thisweekinitaly.com

Trains, Trains, Trains

I spent Christmas weekend in Germany. In my last two trips to Germany, I have encountered a train 17 minutes late and one an hour late. For the latter, the sign announcing arrival time was not updated as the delay grew. Two days later, this same train was not running when I needed to take it to start a trip to airport. (To be fair, the train one hour late and the one not running are on a small private, commuter line that is not part of the regular train system.) When I got to the station one time, the machine into which you put money to go into the public bathroom was not working so there was no functioning bathroom. It was like being in Italy, but the trains in Germany have the high German fares. I hate to see Germany adopting the negative features of life in Italy, and I don’t see it as obtaining more of Italy’s desirable features.

 Teaching English in Italy – New Initiatives

Two new initiatives are good in theory, but most probably will fail. The first is to have teachers in the very first years of school start to teach simple English to pupils. The second is to have one of the high school courses, let’s say an art course, taught in English. For the first of these reforms, primary school teachers are being given a crash course in English. Of course all of them, regardless of whatever proficiency they in fact obtain, will be certified as ready for their new duties. No teachers are going to be fired because they can’t or don’t learn English. It is the same problem for the high school teacher who will have to teach a subject matter course in English. Both of these initiatives, to be successful, will require that the training of teachers include much more English before they enter the classroom. It is a long-term solution to be implemented by the next generation of teachers. These two ideas will most probably be abandoned long before the next generation of teachers arrives on the scene. Italy is not given to sticking to long-term plans.

 German TV

 I watched a Christmas music show. In one part there was a group of five men singing, all dressed in tuxedos. They were lined up in a straight line across. It suddenly occurred to me that in Italy, you would never see five singers in such a direct, precise, formation. There would be some kind of artistic arrangement of the five and movement throughout the singing. The women on the show also were wearing more clothes than is typical on Italian TV.

 More Than You Want to Know About Current Italian Politics

Those who find Italian politics uninteresting, unimportant, or unintelligible can skip this item.

In the recent vote of confidence for the Berlusconi government, the dissidents, led by Gianfranco Fini, were seen to have suffered a serious defeat. Fini’s main enemy in the central-right coalition is the Northern League party of Umberto Bossi. After surviving the vote of confidence, Berlusconi must still enlarge his ruling coalition to govern effectively. He is trying to do this by recruiting members of Parliament from small center parties that are not part of his coalition. These new recruits will be influential because they will hold a fragile balance of power for the center-right majority. They are also philosophically far from the program of the Northern League. So in this new expanded majority (if it happens) the Northern League will be a weaker factor.

 If instead of trying to woo new members to his coalition, Berlusconi resigned and called for new elections, his center-right coalition would probably win more seats. The main opposition center-left group is fragmented and without a strong leader. Within the new center-right coalition after elections, the Northern League probably would have more seats and Berlusconi’s PDL party fewer seats, So even if the majority is larger, within it Berlusconi would be weaker.

So it is no surprise that the Northern League is pushing for new elections and Berlusconi is resisting. He and Bossi may be kissing each other in public, but the conflict of interests between them is obvious. At this point Fini, although he lost the bid to unseat Berlusconi, has driven a wedge between Berlusconi and Fini’s main enemy, Bossi.

Christmas Festival of Lights, Triberg Germany

I went to this event in the Black Forest. All was magically covered in snow. This is the site of Germany’s highest waterfall. It is primarily a summer vacation destination, but has an extensive Christmas festival with over 750,000 lights. If you want to buy a cookoo clock this is the place. They all say Made in Germany. Of course, I am suspicious that some of the clock movements may come from China. When you are in one of the shops selling the clocks, you feel that if you could only get into the back room, you would be surrounded by elves working away diligently making clocks. There are a lot of mountain areas in Italy, including more of the Alps than any other nation, but still Germany, with its cold and snow, is much more Christmasy than Italy.

 Downtown Doldrums?

My neighborhood photo shop is moving to a location in a major artery at the edge of town. The owners say there is not enough foot traffic along the street for a business to prosper. This may be a problem of this particular street, but in general I see stores moving to places where there is more automobile traffic (and parking). As I’ve noted before, little by little, Italy is moving towards a merchandising model similar to that in the USA. This is probably inevitable, but also sad.

False Handicap Parking Permits

 I read once in the San Francisco paper an exposè about how many handicap parking permits in that city were used by people who did not qualify for them. Often when somebody dies, the permit just stays in the family. Do you think San Francisco can reach the proficiency of Naples in this regard? An investigation in Naples found 44% of the permits were being used improperly.

