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Archive for the 'People' Category

Jul 23 2008

Italians meet scrapbooking

Italians are very keen about photography, we love to take pictures of what we see and what we like, so much that the act of flipping through the pages of the albums becomes a real passion and a vital sharing moment for families.

That is why I strongly believe in the union Italians-scrapbooking.

This “meeting” is happening in these last years, but we’re quite far from the other Countries with that fabulous hobby.

Anyway, it is showing a growing interest and I am sure that it will gain ground quickly, because it offers a great chance to preserve memories and even to work in that field (I am one of the ones who wanted to take that job opportunity as scrapbooking consultant immediately thanks to a wonderful Italian company so, if you are in Italy and are interested in creative meetings, markets, weekends, I will be really happy to see you where you are and to show you our great products, to suggest very nice ideas for your pages and albums and even to offer you the same opportunity to work for us if you live in Italy, simply contact me via email).

I would have so much to say about scrapbooking, it emotionally affected my life and I guess it will never leave me, I am also affecting my friend with my crazy addiction, so I will surely have the chance during the next months.

As today I am already quite in a hurry, even if it is only 6 am, because my boyfriend is coming home for his couple of days off, I will not be able to write so much, but I certainly want to show you a layout which I created about the 13 points about How to know that you live in Bologna, do you remember my entry?
Well, that entry inspired me this page:

How to know that you live in Bologna, TheItalianVoice's layout

I used two nice postcards of my capital of province, some flowers in tissue and felt, some glitter powder, doodlings, some paper clips, some letters of the alphabet in die cut style and so on.

Enjoy and I will talk to you later about my great hobby and activity, my friends. Ciao!!

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Jun 11 2008

Photo Game about Desi, ME

Published by desiitaly under My life, People Edit This

This afternoon I was surfing the net, looking for people who lived in Italy or who travelled to my Country here.
I discovered a good group of blogs, which I’ll surely present soon.

Every time I find a nice one, the first thing I do is clicking on the “about me” page, because I think that it can tell a lot about the owner of the website/blog, I love to discover his/her life, dreams, business, just before reading the content of the blog.

This time I was particularly attracted by a game of research of photos answering to 12 questions about myself (found on Katerina Fiore’s blog), so much that I absolutey had to play it too, I find it very funny.

If you want to try it too, simply follow these directions:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search;
b.
Using only the first page, pick an image;
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

Reply to these questions:

01. What is your first name?
02. What is your favorite food?
03. What high school did you go to?
04. What is your favorite color?
05. Who is your celebrity crush?
06. Favorite drink?
07. Dream vacation?
08. Favorite dessert?
09. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

This is my result in a mosaic:

Photo Game about Desi, ME

Credits to the great photographers in order of appearance:

01. Desi From The Archives, 02. Cone Pizza!, 03. Lugo - Ravenna, 04. My Pink flowers, 05. Al Pacino, 06. Pure And Fresh Spring Water In My Wild River…!!!, 07. Adelaide, 08. do you ♥ a matcha tiramisu? ^-^/, 09. writer’s teeth, 10. Sunset at the Garden of the Gods Club, 11. CREATIVE DIRECTOR - SignCafe magazine cover, 12. Italian breakfast.

If you decided to play too, please let me know your result, as I am too curious to see it. See you soon, ciao my friends!

5 responses so far

May 28 2008

Movie review: Gomorra (2008)

Gomorra - Italian movie about camorra - 2008

DETAILS

Directed by: Matteo Garrone
Produced by: Domenico Procacci
Subject: Roberto Saviano
Written by: Matteo Garrone, Roberto saviano, Maurizio Braucci, Ugo Chiti, Gianni Di Gregorio, Massimo Gaudioso
Starring: Toni Servillo, Gianfelice Imparato
Music by: Massive Attack
Cinematography: Marco Onorato
Editing by: Marco Spoletini
Scenography: Paolo Bonfini
Costumes: Alessandra Cardini
Makeup: Alessandro Bertolazzi
Production House: Fandango, in cooperation with Rai Cinema and SKY and with the support of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Assets
Release dates: Italy May 16, 2008 - France August 13, 2008 - Germany September 11, 2008
Running time: 135 min.
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Year: 2008
Series: Dramatic
Prizes: Grand Prix at the Festival de Cannes 2008 and Premio Città di Roma - Arcobaleno Latino
Official website: Gomorra

Roberto Saviano, writer of the book which inspired the movie
Roberto Saviano, writer of the book which inspired
the movie called Gomorra, with the homonym title

Watch the official trailer HERE

MY BRIEF REVIEW

Gomorra is the docu-movie, based on the famous homonym bestseller written by the young journalist and writer (under police’s escort service) Roberto Saviano; it is a book-denunciation against the criminality of the camorra, set in Scampia, a quarter of Neaples which is situated in the northern suburb of the city.
The movie shows exactly the operation of the illegal traffics and of the inner equilibriums of the Italian criminal enterprise where anyone is excluded, because the emotional bonds do not mind, everyone is submitted to the hard-and-fast law of the camorra.

