The strikes in Italy

Italian trains have the stereotype of running by a schedule unique onto themselves. They say it took Mussolini to make them run on time. The strikes however, run precisely on time. There was a strike here today that started exactly at one time and ended exactly at another, all in time to allow everyone to squeeze (literally) into a compressed morning and evening rush. So, it begs the question, if Mussolini made the trains run on time, who made the strikes run on time?

Tip of the day: Crossing streets in Rome
In Rome, pedestrians do not have the right of way, pedestrians are not avoided, and crosswalks serve mainly to help drivers take aim. So how do you cross the street in Rome? Easy, wait for a little old lady (preferably a nun) to cross the street and then use her to shield you from the traffic. Not even a Roman wants to run over a sweet old italian grandma. No old ladies around? No problem, just wait for a hot girl to cross the street; it has the same effect, albeit for slightly different reasons.