 Eating Well

 I picked up a flyer for a local restaurant. On one side was information about the establishment. On the other was a chart showing when vegetables are and are not in season in this region. The idea that you can eat every fruit or vegetable 365 days of the year is not one that makes sense to Italians. Here, in general, people want locally grown produce that has not been shipped a long distance and is not of a type developed for long shelf life rather than good flavor.

 A Quick Retrospective on Recent Vote of Confidence for Current Government

 A few days before the vote it seemed that the dissidents would win by three votes (317-314) . This depended of course upon their keeping their ranks intact. It depended upon the 317 remaining loyal to the cause and also being honest enough not to take a bribe to change sides. In Italy loyalty and honesty are not prime political virtues. After all the leaders of the rebellion against Berlusconi were former allies of his. So it should surprise nobody that a few dissidents changed sides at the last moment. Ideally the rebels should have gone into the vote with more than a three vote cushion to have a better chance of success, but perhaps this group had reached its maximum size – there were no more prospects to convert. So maybe it was “now or never.” I just note that the last minutes switches were quite predictable.

 Let it Snow, Let is Snow, Let it Snow

 December 17 was the first real snow storm I have experienced in Pistoia. In the eight years I have been here there have been one or two dustings of snow that quickly melted. The snow recently however was about two inches in Pistoia and 6 inches in Florence. Of course, the trains stopped running. A friend in Florence said she had never seen Italians so angry at lack of train service. The snow even stretched down to Rome. Immediately north of Pistoia in the mountains, snow is common, and there is ski area about 30 miles to the north.

 Tuscany had the worst time in Italy coping with the snow storm. Farther north snow is more common and there are plans to deal with it. Farther south the snow was lighter and probably melted faster. Tuscany is an area that in general (other than the mountains) gets little snow but every once in a long while can receive a major storm. Probably in Tuscany (1) there is no major snow emergency plan for transportation or other purposes, or (2) if there is a plan, nobody knows where to find it, or (3) if it is found, it is very slow to be implemented. Thus the chaos. (In fairness, it should be noted that a big snow storm in the South in the USA, where snow is uncommon, often leads to total paralysis.)

 I did learn a new Italian word when I read the newspaper stories about the inadequate response to the storm and the statements of public officials. It was the word for “passing the buck.”

 Christmas Films

 In the USA there are films scheduled for release around Christmas time although they may not have a specifically holiday subject. In Italy there is a genre of film called cinemapanettone. A panettone is a type of Christmas cake. These are goofy, slapstick comedies with titles like “Christmas in Miami” or “A Band of Santa Clauses.” To call them light Christmas fare would be an overstatement.

 The Student Orchestra

 I went to a concert by the orchestra of the Music School of Fiesole. I thought that this was a type of arts’ high school, but the orchestra contained students younger than high school age. I then discovered that it is a music conservatory that students can enter at a young age. You don’t have to complete high school first. I assume the instruction there includes regular academic subjects as well as music. Needless to say the performance was of a much higher quality than a typical school orchestra. The concert was sponsored by a local business. Before the start and during the intermission a total of six different people made remarks (not always quite brief). As always in Italy public events are wrapped with many speeches.

 Telling Immigrants to Leave Italy

 I’ve written how in Italy an illegal immigrant will be ordered to leave the country within five days, but often does not have the money to do so even if he or she wants to comply with the order. For example, a plane ticket to Nigeria costs a lot. Only within the last few years has it become a crime to enter Italy without permission. Now the question arises if it is a criminal offense not to comply with the order of expulsion when you do not have the money to do so. The highest court in Italy has ruled that it is not a crime. Italy does not want to spend the money to buy the tickets home. Absent that, the only choice is to put the person in jail which also costs the government money.

 Family Honor Once Again

 I read a story in the newspaper that illustrates a phenomenon I have noted before. Twenty-two years ago a young couple was found dead together in their bathtub. There was an autopsy after the deaths. Apparently there was (and still is) some question about whether this was an accident or a double murder. So now the bodies are being exhumed for a second autopsy. What can be discovered 22 years later than was not noticed at the time of the first autopsy is the obvious question. The police certainly are not agonizing over this old case. I am sure that the family members, some of whom are convinced it was a murder, demanded a second autopsy. If by some totally improbable way, it was now discovered that it was a murder, so what? In Italy these kinds of foolish requests are often granted – it is a matter of family honor.