The title is a wordplay among the name of the city of perdition, Gomorrah, together with Sodom, which are mentioned into the Bible, and the consonance with the name of the camorra.

The plot of the story is a weave of lives who contribute in different ways to fuel the crimes of the families’ clans.

The main characters are: Franco, seasoned professional of the international toxic garbage disposal; Pasquale, always exploited dressmaker of haute couture; Totò, promising young who does not want to lose his innocence; Don Ciro, consignee of money to the families into the war of clans; Marco and Ciro, two young ones who want to prevail on the boss.

The movie goes at the heart of the matter, the scenography makes it an exploitation one, but very realistic and for this reason it is very appreciated by the public; it offers perpetual suspence, also due to the fact that the cameras are always on the move, it makes you stay literally glued at the seat of the cinema for 2 hours.
The colors of the shots are not too brilliant to give a sense of urban blight of the area and also of the corruption of the life, they highlight the typical high shabby buildings, stairs, corners, tiny streets, sheds, pits and so on.

So my message for you, folks outside Italy, is: stay tuned for the release date in your Country and do remember the name of this Italian movie, because you will esteem it very much, as everyone already did it with the Saviano’s book; as soon as it arrives in your cinemas, you will not forget its subject so easily!

* * * * *

REMINDER FOR MY READERS: Tomorrow I will leave by train to reach my boyfriend at the new flat and I will be back on Saturday late evening, so see you on Sunday with my updates. Have a nice weekend everyone!!

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May 22 2008

Padre Pio: the mystery of the seals and of the relics

Tonight I was not able to sleep properly, I did it only for a couple of hours and then I had to stand up to finish what I started yesterday afternoon: the translation and transcription of a sensational interview made two evenings ago by Striscia la Notizia, an Italian famous satirical newscast (which in reality is more serious than the real ones), to the nephew of the Padre Pio’s doctor.

I guess you all know who is Padre Pio, the Italian friar who received stigmata, who has been proclaimed Saint and who has been recently exhumed by the religious authorities.

Padre Pio's body after his exhumation in April 2008

shot by Darriuss Royce

Tonight I could not sleep because I wanted to finish my important translation and transcription to let you know what that man told at the tv, which really could cause an investigation about the wonderful things which he told about and, I guess, even convert more people than how much the Saint’s life and death already did.

I place here the original video of the interview in Italian, which lasts 7 minutes, and below you can find the whole translation, I hope that you will appreciate my work and that you will leave me your opinions about these incredible news. Enjoy!

Showman: …citizens, because it’s the moment of the exclusive interview to the nephew of the Saint Padre Pio’s doctor; in addition to some unexplainable facts which are about the exhumation of the Saint, we are about to listen to different exstraordinary revelations. Do follow carefully this shoot.

Q: Well, friends of Striscia (“Striscia la Notizia”, editor’s note), today we will tell you about Padre Pio. We are with Alberto Festa, nephew of the doctor Giorgio Festa, the Padre Pio’s doctor for 21 years. Good morning, Alberto.
A: Hello.

Q: You called us because lately..people always spread rumors about Padre Pio, but lately we talk more about him because his body has been exhumed. You called us to tell us something sensational.
A: I noticed a very strange thing.

Q: Yes…
A: In the reliquary where the Padre Pio’s body is placed, it’s very clearly visible that onto the reliquary they places some seals (red rounds, editor’s note). The seals are placed by the authorities of the Vatican, Friars Capuchin, but surely the ones of the Vatican just to seal up (red rounds, editor’s note) something which mustn’t be profaned in time. Here there is also in this quite big photo of the Padre Pio’s sister who pray, then you see…(white rounds, editor’snote).

Q: And also in this photo in black and white you see…(red rounds, editor’s note).
A: The strange thing which I noticed is that at the opening of the Padre Pio’s reliquary at his exhumation, which is called canonical inspection…

Q: There is a plate of zinc…
A: There is a plate of zinc which has been placed onto it. When they removed the plate of zinc - and it is clearly visible - uncannily you can not see the seals anymore. It is clearly visible, these seals (white rounds, editor’s note) are not present, in any way! In addition this is the official photo.

