Lining up for Berlusconi
SILVIO Berlusconi, prime minister of Italy, is in the news again. He says women are lining up to marry him because he's a nice guy, he's loaded and "I know how to deal with women."
In theory, in this day and age it should be political suicide. Yet the Italian prime minister seems to go from strength to strength in terms of popularity. The Italian public just don't mind his peccadilloes – his wife has left him and is reportedly suing for divorce – and his generally outrageous lifestyle and public statements.
Last year the Italian version of Rolling Stone magazine voted him "Rock Star of the Year", saying his colourful lifestyle was something for which "the words rock 'n roll fall short." As editor Carlo Antonelli put it: "The choice was unanimous. Rod Stewart, Brian Jones, Keith Richards in their prime were schoolboys compared with him. Silvio Berlusconi's daily behaviour, his furious vitality, his inimitable lifestyle have given him incredible international popularity."
Will any local political figure take encouragement from Berlusconi? Er, that just might be.
THE BERLUSCONI phenomenon seems only to re-emphasise the need to find out what folk really think and believe on the ground.
A delightful little sideshow of the Cold War was when the KGB sought to blackmail a certain leader in south-east Asia into granting the Soviets naval facilities in his country.
The KGB set him up with a range of call girls, operatives photographing the proceedings with hidden cameras.
The day came eventually when the president was presented with a thick file of the most lurid photographs. He was absolutely delighted and asked for enlargements with which to decorate the palace.
No naval base. Maybe Siberia for the fellow who dreamed it up. You gotta do your research.
Blair's gong
FORMER US President Bill Clinton this week bestowed a human rights award on former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Liberty Medal, awarded by the National Constitution Centre in the US, is in recognition of an individual's bringing liberty to people worldwide.
One could argue about Mr Blair's contribution in that respect. Many would argue vehemently against. The award comes at a time Blair has encountered hostile demonstrations in Dublin at the launch of his published memoirs and the cancellation of a planned launch in London for fear of a repeat.
In the latest edition of The Spectator, Bruce Anderson reviews Blair's memoirs – titled A Journey – and brackets him with Clinton.
"A charismatic narcissist, he formed easy relationships with other exemplars of the same dramatic shallowness: Bill Clinton, the Princess of Wales, Nicholas Sarkozy …"
Then on TV we saw Clinton investing Blair with a gong. It was a little weird.
Appropriate words
READER Ron Coppin, of Hillcrest, sends in some quotes used by David Bennett, chairman of the Durban Club, in the latest club bulletin:
· "In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other" (Voltaire, 1764).
· "The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." (Cicero, 55 BC).
Ron adds: "We all know what happened to the Roman Empire."
Wheeliebins
WHAT is it about the Brits and their wheeliebins? They seem to dominate social life and the political discourse.
Now an 81-year-old Welsh pensioner has had to be rescued by lifeboat a mile offshore from a place called Red Wharf after he set out in a rubberduck to retrieve a wheeliebin that had been washed away by unusually high tides.
What extraordinary attachment.
Tailpiece
A PROSPEROUS-LOOKING gent has a fine meal in a top restaurant and finishes off with a very expensive brandy and a cigar. Then he calls the head waiter.
Gent: "Do you recall how about a year ago I had just such a repast in this restaurant? Then, because I couldn't pay for it, you had me thrown out into the gutter like a common bum?"
Head waiter: "I'm sorry about that, I …"
Gent: "Think nothing of it, my dear fellow. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to trouble you again …"
Last word
I don't necessarily agree with everything I say.
GRAHAM LINSCOTT
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