 A Lovely Christmas Concert (with Preamble)

 I went to the Cathedral to hear the Christmas concert of a local choral group. It was scheduled for 9 pm, but it turns out two events were scheduled for that time. So I had first to sit through the Novena of Christmas service. The word “Novena” comes from the Latin word for “nine” and signifies a devotion of special prayers or a service that goes on for nine days in a row. I was surprised that the chanting and responses (for which there was a script) were in Latin, not Italian. I discovered that my ability to read Latin (which I studied for five years over a half century ago)has somewhat returned after learning Italian.

 The singing took place in the choir area behind the altar. I was very pleased to sit there because I could see close up the large painting of The Resurrection behind the altar that has just been restored. This painting is a centerpiece for the church. When I have taken people on a tour of the Cathedral, I have often pointed out that this picture was so dark that you could hardly decipher it. I then said that it should be restored. My wish came true.

 The chorus was very good, singing pieces in six different languages. When they sang in English, if I did not know the piece, I sometimes had trouble understanding the words. I identified one singer who enunciated the English words with great emphasis, and I usually was able to read her lips.

Christmas in Pistoia and Florence

For some photos of this topic go to http://thisweekinitaly.com/about-this-blog/chistmas-in-pistoia-and-florence .  Unfotunately on my web site the feature that allows one to rotate photos does not function. If you click on the individual photos you will get an enlargement and a caption telling what it is.

Seeking Legislators’ Votes

In all democracies proponents of legislation often have try to persuade legislators to vote a certain way.  In the USA the President, for example, may offer tell a senator that a public works project will be placed in the senator’s state  if he votes the right way. Usually the incentives offered are things of political advantage to the legislator.  This horse trading is typical in a democracy; in Italy it is called the “market” for votes.  In Italy, however, sometimes the vote is simply bought for a sum of money. It is fairly obvious from last minute change of positions who has been “bought off.”

Joe Petrosino, an Italian Hero in the USA

He is featured on the latest 85 cent Italian commemorative postage stamp.  This is the denomination I use for letters to the USA.  He came to New York in 1874 from the Campania region of Italy at age 14 to live with his grandfather.  When his grandfather died in an accident, the judge of the Orphans Court took in him and his young cousin until more family members could arrive from Italy.  Thus he lived for a while in politically well connected Irish household. At this time the Irish dominated the New York Police Department. Joe joined the department at age 23. He became a good friend of the city Police Commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt. He headed the Homicide Division and then the special Italian Squad, an elite corps of Italian-American detectives assembled specifically to deal with criminal organizations like the Mafia (then called the Black Hand) which he saw as a shame to decent Italians.  In his career he pioneered crime fighting techniques that are still used today.  In 1909 he traveled on what was to be a top secret mission to Palermo, Sicily but the secrecy was compromised by a story in a New York newspaper.  He went nevertheless believing that the Sicilian Mafia would not kill a policemen because this was the rule for the Mafia in the USA.  He was wrong.  His story has been the subject of three biographical films in the USA, two TV series in Italy, and two novels by British writer Frederick Nolan

Fashion Update

In my ongoing effort to keep readers up to date on the latest in Italian fashion, here is what is “hot” in winter coats and jackets. These are a down style of garment, dark blue or black, with the surface of the coat being a plastic like material, often shiny. There is horizontal stitching on the surface so the jacket has five or six rows (more for a coat) from top to bottom. Stitching patters, of course,  vary To me these garments look like something bought on sale at Wal-Mart but they are omnipresent in Italy.

I have a down style jacket with horizontal stitching, but it is the wrong color.  So I am not “in style.” Remember those omnipresent bright orange winter coats I wrote about a few years ago. I haven’t seen one this year.  I expected to see them at the used clothes market, but they are not apparent even there.

The Opening of the Opera Season at La Scala

As I’ve noted before, this is a big national event in Italy.  Usually it encompasses two aspects. First there is a discussion of the opera itself which this year was Wagner’s  Walkure. The reviews were quite favorable of the modernistic setting of the work. Second there is coverage of the rich and beautiful who attend this big social event.  This year, however, there was a third part to the story – the demonstration outside the opera house, which turned a bit violent, against cuts in the national budget for cultural affairs.

A Narrow Escape

Silvio Berlusconi survived a vote of confidence by two votes in the lower house of Parliament. As I mentioned earlier, even though he has enough votes to stay in office, he does not have a workable majority to pass major legislation.  If he cannot increase his working  majority, he can remain in office but he can not be effective. He may prefer to dissolve his current government and go to new elections. His major opposition, the center-left coalition, does not want elections now because it is in a weak state.  His major ally in his central-right coalition, The Northern League, would welcome new elections. The Northern League believes it will get more Parliamentary seats through new elections, but its gains will come primarily at the expense of Berlusconi’s party which has been weakened by his problems.

