thisweekinitaly.com

Hiatus in Publication

I am in the USA from December 15 – January 13. So few, if any, newsletters will arrive during this time.

Bashing Berlusconi

The attack of the guy with mental problems upon Silvio will probably lead to a greater level of security rules for the President of the Council.  He is one who loves to wade into the crowd. The worst part of the incident for Silvio will be the ever present photograph of his bloodied face.  A true disaster for a man as vain as he.

La Scala

I’ve mentioned before that the opening of the season at the opera house in Milan is a big national event. In general I’ve found opera less pervasive in Italy than I had expected. This year, anyway, the opening work was “Carmen” in a modern setting. Outside the opera house there were noisy demonstrations of out of work laborers. At the end of the opera, the audience warming applauded the singers and the orchestra, but when the director came out to take a bow, the applause was mixed with whistles (“boo” in Italy).  You can imagine the national controversy that this engendered.  As I once mentioned the word “fiasco” in Italy is a type of wine bottle. Its English meaning comes from the fact that these were the bottles the audiences in Naples threw at the stage if they were unhappy with the performance. Naples was a tough opera town. Its native son, Caruso, got a bad reception when he sang there as a young man.  He did not sing again in Naples for a long, long time.

Breda Works (contd.)

I wrote recently about this local plant that makes railroad cars, streetcars, and buses. A friend tells me that it is a very inefficient operation, but gets contracts by bidding below its costs. How can it survive?  It does so through government subsidies that once were open but now have to be indirect and hidden because of the European Union rules prohibiting such subsidies. There are many train cars wrapped in plastic outside the factory. My friend says these are from a contract with Denmark in which the Danes are refusing delivery of the cars because they do not meet the contract standards.  Meanwhile the factory continues to produce more of these cars for Denmark, and they pile up outside the building. At one time in Italy there were a lot of state-owned industries. These have been privatized, but what one might call “secret socialism” exists here.

Cohesion among the Citizens in Italy

If you asked the average Italian “What are the civic duties that you owe to your fellow citizens?” or “What are the obligations you owe to the Republic of Italy by virtue of being a citizen?” it might take him or her a while to come up with even a short list.  When there is an emotional issue, however, suddenly a sense of solidarity arises.  After the earthquake in Abruzzo, many regions of Italy sent special aid to the citizens there that was denominated as aid from each specific region.  (If there is a highly destructive tornado in Kansas, there doesn’t tend to be special aid sent there specifically from the citizens of Virginia.) In short, there are times when Italians are quite generous and responsive.

Arrests of  Mafia Fugitives

The Berlusconi government is applauding and taking credit for the recent arrests of many Mafia boss fugitives in Italy. Governments everywhere take credit for good things that happen while they are in power regardless of whether these things are attributable to government policies. The national police are in a constant campaign to combat the Mafia, and this campaign is not the result of the policies of any particular government.  The problem is that the Mafia is a little like a terrorist organization. You can arrest or kill top leaders, but others are there to take their place.  The group is imbedded in the culture. If the USA killed Bin Laden, it might provide satisfaction, but his terrorist network would go on with a new leader.

The Brain Drain from Italy

I’ve written a number of times about Italy’s young scientists often go abroad to obtain better research opportunities. It is not a new phenomenon.  Perhaps Italy’s most famous scientist was Marconi, the inventor of the radio. He did his basic research in Italy, but had to go to Great Britain to fully develop his invention both scientifically and commercially. His discovery did not raise a lot if interest in Italy (Fortunately his family was wealthy enough to finance the early research) , but, of course, in later years he returned as a great national hero.

Purchases at the Bazaar

The American International League of Florence is a group of expatriate women who, among other things, raise money for local charitable purposes. Their big event is the annual Christmas Bazaar. This year a friend of mine was the head of the section of the Bazaar selling new and almost new clothes. Unfortunately she had an accident before the date of the Bazaar and could not attend.  So I thought it would be nice to buy her as a Christmas present an item from the new and almost new section.  In the ladies’ area of the clothing (There was a much smaller men’s area), I found a nice silk blouse in the correct size of medium.  When I presented it to her, however, she quickly noticed that it was much too big for her.  In fact it turned out to be a men’s shirt.  Not only that, but the size of the shirt was, in fact, large.  I could wear it.  So I took it back to my house, and got her a different gift. I can only hope that she doesn’t tell her friends “Bob got me a silk blouse for Christmas, but he took it back to wear it himself.”

