[extropy-chat] Stem cell breakthrough claims

[Natasha Vita-More]

Henrik Öhrström writes:

> >
> > (*) The futility of trying to live in this country has become
> > too discouraging and I might give up anyway. My fiftieth-something
> > visit to the Polizia  to try to get my permit-of-stay, yielded, as
> > usual, nothing.

>According to one of my friends who are half Italian the best course of
>action is friendship corruption, no one will go out of their way to help you
>at the departments if they do not know you.
>Find someone who might be the right person or at least know someone, then
>offer that person/s a lunch or dinner, talk about the weather, find anything
>that you have in common and be a gentile and likeable acquaintance.
>Send some flowers or a box of chocolate.
>In short make sure that you are not just a face in the crowd, be someone for
>them and all things will become much easier.
>And no, you don't have to know them well before attempting this, start with
>any one you have meet more than once and work your way up, once anyone makes
>a personal recommendation things will become easier.
>If a byrocratical problem is rare enough, odds are that no one ever will
>formulate any rules since the problem either gives up and leaves or resort
>to the friendly method.
>(This method works everywhere, even in otherwise corruption profe places
>like Sweden.)

When I lived in Italy, I felt alienated much of the time.  If it had not 
been for other students at the Academy, I would not have succeeded.  There 
were five of us, including me, attending the university graduate 
program.  We stuck together when it came to legal issues for non-Italians 
visiting the country.  Also, I developed friendships with professional 
Italian artists, chiefs, musicians, and writers in Ravenna and they helped 
me.  the University did not help me.  Even this past year, I needed to get 
my transcripts sent from Ravenna to Houston for the Graduate program and I 
had to call a dozen times and it was only when I screamed "HELP!" that they 
replied.

Yet, Ravenna was more accommodating than Livorno, where I spent one summer.

Because I had connections with the shipping companies in Italy, I was able 
to learn some of the ins and outs of the Mafia, and one time we had to pass 
off the Port Captain to enter the dock, where I was a stowaway on a 
ship.  We had chocolates, liquor and cigarettes that we provided him to get 
into the port.  But that is another story ...

Cannot your company/university/boss, etc. help you?

Natasha





>/Henrik Öhrström
>
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Natasha Vita-More
http://www.natasha.cc
[_______________________________________________
President, Extropy Institute http://www.extropy.org
[_____________________________________________________
Founder, Transhumanist Arts & Culture http://www.transhumanist.biz

Knowledge is the most democratic source of power.  Toffler
If Aristotle were alive today he'd have a talk show. Leary

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