italy Expels Muslim Cleric Who Called to 'Kill Jews'

Fabrizio Quattrocchi would be proud.

How Is That Possible?

Well, I guess he could also pay large amounts of money to buy the verdict he wanted, too.

'Bunga bunga' showgirl incredulous at Silvio Berlusconi's acquittal

"A showgirl who attended Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" parties has expressed incredulity that the former prime minister was acquitted of paying for sex with the teenage erotic dancer and alleged prostitute known as Ruby the Heart Stealer.

Imane Fadil, a Moroccan-born model, claimed it was common knowledge among the aspiring actresses and starlets who attended the parties at Mr Berlusconi's villa outside Milan that he would pay large sums of cash in exchange for sex.

Last year the 77-year-old billionaire businessman was convicted of paying for sex with the then 17-year-old dancer and sentenced to seven years in prison.

But he appealed and on Friday a higher court overturned the conviction and also acquitted him of the second charge he faced – abuse of office.

"From seven years to zero – how is that possible?" Ms Fadil, 29, said in an interview on Sunday with La Repubblica newspaper."

Hey! Line Up The Old Folks...

Italy court orders Berlusconi to do community service

"An Italian court on Tuesday ordered former Prime Minister and billionaire tycoon Silvio Berlusconi to do a year of community service in an old person's home in a symbolic but humiliating punishment for tax fraud.

The flamboyant 77-year-old media magnate will have to work at the centre "one day a week and for not less than four hours", Milan judge Pasquale Nobile De Santis said in his ruling published by Italian media."

...Should be able to scam them out of their money.
Bunga! Bunga!

Interesting Insights

Especially about Iran.

Calling All Nerds and Geeks...

...please tell me why my blog is showing up with the country code "it" at the end of it. It's supposed to be .com. Does this mean someone in Italy has "mirrored" my site? And if so, does that mean anything significant?

Just When You Thought...

...things couldn't get any worse:

Concordia: Cocaine found on cruise ship captain’s hair, not ingested

Awwwwe

There are some heart warming things in the world after all.

Costa Concordia: divers launch rescue mission for boy's teddy bear

"The child's father told rescuers that the little boy had been unable to sleep since the disaster and desperately missed his toy.

He wrote to islanders who had given shelter to him and his son after they were brought ashore when the 950ft long vessel ran aground on the Italian island of Giglio on the night of Jan 13.

Islanders passed the letter to the island's mayor, Sergio Ortelli, who in turn gave it to rescue divers, who entered the hull on a special mission, finding the cabin where the boy had been staying and retrieving the soft toy – bedraggled but intact."

Nothing like the broken heart of a small child to move the adults into action. My eyes feel a little teary.

In Memory Of A Courageous Italian

While there's lots of ink and pixels being pored out over the Costa Concordia cruise ship fiasco, especially about the shameful behavior of her captain and crew, I have another image of Italians that will stick with me forever, long after this fiasco recedes onto the back pages, and from there into history's dustbin of forgotten incidents. And that image is of one Fabrizio Quattrocchi, who minutes before his head was filled with bullets by Islamists in Iraq, cried out "I'll show you how an Italian dies." That man was one courageous dude who will do Italians proud for a good long time.

There's Something To Be Said About Latin Lovers

Berlusconi boasts of sleeping with eight women in one night

Ya gotta wonder whether Italy is better governed because of it. Think about it. If this guy is in to screwing 24/7, just think what he might do to the country, if he was paying any attention to it.

Little By Little

...political correctness is being beaten back:

EU court rules crucifixes can stay in Italian schools

But can someone tell me why this got to be taken to an EU court? Shouldn't that decision have been Italy's to make? Period. Full stop!

Ah, But You Shoulda...

....seen what I could do when I was young!!

What's all that snickering going on at the men's club? You don't believe him?

Now Ain't That Innerestin'

Libyan protesters brave bullets to close in on Gaddafi

"Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi will fight a popular revolt to "the last man standing," one of his sons said on Monday as people in the capital joined protests for the first time after days of violent unrest in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Anti-government protesters rallied in Tripoli's streets, tribal leaders spoke out against Gaddafi, and army units defected to the opposition as oil exporter Libya endured one of the bloodiest revolts to convulse the Arab world.

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared on national television in an attempt to both threaten and calm people, saying the army would enforce security at any price.

"Our spirits are high and the leader Muammar Gaddafi is leading the battle in Tripoli, and we are behind him as is the Libyan army," he said.

"We will keep fighting until the last man standing, even to the last woman standing...We will not leave Libya to the Italians or the Turks."

He's still going on and on about the Italians. What a goof! Libya was an Italian colony for 33 years. That's all. From 1914 to 1947. Ghadafi's been dictator for more than 40 years. Even his rhetoric is stale. Give it up, Saif al-Islam. You're not gonna inherit Libya from your buffoonish father. You should be shopping for some palace on a far away island right about now. Libyans don't want you.

And this one is just a laugh a minute:

Libya revolt spreads to Tripoli

"In the coastal city of Benghazi protesters appeared to be largely in control after forcing troops and police to retreat to a compound."

What lions you have, Moammar!!

"In the first sign of serious unrest in the capital, thousands of protesters clashed with Gaddafi supporters. Gunfire rang out in the night and police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, some of whom threw stones at Gaddafi billboards."

Why they love you!! We can see that.

"Members of an army unit known as the "Thunderbolt" squad had brought wounded comrades to the hospital, he said. The soldiers said they had defected to the cause of the protesters and had fought and defeated Gaddafi's elite guards.

Some "elite" guard! Better bring out those babes, instead.

"There were reports of clashes between anti-government protesters and Gaddafi supporters around the Green Square.

"We are in Tripoli, there are chants [directed at Gaddafi]: 'Where are you? Where are you? Come out if you're a man," a protester told Al Jazeera on the phone."

[---]

"There were also reports of protesters heading to Gaddafi's compound in the city of Al-Zawia near Tripoli, with the intention of burning the building down"

[---]

"Meanwhile the head of the Al-Zuwayya tribe in eastern Libya has threatened to cut off oil exports unless authorities stop what he called the "oppression of protesters", the Warfala tribe, one of Libya's biggest, has reportedly joined the anti-Gaddafi protests."

[---]

"Akram Al-Warfalli, a leading figure in the Al Warfalla tribe, one of Libya's biggest, told the network: "We tell the brother (Gaddafi), well he's no longer a brother, we tell him to leave the country." The tribe lives south of Tripoli.

"[---]

"...and anti-Gaddafi graffiti adorns the walls of several cities."

[---]

"Around the world, people have been gathering in solidarity with the protesters at Libyan consulates and at the White House in Washington, DC, the US capital.

Libya's government has responded to the international criticism by threatening retaliation against the European Union. It said on Sunday that it would stop co-operating with efforts to try and stop illegal migrants heading to Europe."

ROTFLMAO!!!! He's grasping at thin air.

And apparently, it's all Canada's fault.
From twitter at Al Jazeera:

Saskgal profile

Saskgal RT @NSlayton: Saif #Gaddafi just blamed #Canada for chaos. I think that's the first time someone's blamed Canada for war outside of South Park. #libya 32 seconds ago · reply

BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Well, Now I Know.....

..what I didn't know then.

They say you lose your innocence when you grow up, but somehow, I don't think knowing what a bunga bunga party is contributes to whatever it is one acquires in the place of innocence as one grows up.