Poetry Reading

I went to a poetry reading by the actor Luca De Fillipo who is the son of the very famous playwright from Naples, Eduardo De Fillipo who died 25 years ago.  His son read poems by his father.  De Fillipo wrote in the dialect of Naples so this made it certain that I could not follow a lot of the poetry. In fact his son had to explain some of the words to the audience in Pistoia. By the audience reaction it seemed that the poetry was often in the genre of light verse. Italian is a more musical language than English. So it is more pleasant to listen to poetry in Italian that you don’t understand than it would be listen to English poetry that is not understood.

At the Church Market

A nearby church has an occasional market of contributed new and used items to raise money for the parish. While looking at the items for sale recently, I noticed a very nice old Italian crèche scene with many figures. The figures were not large but they appeared to be hand carved and painted. On the bottom there was no label “made in the P.R.C.”  I was thinking of a possible very nice bargain when I asked the price for this scene.  She replied “That’s not for sale; it is just a table decoration.”

My Mother

My mother’s parents were born in Italy, but my mother was never particularly interested in returning to the old country. Like many first-generation Americans she saw her task as becoming a complete American. After living in Italy, I have come to realize that some things about her that I never thought much about were in fact particularly Italian in their execution.  She could wrap a package beautifully.  She could pack a suitcase with exact care.  Her ironing was beautiful.  Before I was born, she used to cut the lawn where my parents formerly lived. She cross cut (cutting both way) it so that no lines appeared where the reel mower had passed over the grass

Follow-up on Story of Arrests at Abusive Private Child Care Center in Pistoia

Here is an e mail I got from an American friend married to a woman from Pistoia. They spend part of each year in Pistoia.

“My God, Bob, my kids attended Cip Ciop asilo nido for 9 months last time we lived in Pistoia. We suspected this maltrattamento–it was as if they were warehousing the kids. We would show up in the morning and they’d all be lined up against the wall. The director has another asilo in Quarrata. At the time, it was the only asilo that would take both of our kids, and it was close to our apartment. Our son had problems responding with aggression when we enrolled him a daycare program the follow Spring (last Spring), in New York. The directors of that center suspected my wife and I, but eventually he settled down. This news brings pause. Many of the workers at Cip Ciop seemed kind enough, but we had our suspicions.”

Follow-up on the Amanda Knox Verdict

The Italian media carried stories about how the verdict was applauded by the media in Great Britain (home nation of Meredith, the victim) and treated with great suspicion in the American media. This kind of “nationalistic” attitude is not uncommon for criminal cases where the parties involved are of different nationalities.

For Amada there are some sure advantages to having been tried in Italy, despite what the American press might say:

1. The Italian appellate process if very complete.

2. On appeal, almost always the sentence is reduced if the person remains guilty

3. Sentences are shorter in Italy than in the USA

4. Amada is unlikely to serve more than one-half of any sentence that is finally determined

5. In Italy the finding of the original trial caries less weight in an appeal than it does in the USA. So it is easier to get a conviction overturned.

There is one big disadvantage to being tired in Italy. The process is so slow that even if you are ultimately exonerated, you will have to spend years prison before being released. The idea that “justice delayed is justice denied” is not common in Italy.

In short the real problem with the Italian system is its inefficiency. It is not, however, a system that more easily convicts innocent persons (at least after the appeals) than the American system.

When Hillary Clinton said she had not followed the trial in Perugia, but she was willing to listen to those who had complaints about it, it was reported in the New York Times as a neutral comment. The paper I read in Italy reported it as if Hillary had weighed in favorably toward those in the USA who question the Italian court’s decision.