A few days before the vote of confidence it appeared that Berlsuconi’s opponents had enough votes to unseat him. What happened?  One cannot be totally sure, but the smart money would bet on the phenomenon discussed in the first item in this newsletter.

A Bit of Perspective on Italy

We could make lists of virtues or features that an ideal society or nation should value or exemplify: stability, opportunity. security, freedom, fairness, etc.  The fact is that it is impossible to maximize all of such factors within a society.  Some of the measures that increase one of these values may decrease another.  So we look for a good balance. When you look at it this way, Italy tends to maximize the three Fs — family, friendship, and food.  Maybe not the ideal choices, but certainly not the worst.

A Valid Complaint, But…

Mara Carfagna, Minister of Equal Opportunity in the Berlusconi government, complained recently, in response to criticism of her, that Italy is an overly masculine nation. You may recall she is one the “beauties” Berlusconi appointed as ministers, a former TV personality, showgirl, and nude calendar girl. She is correct in her criticism, but it is because Italy is such a masculine country, led by a leader who views women almost exclusively as sexual objects, that she was appointed to her present position. Here we have a little of “live by the sword; die by the sword.”

The British Institute

This is a British cultural center in Florence; there is also a French center. I went to the Christmas event at the British Institute which was a reading from the works of Dylan Thomas, including, of course, his short story “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, followed by refreshments with miniature mincemeat pies. The Director of the Institute appears to be a guy from Central Casting for a befuddled English intellectual.  He looks like he sleeps in his clothes, never heard of a hair brush, and would need a map to find his way around the block.  Still the Institute has a full program of interesting lectures, films, etc. and many services.  So he may well be highly competent despite his appearance.

My Latest Article in the On Line Newspaper, Giornale Italo-Americano

The Art of Begging  Italian Style

In many third world countries, beggars are omnipresent.  In more developed nations they exist in smaller numbers. I assume, perhaps wrongfully, that 50 years ago beggars in Italy primarily were persons with an obvious disability that limited their ability to earn a living. Whether or not this was the case in the past, it is certainly no longer true.

In the topology of beggars, the obviously disabled still exist, but they are now a small minority.  Perhaps modern laws protecting the disabled give them more opportunities to work at a job.  There are those who might be called the temporarily disabled. I speak of those, usually older woman, who hold a very uncomfortable position (e.g. kneeling over with their head on the sidewalk) for long periods of time.  I guess that the idea is they deserve money for voluntarily subjecting themselves to the discomfort.

You also see in Italy the man  shaking the cup and asking for spare change. This seems to be the primary mode for beggars in the USA, but is less common in Italy.  As in the USA, these guys don’t look like the money will be used for food or clothes, just drinks.

Naturally there are the gypsies. Italy is a haven for gypsies. The warm weather in much of the country allows them to live in flimsy squatter camps.  The inefficient legal system means they are not likely to get in trouble with the police or be deported. Finally Italians are willing to give them  money when they beg.

On the trains there is a special type of beggar who may or may not be a gypsy.  The male of the species gives each passenger a note (that looks like it has been photocopied 10,000 times) saying he is one of 5 Romanian brothers who have no work and no place to live. The female gives a missive telling that she is a mother with two small children and also with no place to live or work. Recently these notes have begun to appear written both in Italian and English.  The beggar then returns to retrieve the note with or without getting a coin. Naturally he or she exits the train before the conductor checks for tickets.

Another type of beggar seen primarily at large train stations is one who hangs around the automatic ticket machines. As you take out your wallet or purse to put money or a credit card in the machine, someone  suddenly appears asking for some cash.  Sometimes the ploy is that he needs only a specified amount in order to be able to buy the train ticket he needs.

A typical sign for a beggar in Italy says “I am hungry.”  A variant is the man with the dog and the sign “We are hungry.” The message is that even if you don’t care if I eat, can you let my dog starve? Some say that these beggars just find stray dogs to whom they give a little food so the dog will stay with them for the day.

The line between street merchant and beggar in Italy is not clear.  Many street merchants, primarily blacks, have small items to sell such as clothes pins, handkerchiefs, and cigarette lighters.  If you don’t buy anything, they then ask you for money for food.  In restaurants deaf persons come and leave one or two little items on your table with a note asking you to buy one of them and saying that the person is deaf and these sales are how he or she earns a living.  They will not, however, solicit you for money if you do not buy. This also is true of flower sellers who come into restaurants.  In the USA such persons would, nevertheless,  promptly be escorted from the premises by the manager, but that is not how it works in Italy.  In fact beggars often come into bars for free coffee and food, and this seems to be provided without a problem.

