I social network ci isolano? Una ricerca assolve Facebook

da "Repubblica" del 17.6.11

di FLAVIO BINI

"Staccati da lì, esci. Incontra persone vere". E' il tormentone di milioni di genitori in tutto il mondo, preoccupati nel vedere i figli incollati per ore davanti a uno schermo. Ora uno studio del Pew Research Center sembra smentire uno dei pregiudizi più antichi della - breve - storia dei social network. Quello secondo cui Facebook scoraggerebbe a creare relazioni autentiche e amicizie "vere". Al contrario, il profilo tracciato dagli utenti osservati dallo studio mostra in media individui più socevoli e aperti nei confronti degli altri. "Sono state dette tante cose scorrette sull'impatto dei social network sulla vita delle persone, sostenendo spesso che siti di questo tipo spingerebbero le persone a chiudersi in se stesse", commenta Keith Hampton, autore dello studio. "Noi abbiamo rilevato l'esatto opposto. E cioè che chi usa Facebook è maggiormente orientato ad avere amicizie forti e ad interessarsi alla vita pubblica" (...)

Un “quorum” grande così! Roccabascerana tra i primi comuni irpini per percentuale di votanti.

di Giuseppe P. Fazio

Con circa 1150 voti, per una percentuale del 60%, Roccabascerana si assesta tra i primi comuni della provincia di Avellino per numero di votanti recatisi alle urne, nei giorni 12 e 13 giugno, per esprimersi in merito ai quattro quesiti referendari. Un piccolo successo, da parte del comune caudino che, su 119 comuni avellinesi si è collocato undicesimo sul totale della provincia, sesto tra i comuni con oltre 2000 abitanti e addirittura primo con un grande vantaggio in termini percentuali sui comuni della Valle Caudina (fonte: Prefettura di Avellino).
Roccabascerana, uscita da poco da una competizione elettorale che ha visto L’amministrazione di centro sinistra cedere il passo ad una nuova compagine di non dichiarata collocazione politica, vede, ad oggi, l’ago della bilancia pendere dalla parte del gruppo consiliare di minoranza, facente capo al Partito Democratico, che può vantare di aver condotto una campagna pro-referendum superiore alle tendenze nazionali, contribuendo in tal modo alla conquista del tanto agognato quorum.
Insomma, un risultato decisamente positivo per il piccolo comune caudino e per i comitati referendari nazionali che, per la prima volta da 16 anni a questa parte, riescono nell’obiettivo di ottenere una partecipazione di popolo tale da garantire la validità della consultazione. In tutte le precedenti occasioni, a livello nazionale, il fronte dei “no” ha sempre preferito optare per una campagna pro-astensione, con l’obiettivo di far fallire il voto assommando il proprio “non voto” a quello degli astensionisti. Ma questa volta il così detto “fuori gioco” referendario non è scattato ed il risultato, alla fine, è stato scontato: i “si” per i diversi quesiti, senza significative variazioni per i diversi temi affrontati, risultano oltre il 95%.

Berlusconi's nuclear power plans crushed

di John Hooper
guardian.co.uk, Monday 13 June 2011

The anti-nuclear movement won a crushing victory in Italy on Monday when well over 90% of voters rejected Silvio Berlusconi's plans for a return to nuclear power generation.

The result represented an overwhelming setback for the prime minister, who had tried to thwart the outcome by discouraging Italians from taking part. The referendum needed a turnout of at least 50% to be binding. Interior ministry figures projections indicated that more than 57% of the electorate had taken part. Greenpeace called it a historic result. Quorums were also reached in three other referendums held simultaneously – the first time in 16 years that a quorum had been achieved in any referendum in Italy.

Official projections showed more than 95% of voters rejecting water privatisation and a law allowing Berlusconi and other ministers to cite government business as a reason for delaying trials in which they were defendants. The expected majority against nuclear power was 94%.

For the prime minister it represented a second, bitter setback in under two weeks. His government, which yokes his Freedom People movement to the regionalist and Islamophobic Northern League, first ran into serious trouble on 30 May when his candidate for mayor of Milan lost in a local election runoff. Milan is Berlusconi's home city and traditionally a weather-vane accurately pointing to Italy's future political direction.

Italian Voters Come Out to Overturn Laws and Deliver a Rebuke to Berlusconi

By RACHEL DONADIO

da "The New York Times", June 13 2011

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi suffered a stinging political defeat on Monday when voters overturned laws passed by his government that would have restarted Italy’s nuclear energy program, privatized the water supply and granted him immunity from prosecution.

Analysts said the government was not likely to fall immediately over the results, which came from a popular referendum — the first since 1995 to draw the quorum of 50 percent plus one vote required to overturn the laws.

But just weeks after Mr. Berlusconi’s candidates lost mayoral races in Milan and Naples in elections he had billed as a referendum on his own popularity, Monday’s results pointed to a new reality: the man who once had his finger on Italy’s pulse appeared to be losing touch (...)