An Interesting Charity 

My church in Florence makes grants to local charities. The check is presented at a Sunday church service and a representative of the charity is there to say “thank you” and talk briefly about the work of the group. This year we gave to a charity that goes back to the 15^th century. It is a group of 12 men whom I believe are anonymous. During the reign of the Medici family the arts were lavishly supported in Florence, but enemies of the family were exiled or otherwise disposed of. Their property was expropriated. Thus many noble families suddenly found themselves to be poor. It got so bad that the Archbishop of Florence excommunicated Lorenzo the Magnificent. Lorenzo was told he could return to church if he turned over at least some of the riches he had appropriated. These were entrusted to a group of 12 who then helped out the noble families in grave difficulty. Today this charity continues, but the families who are helped are no longer the dispossessed rich.

Vending Machine Shops

I wrote recently about one of these in my neighborhood where you can buy food, snacks, drinks, etc. – all from vending machines. Some of these machines even disburse beer which then any child can buy. I’ve pointed out in the past that this is also true for cigarette vending machines. So laws in Italy restricting the purchase of tobacco or alcohol to persons over a certain age are simply not enforced.

Bright Political Idea of the Week

A government minister proposed that the speed limit on the Autostrade (superhighways) be increased from 81 mph to 93 mph. This would give Italy the highest speed limit in Europe. Because cars are less efficient at higher speeds, this would increase the emission of harmful gases and also increase the consumption of gasoline per mile. Research demonstrates a higher speed limit increases the number and the severity of accidents. As I’ve noted in Italy cabinet posts go almost exclusively to career politicians; almost none are filled by outside experts or career civil servants. Maybe the Italian system is not less efficient, but it certainly increases the level of stupid statements from high government officials. It is a sure way to get into the headlines, and in Italy many politicians believe the old publicity adage “no ink is bad ink.”

How the Family Operates in Italy

I have a friend whose parents live about a three hour drive from Pistoia. Her brother lives in same town as the parents. The mother has to go into the hospital for tests. The brother will drive her there. After the tests, the mother might be admitted to the hospital. The brother at this point would be at work and unable to drive home to bring his mother whatever she needed for her stay in the hospital. His wife does not drive. So if the mother is admitted, my friend has to drive 3 hours to transport to the hospital items for the mother. The obvious answer to this dilemma – call a taxi for this purpose. In Italy, however, the children are expected to be at the beck and call of the parents regardless of the inconvenience.

Berlusconi – The Wrong Guy for the Job

It is a mystery to me why more Italians don’t realize that Berlusconi, because of his past, is severely hindered in his post as political leader of the country. Let me illustrate this with two ideas of his that are good ones. First he wants to reform the judicial system to make it more efficient and responsive. What does the opposition say? They say his real objective is to make it harder for the courts to convict him (in the many cases against him) and send him to prison. In no other country that I know of could the opposition raise this argument. Second, he proposes cutting or eliminating the governmental subsidies to newspapers many of which are political party papers. If a newspaper publishes a certain number of copies, it gets a subsidy. It doesn’t have to sell the copies; it can throw them in the garbage. The idea of cutting this subsidy is a good one. What does the opposition say? They point out that Berlusconi has a huge media empire, including newspapers; so he wants to cut the subsidies to remove competition to his newspapers. In no other country that I know of could the opposition raise this argument. These “side arguments” about his personal interests in proposed legislation make him less effective.

My Latest CAT Scan

My doctor gave me the form to schedule my periodic CAT scan to check the separation of the lining in my aorta. Usually it is about a three month wait for the exam, but I got an appointment within two weeks. When I arrived at the appointment, I discovered that the doctor had ordered an ordinary CAT scan whereas I always get one with the contrast liquid. This in itself was not a problem except that the doctor who reads the results of the contrasting CAT scans was not present that day and apparently not available for next 10 days. So I had to reschedule for January after I return from a month in the USA. Admittedly an inconvenience, but the exam is free.

The Crucifix in the Schools

I wrote about this in issue 349 of this newsletter. here is an short article I published on this item in The Florentine, the Englsih language newspaper in Florence.

The Cross in the Classroom – What’s it All About?

