Superb. I have not seen an article which so handily sums up the gross inadequacy of the EU and its overwhelming tendency to focus extremely hard on the smallest issue, ignore the larger issue, and add another layer of bureaucracy that addresses the entirely wrong issue!!

To Recap:

1.) The EU spends over $157k on semi-automachines from Italy to avoid standing in line at one of the cafes in the building to get a coffee. Shouldn't someone complain that they are replacing skilled humans with robots? This seems like a human rights issue, and is counter to the mandate of employment creation that the EU believes in so strongly.

2.) Someone from Austria (and many others, probably not from Italy) complains the coffee is bad in order to distract the public that this expenditure may have been slightly wasteful and poorly timed. What is even more amazing is that he spent some of HIS OWN MONEY to have the water from the machines tested. He is obviously a hack, because it apparently only takes about two seconds to set up your own committee and secure funding to investigate major failures such as this. NOTE: The testing took place in Austria because you just can't trust the people in Brussels.

3.) The water from the machine is contaminated with lead and nickel. EU ANSWER: Unplug the coffee machine. Because, it's possible the Italians used lead plumbing in the machine, just like they did in Rome 2,000 years ago - they haven't really modernized, you know.

4.) Many tests are then performed at the government's expense to prove the machines are safe. Incredibly, they are not shown to make dangerous coffee. However, an official statement minimizing the short-term dangers of consuming nickel is publicized to calm everyone who may have had trouble sleeping at mandatory nap time.

5.) La Cimbali will also supply new machines. Incredibly, the water going into the machines WILL NOT be treated, because treatment may have been part of the problem. Uh, what was the problem again? Oh yes, some kind of water problem, and cleaning. And a lack of training. And common sense, which, as the EU will remind you, is not common. Shame on you for using such a term, you are probably infringing on the rights of those who are not born with this gift and end up in government service.

6.) To save face for Italy, government officials admit they need training to use a super-auto. The manufacturer willingly provides a tremendous amount of training, leaving it up to the officials to find the time in their busy schedule. It probably comes right after the mandatory nap.

7.) In order to ensure this fiasco does not repeat itself, another government job is added. Problem solved!!

Sorry if this is too pedantic, I just love it.

Luckily the EU didn't make Cimbali responsible for the quality of the beans, not that the beans would have any impact on the taste....certainly not as much as the amount of nickel used in the stainless steel plumbing of the machine.

Address7 wrote: Sorry if this is too pedantic, I just love it.

No, you are not pedantic. Everybody here in Holland feels the same way. Probably everyone in Europe except the countries where the money thats left after all the bureaucracy goes to

Reading that made my head hurt. At least it's nice to know that beaureaucratic inefficiency isn't solely limited to the American government.

I like how their solution to the water "problem" is to disconnect the water softeners for their expensive superautos. That should do the trick. I'm sure the machines will clog up with limescale and fail within a few months, then Cimbali will be able to sell them another batch of multi-thousand euro machines, thus providing further stimulus to the European economy.

Or perhaps the EU should read Dan's post: "It's the Barista, Stupid"!

It's the Barista, Stupid

Anthony