April Day! Alitalia Si È Rotto

On August 1, airline industry analysts warned that high fuel costs were threatening to bankrupt more than 50 European airlines. The same day, The Financial Times reported that delivery of a rescue proposal for Italy's Alitalia Airlines would be delayed due to stalled merger negotiations. Days later, Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's Prime Minister, promised to save Alitalia from bankruptcy. 'We will perform another miracle and will offer a profitable national company, he said'. The Italian government owns 49% of Alitalia. The ensuing three weeks were filled with rumors of new investors and partners to save the troubled airline; until Thursday when it was confirmed that Alitalia had filed for bankruptcy protection.

You need to know that Alitalia history and Pavlov's Theory of Classical Conditioning to understand the impact this airline industry turbulence has had on me.

Anytime I hear the words Alitalia Airlines, the song Eh Cumpari plays in my head. The Italian novelty-song from the 1950's is about the different instruments from the orchestra playing the song. Julius La Rosa sang it, backed by Archie Bleyer's band. It's The Gaylords' cover of La Rosa's #1 hit that plays in my head. (I could only find La Rosa's version to put here.

for your entertainment).

Say "Alitalia" and I hear the whistle of the friscalettu; the toota of the saxofona; the pling of the mandulin; the zing of the viulin; the poppa-pop of the trumbetta and the story told during the extended instrumental bridge. It goes something like this:

I received a letter from my Uncla Guisseppe.
He tella me he heard from my Uncla Pasquale. Pasquale, he fly, he fly right into Italia. Onna big plane, he fly right into Italy.
They be in the air about 20 minutes an' the pilot, he come onto the radio.
"Hello, this is your cap-i-tan speaking. I just wonna tella you that earlier, we had a little bitta' trouble. Its-a all o.k. now, but I juss wanna to letta you know."
He be in the air about another 20 minutes an' the pilot, he come onto the radio.
"Hello, this is your cap-i-tan speaking. I just wonna tella you that we hadda a little bit more trouble. Its-a all o.k. now, but I juss wanna to letta you know."
He be in the air about another 20 minutes an' the pilot, he come onto the radio again.
"April Day! April Day! This is your cap-i-tan. We havin' a bigga trouble right now. We gonna haff to make a splash-down landing. All of the passengers, iffa you know how to swim, go to the right side of the airplane. All of the passengers, iffa you don't know how to swim, you go to the left side of the airplane.
After we hit the water, the people on the right - I tella you - you know how to swim, you swim to shore. We juss about 20 miles from shore. You gonna be o.k. The people on the left, those of you who do not know how to swim - I tella you - thanks a lot for flying Alitalia Airlines. (chorus)

I keep hearing on the news that Alitalia's bankrupt, but what I really hear is Tippity-Tippity-Ta!

[Eh Cumpari!]  [Alitalia Airlines]  [Silvio Berlusconi]
[Julius La Rosa]  [Archie Bleyer]  [The Gaylords]
[Pavlov: Classical Conditioning]

Schools Advised to Reject Middle Class

Professor John White, a member of a committee established to advise on curriculum changes in the U.K., will explain the suggestion that 'middle class' academic subjects should be removed from the national curriculum in junior high schools.

Children should no longer be taught traditional subjects at school because they are "middle-class" creations, the advisory panel concluded. Lessons should instead cover a series of personal skills.
Pupils would no longer study history, geography and science but learn skills such as energy-saving and civic responsibility through projects and themes.     ..the full article..
Energy conservation is a meaningful unit within a broader science course; ecology and conservation belong in geography; civic responsibility lessons are a by-product of studying history. It's necessary to understand how the past influences the present and predicts the future.

Available at chapters.indigo.ca

Geography, history, science and the arts are underfunded in education now - partly because funding levels consider student achievement on standardized tests. The standard tests focus on English and Math, yet an entire generation struggles with arithmetic, grammar, reading comprehension and writing. The panel's report claims that 'the aims [of changing the curriculum] include fostering a model pupil who "values personal relationships, is a responsible and caring citizen, is entrepreneurial, able to manage risk and committed to sustainable development".'

I support these goals, but I don't understand how removing social sciences is going to achieve them; however, I see there may be a buyer for my proposed course on Communication for Youth.

Among the units covered in my suggested class would be Communicating in Spontaneous Situations (Small Talk) and Conventions of Conversation.
The course would cover initiating, participating in and ending conversations. We'd discuss using humor, irony and sarcasm effectively, as well as the importance of thinking before speaking.

I can't decide if Communication for Youth will be a prerequisite or co-requisite of my proposed Common Sense 101.
I'll see what Professor White and his pals think.

Tags: [Prof. John White]  [Curriculum Review Committee]
["Middle Class" Subjects]
[Mark Bauerlein]  [The Dumbest Generation]

Coming Soon: Carbon Underground

A U.K. government sub-committee has a new proposal to reduce emissions.