The response to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights calling for the removal of crucifixes from Italian school rooms, has a familiar flavor for controversial issues. Instead of reasoned discussion, simple slogans and sentiments are pervasive. Yet this issue is a bellwether of important challenges that face Italy and other European nations.

One can say that no European court is going to dictate to Italy on such a question, but the fact is that in many ways the European Union is dictating changes to all member nations. One can say, that immigrants who have another religious tradition should accept the religious history and symbols of Italy or go back where they came from, but the fact is that they are not going back. Italy has to figure out how best to integrate the new flow of foreigners

Thus the crucifix issue highlights the dilemma of how Italy responds to new European realities and how it will function as a nation with a substantial immigrant population.

The European Union started out as a system of economic cooperation. It has gone far beyond that. Is it time to put on the brakes and pare back its power to regulate social and political practices? What are the advantages of a more comprehensive European Union? How much national independence should be sacrificed for these advantages? These are difficult questions, but they won’t be answered by saying only “we refuse to conform with decisions we don’t like.”

As a nation with a growing immigrant population, Italy is changing. The “old Italy” (however one defines that term) cannot continue unaltered. What are the traditions and advantages of Italy that should be preserved in this time of transition? What are practices that are best changed in order to accommodate better the new arrivals. Some argue that the crucifix is not a religious symbol but a historical and cultural one. It may well have cultural and historical aspects that transcend religion, but it simply defies common sense to say that it does not have an important religious element. This argument of “religious symbol” vs. “cultural symbol” is a way to avoid the more important underlying dilemma. Is the crucifix in the classroom something that must be preserved for the future benefit of Italy or is it a practice that should give way in order better to forge a new multicultural nation?

Religious and cultural issues are often emotional. So the immediate unsophisticated response to the crucifix decision is not unusual. We can hope, however, that the discussion can move beyond the populist political rhetoric to help illuminate just where Italy should stand in relation to European Unity and integration of immigrants.

All Ask about Amanda

I have received a number of e mails asking what I think about the trial of Amanda Knox (and her boyfriend) in Perugia for the murder of her roommate. I confess that I have not followed this lengthy trial closely. When you read about it in the Italian newspapers, it is hard to extract the facts from all the rhetorical flourishes of the writing. So as a complete non expert, here are my thoughts:

1. There is some substantial physical evidence tying the two to the crime, but it is not necessarily overwhelming. It is, of course, disputed by the defense.

2. Their actions and statements after the event are at the very least suspicious.

3. The prosecution, however, does not seem to have a strong “theory of the case” – a story that explains exactly what these two did and why. Furthermore, there is not an explanation of exactly how they worked together with the person, Rudi, already convicted as having taken part in the crime.

From what I know, if I were on the jury, I would vote to acquit, but this does not mean I think that they did not do it. This trial is the first of three possible stages in Italy. There can be a appeal (by either prosecution or defendants – in USA prosecution cannot appeal not guilty verdict). Furthermore, this first appeal is more like a second trial in that it can have a review of the facts, not just legal arguments. Then there can be a second appeal that, like in the USA, is an appeal only for legal mistakes in the case, not a review of the facts.

Why did trial take so long? Because one of the defense lawyers is a member of Parliament so that the trial dates had to be accommodated to his schedule. Welcome to the Italian justice system.

Talking about the Troubles of Tiger

When the story broke in the news about Tiger Wood’s early morning auto mishap, the first rendition was that told by Tiger and his wife to the police. Soon a more scandalous interpretation began to creep into the media. American newspapers tended to start with the story related by the family. I looked at a major Italian national paper, Corriere della Sera, that from the very beginning featured the scandalous rendition concerning a domestic spat based upon marital infidelity. This Italian paper is probably analogous to the New York Times or Washington Post in the USA. (In the USA, the New York Daily News featured the juicier story from the start, but it is a sensationalistic tabloid, not a staid mainstream paper.) This comparison illustrates a difference between American and Italian journalism. First, Italian journalism never gives much credence to the “official” account of any event. Second, Italian journalism gravitates more quickly to the sensationalistic. In making this comparison, I am not making any judgment about what actually happened in the Tiger Woods incident.

