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A bit different but here's my favorite European joke: An Italian politician invites his Greek politician friend over for a visit. The Greek pulls up in front o
by guscost 10y ago
A bit different but here's my favorite European joke:
An Italian politician invites his Greek politician friend over for a visit. The Greek pulls up in front of an elegant manor house and is welcomed by the staff. He walks in through a foyer with marble floors and a huge marble staircase with ornamental banisters and a crystal chandelier. They walk through to a lovely veranda overlooking the river, and sit down to eat.
The Greek is very impressed with everything and asks "How did you manage to get this place?"
The Italian points to a shoddy concrete bridge over the river and says "See that bridge over there? It was supposed to be a steel suspension bridge, but we found a lower bidder to build that one instead, and with all the extra money I was able to buy this!" The Greek compliments his friend on the house, they finish a delicious meal while talking about various politics, and the next day they part ways.
Several months later the Greek invites the Italian over. The Italian arrives at an enormous estate with a marble facade. He walks in to see an even bigger staircase, and a banister and chandelier that are trimmed in 24 karat gold! They sit down for a meal on a huge terrace with a staggering view of the harbor.
The Italian is completely blown away, so he asks his friend "How on earth did you afford this place? It's fantastic!"
The Greek says "Well, see that bridge over there?"
The Italian says "What bridge?"
- Pamar 10y agoFor what is worth, essentially the same joke appears in The Hungarian Tiger by Tibor Fischer (a short book about how Viktor Orbán became Hungary PM, and why this is - all in all - a positive thing). I do not know if this joke was originated in Hungary, but I am Italian and I am pretty sure it's not an Italian joke.
- speeder 10y agoA Brazillian similar joke. Italy government was choosing who to build the bridge (maybe the one in the previous joke). 3 contractors made bids, a German, an US, and a Brazillian one. The German bid that for 40 million he could make a near indestructible steel bridge with perfect tolerances. The US company tried to do the opposite, they offered to make a cheap concrete bridge, with "just enough" within the requirements of the law, for 10 million. The Brazillian then, offered to make the best concrete bridge ever, for 30 million, 10 for the US company, 10 for the Italian politician, and 10 for themselves, and as a bonus they would help the Italian politician to convince the population that the US-made bridge was better than the German one.
- emondi 10y agoFunny, in Argentina two of the most famous corruption cases involved IBM and Siemens.
- antisthenes 10y agoThis is how must things in Russia are built after the fall of the USSR. Except there's no competition between 2 contractors, so for 40 million, you get a shoddy 10 million bridge, and 15 goes into the politician who approved the project and 15 to his contractor buddy. (Or the contractor buddy and the politician are actually the same person, so they just get 30 million) The added benefit is that the shoddy construction falls apart quicker, so you can request 40 million again in a few years.
- arunc 10y agoFactually, these are very common in India. Hundreds of lakes have vanished from Bangalore since 1970s.