the view from my window of smoke billowing up from car fires set by protesters in Rome's historic center

…is what I am seeing out my window now, (while watching live video from Corriere della Sera of the dramatic scene on the streets below) as it was just announced that Silvio Berlusconi won the vote of confidence in the lower house, just three votes away from the collapse of his government, while 1,500 police are trying to control an estimated 100,000 now marching in the Roman center calling on Berlusconi to step down – and though it seems impossible to believe that this person is still in power, not knowing any Italian that can stand him, we did talk to a cab driver the other day who thought Silvio was just great – but when asked why he was good for Italy he just shrugged and starting rambling about taxes on taxis.