Pistoia in the National News

Pistoia was bigger in the national news this week than it has ever been in my years here. Unfortunately, the story was about a private day care center at which the teacher and director have been physically abusing the children. It is not a case of pedophilia, but a situation in which they whacked the kids, put them in the dark room, pulled their hair, etc. in order to enforce the behavior the teacher and director wanted. Some parents became suspicious of the center because of their children’s fear of going to it, and the police installed a hidden video camera. The images of the abuse captured by the camera have been all over the papers and TV. The first line of defense of the accused is that they were stressed out by their jobs.

Airline Scam

I flew back from Germany (where I had been visiting my son and his family) to Italy with my ex wife Edie on low cost airline Ryanair. At the gate they measured every carry-on bag to see if it would fit into their device testing the maximum size of a carry on. Edie’s bag was very slightly too big, even though it had been purchased as a “carry-on” bag. So she had to treat it as checked luggage and pay a 35 Euro fee. She was told to leave it at the base of the stairway entering the plane. Many others passengers were similarly paying the 35 Euro fee. At the base of the stairway to the plane, however, there was no collection of bags and nobody to take the bags as checked luggage. So she carried it on where it fit quite easily into an overhead bin. I plan to write to Ryanair with this story (with appropriate documentation) and ask for a refund of the 35 Euro since the plane ticket was paid for on my credit card. Stay tuned for the result.

The Disappearing Train

I went to catch the 10:32 train to Florence that was shown on the electronic sign to be 15 minutes late. It did not come. The next train due to go to Florence was at 11:12. At about 11:00 am, the sign announcing the next train said it would be the 11:12 train which would be 5 minutes late. What had happened to the 10:32 train which was coming from the same place as the 11:12 one? Did the 10:32 train just disappear? Soon it was apparent that the 11:12 train was more than 5 minutes late. At about 11:25 a train appeared. Now it was announced on the sign to be the 10:32 train that was coming about one hour late. I got to Florence eventually.

The Phantom Bus

I took a trip with a friend to Castiglione del Lago, a lake town in Umbria. Unfortunately the train station is about a mile or more from the town itself. I figured we might have to call a cab for the trip from the station, but when we arrived there was a big bus waiting for us at the station. I asked the driver if this bus when into the city, and he said yes. He sold us two tickets. We boarded along with a lot of students who had taken the train from a nearby city where they attend high school. I wasn’t sure where to catch the bus to go back to the station. So after we got to the town, we visited the tourist office to ask about the appropriate bus stop. I said in Italian “Where do we catch the bus back to the station”? The man said that at this time of year there was no such bus. I politely noted that I had taken such a bus a few hours earlier. He looked quite surprised. We finally settled upon the solution. The bus we took was in fact a “school bus” for the students. It was a regular city bus that served this function every day.

The Politician and the Video

The granddaughter of Benito Mussolini is a Member of Parliament. Although her last name is not legally “Mussolini”, that is the name she uses. To say she is a moron is to overestimate her intelligence. Recently some low life tried to interest the media and then tried to blackmail her directly by claiming he had a video (shot with a cell phone camera) showing her having sex with the head of a small political party in Italy. Nobody has yet seen this video and the whole thing may simply be a scam. It is interesting that the media treated the possibility of the existence of the video as at least “plausible.” That gives you some idea of the reputation of Ms. Mussolini.

A Small Example of Bureaucracy in Action

When you buy a train ticket at the automatic ticket machine and put in a bill larger than the cost of the ticket, you get change. If there is not enough change in the machine, you get a credit slip that you can use at the ticket window the next time you buy a ticket there. When you present the credit slip at the window, here is what the clerk there has to do: (1) staple the small credit slip to a larger piece of paper, (2) rubber stamp the larger piece of paper, (3) record the fact that the credit slip has been tendered on a separate form. These three steps don’t take a lot of time, but such inefficient protocols are endemic in Italy, and eventually they add up to a lot of time.

Silvio and the Ladies –Not in the Headlines This Week

Instead the big news is the testimony of a former big time Mafia member who has repented (probably to get a good deal) and claims that in the 1990s Silvio had some connection with the Mafia.