Berlusconi faces new humiliation

Da "The Herald Sun" (Australia) del 13.6.11

PRIME Minister Silvio Berlusconi faced the prospect of fresh humiliation following local election defeats, as Italians flocked to the polls to vote in opposition-backed referendums.

Although the government had urged its supporters to stay away, turnout was already at 41 per cent late yesterday and voting continued today, suggesting the 50 per cent needed for the polls to be valid was within reach.

Opposition supporters who oppose a return to nuclear power want to scrap a law that has helped Berlusconi stay away from court were optimistic after the strong turnout yesterday - the last binding referendum dates to 1995.

Los italianos rechazan la energía nuclear y la inmunidad de Berlusconi

da "El Pais" del 13.6.11

La opinión pública italiana, a la que muchos daban por anestesiada, utilizó este lunes la herramienta del referéndum popular para firmar en las urnas el finiquito político de Silvio Berlusconi. El segundo desastre en solo quince días, tras el sufrido por la derecha en las elecciones municipales, ha parecido incluso más elocuente que el primero. Casi 30 millones de ciudadanos, movilizados gracias a Internet, la oposición y los movimientos ecologistas y católicos, han desoído la invitación a la abstención del jefe del Gobierno y han aprobado por abrumadoras mayorías, cercanas al 95%, los cuatro referendos en juego. Quedan así abolidos el programa nuclear, la privatización del agua y el encarecimiento de tarifas, además de la ley del legítimo impedimento, que permitía a Berlusconi aducir empeños institucionales para no presentarse a sus juicios (...)

Massoneria, loggia P2, acqua pubblica e piani attuativi: votiamo"SI" al referendum e mandiamoli a casa!!!

Silvio Berlusconi's record: The man who screwed an entire country

da "The Economist" del 9 giugno 2011

SILVIO BERLUSCONI has a lot to smile about. In his 74 years, he has created a media empire that made him Italy’s richest man. He has dominated politics since 1994 and is now Italy’s longest-serving prime minister since Mussolini. He has survived countless forecasts of his imminent departure. Yet despite his personal successes, he has been a disaster as a national leader—in three ways (...)

Grazie!

Referendum: iniziativa di SEL e PD domani a Roccabascerana

da "Il Corriere dell'Irpinia" del 4.6.11

Riceviamo e Pubblichiamo: La mia Italia a rotoli

Non e' stato facile capire le schede elettorali quando mi sono arrivate la settimana scorsa, per chi abita all'estero e non sa bene cosa sta avvenendo in Italia, credimi, leggere e capire le schede era tipo truffa! Ho dovuto chiedere aiuto ...ai miei amici in Italia prima di votare. Le schede indicavano solo la legge, numero di legge e data ma non spiegano a che cosa serve. Alla fine le ho capite ma solo perche' mi hanno aiutata. Pensavo a tutte le persone anziane quando e se vanno a votare, appena vedono le schede cosi le richiudono, tutto questo per mancanza di informazione. Ancora una volta grazie al governo Italiano purtroppo. Sapessi come mi fa male vedere la mia Italia andare a rotoli.

Lettera Firmata - Australia

Referendum about nuclear and privatisation water services

By Michele Lilla, "Italoeuropeo" Wednesday, 11 May 2011

On 12th June and 13th June, 2011, a referendum will be held in Italy on four questions for three topics, concerning privatisation of water services, nuclear energy and “legittimo impedimento” legal impediment.

It is a referendum to abrogate a Parliament law, so you vote “yes” to abrogate the law, or vote “no” if you consider the law is right. The referendum requires a quorum of over 50% of all eligible voters to cast their vote in order to be valid.

-The first two questions concern the “Privatisation of water services”.

The first one looks on the arrangements for custody and management of local pubblic water services of economic importance; writing “yes” you agree with abrogating the management of services in the hands of private capital company starting from 2012. The second one concerns “the price determination of the water service on the basis of the investement capital”. The referendum committee wants to avoid a possibillity for the private company to make a profit on the water services.

-The second topic concerns to abrogate the new plan of laws about a new government nuclear platform. Italy chose to phase out nuclear power in a 1987 referendum, and has not implement a nuclear power plan since 1990. However in recent years the country has been moving back towards nuclear power production. A change in government policy in 2008 marked the beginning of plans for a program of nuclear construction to reduce the country's dependence on oil, gas and imported power.

-The third topic, fourth question, concerns “legittimo impedimento”. In the Italian penal code law, the legal impediment is the institution that allows the accused, in some cases, to justify his absence in the trial. The law allows the Prime Minister and the Ministers to not stand trial if they have an istitutional involvement. In January the Constitutional Court did not consider the whole law relating to a costitution. If the “yes” wins the law will lapse.

In democratic societies, particurarly in Italy, the Referendum is the last action of direct democracy, especially when the election law does not allow the citizen to choose the candidate but only the party. It is really important to go to vote, no matters the preference (...)