163. Italy: from “The Times” Ladies’ Page Point of View- Ha!
Sarah Vine from “The Times” Women page makes a lukewarm attempt at an apology for previous dirt slinging on Italy by the said paper, whose facts, admitted by the same author herself, come from the Italian press. In her case she quotes “Il Giornale” which amazingly enough is a right-wing paper, which she has decided, in her article, to put straight. This is quite a novelty because in effect the best “The Times,” “The Guardian” and “The Economist” have been able to come up with regarding Italy is to regurgitate what has been written by the Italian left-wing propaganda press and they are excellent at making fantasy appear reality as I have discovered off my own bat- but that’s another story- another blog: 292.The Press Transforming Reality
So Ms Vine comments saying that “Il Giornale” left out the following points:
Photo: The celebrated Cafè in Via Veneto from the Dolce Vita confiscated recently from the Mafia- such seizures are becoming a daily occurrence with this government TG 4
1. Organized Crime: Italy is responsible for “the establishment of a worldwide network of crime cartels controlling almost every aspect of daily life-“ To say such a thing is claiming that every nation in the world is at the mercy and clutches of the Italian Mafia, which I hardly think is the case. And it is not the case in Italy either. The Mafia does have some power in the South, as in Naples or Sicily, in which case we are talking of a system that affects about 2 million people- there are 60 million people in Italy! Besides only yesterday I heard that the government has confiscated from the hands of the Mafia the famous cafè in Via Veneto in Rome, the haven of British and American Stars as Liz Taylor, her six husbands, Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn and so on. Unlike what Ms Vine would like us to believe with regards to Mafia, we are getting there, slowly. Rather, “The Times” should do better to spend their time considering why it is people in Britain do not go out after dark, or pull their curtains if leaving the house or try to avoid parking their cars overnight in the street?. Or why a good half of Britain’s youth have their brains blown out by drugs- while a blind eye is turned on drug takers by schools, hospitals and police and pushers of course are never caught? At least the Mafia eliminate one another which as far as I am concerned is positive while in Britain it is the ordinary citizen who is done in.
Photo: No prizes given to spot how many colours are used to paint doors and shutter in this backstreet of Treviso- do you wonder why there's only one colour? Rules, we have them and we keep them, unlike what The Times would lead you to believe
2. Corruption: Ms Vine doesn’t point out that it is not the individual that builds houses in 90% of the population in Britain and therefore how can they break laws on “Edilizia Abusiva”. Notice she had to use the Italian term for breaking “Building” laws as such a thing does not even exist in Britain. Most people build their own houses here in Italy but the laws are severe and your building gets razed to the ground if you do not follow those rules as has happened recently in a sea-side town where apartments have been pulled down. Just to give an example how severe these laws are- you are not even able to paint the colour of your door or shutters without adequate permission and if it is anything from the “classical” wooden brown, it is rejected. It may be possible to get away with it in the country side, but it is certainly impossible to choose your own door colour down town.
Photo: Forget the Bright pink, red, yellow and blue doors on British houses- You won't find those colours on Italian houses. There is only one colour allowed in Italy and this area of Montaner, is certainly not the city centre but way back of beyond, which for non-Lancashire folks means, “out in the wilds.”
Ms Vine must have read an article I wrote on the Italian way of bartering, for an American Magazine “Hoosier Challenger” when she wrote: “the mutually beneficial agreements that take place over coffee in the bars of Rome." In my article I was referring to the tradition that farmers had when they met in the city square to sell their pigs, cows, sheep or whatever and stated that most deals took place over a glass of Chianti in the local “Osteria” whereas Ms Vine was referring to construction deals- I should indeed like to see someone try to shift a nail on their door to see if they don’t find themselves with the Mayor of Rome pinning them to that same door with a scorching rod!
Photo: Giulio Tremonti Minister of the Economy and Finance in the Italian Government
Coming back to corruption- with what has been going on with British MP’s of late, I don’t think “The Times” has anything to brag about. Nevertheless Ms Vines accuses “Try making an entire EU relief package disappear into thin air: now that really does require skill.” By making such a wild sweeping statement it simply means putting a label on things without investigating the facts. “The Times” should ask the Italian Minister of the Economy, Giulio Tremonti, or better still, Guido Bertolaso, Head of the Italian “Protezione Civile” of how he has spent the money in finding temporary homes, food, clothing and rebuilding a whole region... Obama did.
Photo: Obama conversing with the Italian Head of Protezione Civile, Guido Bertolaso.
3. Bottom Pinching: according to Ms Vine the Italian male will: “not only open the door but stay very close to her to ensure that she passes through safely, before guiding her to her seat with a masterly stroke of the lower back, then proceeding to a bottom-pinching finish.” Again this sweeping statement regards that 2 million of the population I mentioned previously, the other 58 million behave like this:
Photo: The election of Miss Padania held at a local Restaurant
Photo: One of the judges, my vet- happily married- and the only bottoms he has ever pinched were those of my dogs.
4. Fashion: “the Italian female is a glittering example of how one can never wear too much gold or, for that matter, quilting. As for the gentlemen, they yield to no one in their pursuit of perfectly pressed jeans, combined with a stylish short-sleeved shirt...” I should like to thank “The Times” for opening my eyes to the fact that to dress in a pleasing manner has become a sign of decadence. However, I’m not sure which part of Italian society Ms Vine is referring her remarks to, again, I imagine that 2 million because as far as I know the rest 58 million dress like this:
Photo: Here is epitomized all the vices of organized crime, corruption, bottom pinching and flashy fashion to be found in Italian society!!!
Photo: Same here: Lots of bottom pinching going on- I see!!!
Photo: These people celebrating the 60th year anniversary of the priesthood of one of their relatives are all wearing their Sunday best- as “The Times” describe, with all their flashing jewellery, quilting, pressed jeans and stylish short-sleeved shirts!!!! Want to see how Italian people dress on normal occasions? This is even better! Just like "The Times" describes.
5. Sense of Humour: Few other comedies, I think, reflect English society as much as “Keeping up Appearances.” And you certainly hit the nail on the head with the comedy series devoted to the British Prime Ministers called “Yes Minister!” which certainly outwits even what, allegedly, left wing propaganda claims Berlusconi gets up to. But the advice that Ms Vines gives to me as an Italian voter is “the time may come soon when you decide to elect a real Prime Minister. You know, before the joke starts to wear too thin.” I should like to say, that time will not come all that soon, much to your disappointment, since we have never had it so good- which is something you cannot say for yourself.
Photo: Her Majesty the Queen, with the geese, is fine for the British.
Photo: Il Cavaliere Silvio Berlusconi, next to the smooth backside of a horse on which he perfects his bottom-pinching techique, is fine for the Italians.