"The influential Environmental Audit Committee says a personal carbon trading scheme is the best and fairest way of cutting Britain's CO2 emissions without penalising the poor.
Under the scheme, everyone would be given an annual carbon allowance to use when buying oil, gas, electricity and flights.
Anyone who exceeds their entitlement would have to buy top-up credits from individuals who haven't used up their allowance."    (More...)

To protect citizens against rising food costs, food ration cards for the poor were suggested in Russia just two weeks ago. The recommendation was sent back to the committee for more review as present-day paradigms of ration strategies were criticized as inefficient.

Experts point to the cost and bureaucracy involved to administer such a plan as primary flaws, but I see the potential for something worse: black market carbon trading and carbon credit identity theft. In 1941, rations were introduced to help manage the economy during WWII and the black market for unused ration coupons flourished.

Diabolical thinkers are probably already conjuring plans to control the worldwide supply of carbon credits.

Control carbon credits, Control the world! (insert evil laugh here)

What effect will the carbon credit underground have on Chicago's Climate Exchange (CCX), the world's first legitimate emission exchange?

Today's Climate Consideration: Isn't one who supports the carbon offset industry really a pro-polluter?

Tags: [Environmental Audit Committee]  [Carbon Rations]  [Carbon Offsets]
[Climate Change]  [Global Warming]
[Emission Exchange]  [CCX]
[Dr. Evil]  [Pinky & The Brain]

And Then There Were Three...

Today, Australia voted to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions that impact climate change.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said 'the Federal Government would do everything in its power to help Australia meet its Kyoto obligations, including setting a target to reduce emissions by 60 per cent on 2000 levels by 2050.'    more...

The Kyoto Protocol was introduced in 1997. The objective of the international framework is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would reduce future impact on climate change. The protocol has been ratified by 175 countries.

The United States, China and India still have not signed on. They are the #1, #2 and #4 worst polluters (respectively).

A conference opened today in Bali for countries to discuss the next phase of emission targets.

Tags: [Kyoto Protocol]    [Prime Minister Kevin Rudd]   [Australia]
[Climate Change]   [Greenhouse Gas Emissions]   [Bali Conference]

Revenge in Montezuma?

In the recent mayoral race in Montezuma, Ohio, Daniel Huffman(45) ran against his sister, incumbent Charlotte Garman. Garman, 49, has presided for 8 years. She also serves as Montezuma's postmaster.

Montezuma has just 138 registered voters in the town. Garman collected 43 votes; Huffman had 24. Before the election, Huffman credited his sister with "doing a tremendous job as mayor." On the other hand, Garman said that Huffman "has never attended a council meeting and doesn't seem to keep up on issues and projects in the village." The mayor of Montezuma earns $50 per month.

Montezuma, OH Total Area - 0.1 sq mi Elevation 883 ft Population (2000)- 191

Looks like the family really does like her best, Dan!

Tags: [Montezuma, Ohio] [Daniel Huffman] [Charlotte Garman]
[Mayoral Race] [Sibling Rivalry]

Colbert's Man of the Year Challenge Undone

Comedian and late-night host Stephen Colbert was proclaimed the Favorite Son of South Carolina on Sunday. At a ceremony at University of S. Carolina, Columbia Mayor Bob Coble presented Colbert with a key to the city and a framed proclamation as South Carolina's Favorite Son. Coble then declared October 28th Stephen Colbert Day.

The executive council of South Carolina's Democratic Party met November 1^st to review all potential candidates. In order to be included on the ballot, each candidate must have national viability and demonstrate that he/she has been campaigning in the state.

Last night on his show, Colbert took a call from Carol Khare Fowler, chair of the state Democratic Party. She informed Colbert that he had not been successful in his quest for the presidency.

Originally, Colbert was going to run as both a Democrat and a Republican candidate, but the $35,000 filing fee required by the Republican party was too steep a price for his campaign. Colbert's campaign was sponsored by Doritos, the first time in history that a presidential candidate's campaign was funded by corporate sponsorship.

Colbert appealed to viewers to help him win by donating to a school in South Carolina at donorschoose.org. Over $40,000 has been raised so far.


Tags: [Stephen Colbert] [South Carolina]
[2008 Presidential Candidates] [Doritos]
[Donors Choose] [Schools in South Carolina]

Redundant Conclusions of Texas Brief

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission's working group to analyze government reports has found, after an 18 month study, that Texas has too many reports.

The Commission's 668-page brief lists the unnecessary reports that are still prepared by staff even though there is no longer a need for the data. "Report 1473 calls upon the Department of Aging to prepare a report, although the Department of Aging no longer exists. There are still report requirements for the Human Rights Commission, which the Legislature abolished in 2003."

Records administrator Michael Heskett points to the trend toward transparency in government and more open administration to account for the duplication of information and the preparation of parallel write-ups in past history.

To save money and paper, the legislature and state agencies can't afford to postpone until later their cooperation together to ensure that each and every report prepared will be to the mutual benefit of both parties.

Tags: [Texas State Library & Archive]   [Michael Heskett]   [Texas Reports]
[Pleonasms]