Hey folks, I don't really have much to report, as I have mostly been going to class and then back to the apartment to read. Today in class we did have a ministry of privacy officer come to class and give us a talk about the importance of data protection and discrepancies that exist between the way these issues are handled in the European Union and Italy as compared to the United States and what barriers this might put up when it comes to flow of information between the two countries. Also I found out that I have my group meeting with a professor specializing on death penalty issues and person from the ministry of Justice on Tuesday, looks as though I should brush on my Italian over the weekend. On Friday we leave for Florence and will get a guided tour of European Union Institute, thus far I have no idea what goes on there but I am sure I will find out. Saturday we will catch the train back and then that is the night that everything in Rome stays open all night, so everyone is making plans about what they want to do. WOW I almost forgot, there was some kind of Hindu festival under our window last night, there was chanting, banging on drums, loud music, and a ton of people dancing and jumping around. Apparently no one in the city believes getting to bed before 2 in the morning. With that I had better go and do the reading that I have sitting in front of me, Ciao!

*****Update:

We were just visited by Father Jaeger (Spelling??) of Vatican City and expert in Cannon Law (Catholic Church Law) I was so impressed that lecture he gave is probably the most fun interesting thing that has happened since I have been here. He was absolutely great and was such a character. He spoke on the three courts that exist within the Holy See. The first court deals specifically with internal matters, where the court can grant absolution, and put at ease the conscience of the offender (member of the church). The second is essentially the supreme court of the Holy See, and the third is actually called the Supreme Court and deals primarily in administrative areas. He also spoke about the sovereignty of the Pope and how he reserves all the right of legislature, executive, and judge. But usually delegates such roles to "underlings" and remains the final appeal. He also talked about jurisdiction of the church and the development and organization of cannon law. Vatican City, the city, actually has no residents and does not enter into treaties other then those deals with technicalities (power, phone, telegraph, etc.) The Vatican only exists as a sovereign insofar as it facilitates the duties of the Pope. It was all very fascinating and as I said the Father was an absolute character. Anyway I am now on my way home to hit the books, but probably take a nap first.