There are some national differences among beggars.  I have never seen a Chinese beggar even though I live close to very large Chinese community.  I don’t recall ever seeing a beggar from the Philippines or Central or South America.

I think it is easier to be a beggar in Italy than in the USA because the Italians are more likely to think that somebody with no resources is the victim of bad luck or a society that is not fair.  American are more likely to think the beggar lacks initiative. Of course these are broad generalizations, but I still think they are generally valid.

   
Trip to Trier
 
I took a day trip from Weisbaden to Trier near the border with Luxemburg for the Christmas market and a tour of the city.  Trier is the oldest city in Germany founded by the Romans as a city, not a military outpost. Trier in the 4th century was the capital of the Roman Empire.  The famous Emperor Constantine who legalized Christianity and then made it the official religion of the Empire ruled from Trier.  The old Roman gate survives because it was first part of the city walls and later had two churches built using its structure. In  general old Roman building were slowly demolished to use the stones for new construction. Napoleon had the two churches torn down that were build into the large gate, but the gate survived.  As always when you come to a place filled with Roman history, it is amazing how advanced the Romans were — central heating, city water system, indoor plumbing, etc. 
 
 Sexual Equality
 
Rome – November 8, 2010 – Italy’s highest appeals court on Monday confirmed the annulment of a marriage on the grounds that the wife thought of having an affair but never in fact had one.

“We fully support the lower court’s findings even though there was no evidence of the woman frequenting other men,” the Cassation Court said in its ruling, which sets a precedent.

The woman, who was not named, was trying to have the ruling overturned to benefit from no-blame financial arrangements including alimony. After the high court’s apparently draconian verdict she will be left to look out for herself.

According to judicial sources, both the husband and wife told judges that she had often “theorized” the freethinking idea that a marriage does not necessarily have to be based on sexual fidelity, but “never put the idea into practice”.
 
Theoretically this precedent would apply also to a woman seeking an annulment because her husband had thought of having an affair but never did so. Of course, in Italy it would be difficult to find a man who thought of it but didn’t do it.
 
School Reform in Italy
  
The protests continue against the government’s widespread program of school reform.  In Italy the government often employs people not because they are needed but as a way to keep down the unemployment rate. Here is an example. A friend works in a local high school. In Italy students who are certified as having a disability are given a personal support teacher.  At my friend’s school there are two such students, but three support teachers. The third is for a student for whom the doctors and psychologists have suggested that the student not come to school.  So the student stays at home but is nevertheless enrolled in the school.  He may come with his parents once or twice a year just to validate the “enrollment.”  His support teacher does not go to his house to instruct him.  She does nothing, but remains employed in her role.

 Our Buddy Berlusconi

 After the WikiLeaks revelations about diplomatic dispatches from Italy to the State Department in USA about Berlusconi, some fence mending was in order. So Secretary of State Clinton lauded Berlusconi as one of America’s best allies. This in fact is true. Berlusconi has supported the war against terrorism both with rhetoric and resources. His view of the United States is quite positive.

  Young Artists

 If you visited an Italian elementary school and saw the student art work displayed on the walls, yon would immediately notice its high quality. My ex wife Edie was once a Head Start teacher and then educational coordinator for the local program. She said that the best young artist she recalls was the son of an Italian couple who ran a pizza shop in Gettysburg. No surprise.

  Rewriting History

 I’ve mentioned that the history of World War II that one hears about in Italy centers around the years 1943-45 when there was a “Civil War” between Fascist and anti-Fascist groups in Italy. Little is said about 1940-43 when Italy was an ally of Germany. Similarly, in the discussion the fate of the Jews in Italy, much is said about the heroic efforts of Italians to shelter Italian Jews from deportation by the Germans. Little is said, however, about the years 1938-43 (before the Germans arrived) when Jews were thrown out of schools, stripped of their jobs, and had their property confiscated. Although they did not murder Jews, the Italian government did persecute them. As so often, war brings out the best and the worst in people.

  Getting Used to Dishonesty

 I was at the monthly market of used items at my church in Florence. You can find some marvelous bargains there. After I made my purchases, I laid down the plastic bags with these items and went to do a little errand in another part of the room. When I cam back, somebody had gone through the bags and taken one of the items. It was no big deal in any sense. I simply have trouble getting used to the level of petty dishonesty in Italy which requires you to always be alert in watching your property.