While Rome fucking burns you piece of shit

Hear me out now, it only seems like Match Pricks has been turned into the anti-Berlusconi blog this week, but as you might have heard, we're in the midst of a rather trying international break right now. I promise all 13 loyal Match Pricks readers (especially you, New York City), we will soon bring it back to rolling around in the filthy, awesome mess that is club football.

But I couldn't look at that bile-rising photo of AC Milan owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi cheek to cheek with W. and not, in some small way, scream back at those bastards. They are merry-making and socializing while the citizens of the world have just seen untold trillions, or quadrillions in some circles, pledged in their name to make sure some overly leveraged assistant to the regional manager doesn't have to wait too long for a car loan to help keep the machine running that puts well-aged Kobe beef on these fuckers' plates at their little high-society political gatherings.

The AP has the tale of Berlusconi, the Washington, D.C., court jester in action:

WASHINGTON (AP) – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi toasted President George W. Bush with pieces of a podium Monday night while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was dubbed a "prima donna" during translation in a Columbus Day official dinner at the White House.
In his haste to honor Bush, Berlusconi accidentally bumped the podium from which he was speaking in the crowded dining room. It fell apart, leaving the grinning Italian to advance on the president with just its top and attached microphones. The crowd of prominent Americans, Italians, and Italian-Americans burst into appreciative laughter and applause.
"I'm 100 percent confident that we'll be friends forever," Berlusconi said.
...
The guests, including singer Frankie Valli, were entertained by performances from the hit musical "Jersey Boys" including some of the greatest hits of Valli and the Four Seasons, including "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man." At the end of the performance, Bush jumped up onto the stage to thank the performers, joined quickly by Berlusconi. "Frankie, come on up," Bush said, hugging Valli as he came onstage.

Well, thank sweet Jesus H. Christ Bush, Berlusconi and "Frankie" got that whole mess figured out – and just in time before they closed the White House kitchen for the night. Meanwhile, shortly before being so defeated they turned, again, to Berlusconi to lead their nation, the Italian people had to come to grips with knowing 70 percent of Italians between 20 and 30 still live at home, beset by an entire structure that is not built to compete in the 21st century. Their young people face few prospects at home, and most leave to seek prosperity elsewhere.

Hell, even Berlusconi went overseas for a good time, and he found it with his little podium-toasting act straight out of a Marx Bros. flick – one of the bad ones. These things happen when your favorite plaything is set to face Pompey in Europe this season and not the usual suspects like Liverpool, Arsenal, Barça ... you know, Europe's best.

Rot in the gutter, Berlusconi, you fucking prick.