Q: And let’s talk about these books. Are they abducted?
A: Yes, i.e. this is a book which at the beginning was labeled by the Vatican. This book is of the 1933 (entitled “Among the misteries of the Science and the lights of the Faith” by Giorgio Festa, editor’s note), when a few people knew who was Padre Pio.

Q: And…what you can find in this book?
A: In this book there is a fact which is well-know not really by everybody, but..let’s say..surely by the experts about Padre Pio, that is that my uncle operated Padre Pio twice. He operated him in quite particular circumstances because he operated him into his cell, into the cell n°5, which was used as operating room without any kind of anaesthesia because Padre Pio refused the anaesthesia, also the topical one.

Q: What kind of…?
A: The first operation, which was the most important one, was due to peritonitis with complications of hernias, so it was a quite complicated operation because it also had some complications, etc. (white rounds, editor’s note). I repeat, this scenario suggests some hypothesis: could the Padre Pio’s body be moved? I tell that do not know it, but I say another thing, that there would be a proof, that is my uncle operated him…onto this Padre Pio’s body…

Q: There would be…
A: The signs must be visible…

Q: The scars…
A: They found also signs of operations also onto the mummies, so..

Q: So, theories…
A: In theory the proof would be present, now..

Q: Exact, so you say that, if the corpse has been moved somewhere else, the corpse that they found at the opening of reliquary could be another one.
A: I repeat, I do not know it, I can not affirm it.

Q: The theory is that, you told me with the cameras off, that (the body, editor’s note) could be moved even at the Vatican..?!
A: This are rumors which are spreading for several years, which surely does not come from me but, among the different hypothesis which I heard, they said also this one.

Q: You inherited a lot of objects from Padre Pio: the first glove, the lints of the operation…(relics in the frame, editor’s note)
A: Yes, a lot of objects.

Q: Very important objects, but we know that you also have a letter from Padre Pio.
A: Yes.

Q: Could you tell us about it?
A: Yes, I tell about it in complete way..finally..after long time, about which there has been a big misinformation and also, I must tell the truth, they created a ponderous journalistic and television censorship.

Q: It is ok. Now we have the chance in this moment to talk about this letter.
A: Great. Finally, finally.

Q: Ok. Can we see it?
A: Yes. This letter is a letter written by Padre Pio on March 20th, 1968, that was a few months before his death (red round, editor’s note), and it is the content which is, for me, the one which is absolutely shocking, it can be defined a spiritual testament of the friar.

Q: Do we want to read it?
A: Well, the letter is addressed to the Father Cristoforo Arrigo from Vico del Gargano and the letter quotes:-”Brother, God calls me and I put in your hands the remains which humble secrets which were given to me by faithful Christians to deliver: to Father Fortunato from Serra Capriola the bowl which, with its water, wet our Lord’s lips onto the Calvary; to Mr Manuelino, approached to the sacred altar, the lamp which enlightened the path of the Christians at the Colosseum; for you I give the little greek jar of the Apostle Peter, kept secret in me, because God’s present to my father and witness of the immense light, hold it for the poor ones in faith“.
Vice versa, I think that these poor ones in faith do not know nothing at all about this story, but not for my will, which is exactly the contrary but, I want to tell it, for the religious authorities’ will, who did not want in any way to let people talk about this story.
He gives objects which are strictly linked to Jesus Christ! The bowl which wet the Lord’s lips onto the Calvary! The jar of the Apostle Peter containing the God’s immense light!
That is..the God’s immense light in the Christianity, if you allow me…

Q: I am sorry, we’re talking about the Holy Grail…?!
A: This is what several people claim, I can not do this statement, but if you want my own opinion…

Q: Can I turn it?
A: This would be the object (little jar, editor’s note) that Padre Pio enclosed to this letter.

Q: I am sorry, Alberto. Now, we..the tv audience at home..in this moment I jump onto the chair and also the tv audience at home because, if all this would be true, you tell me that anyway this letter has received assessments, there are some assessments and the object is actually that one…
A: Yes, well, I immediately tell you.

Q: I do not know, we take everything cautiously.
A: I take it upon myself about what I am telling, but I really take it upon myself, because I show you two things. There is a report of 60 pages of the doctor Brown, who affirms absolutely (red round, editor’s note) that there is no doubt that this letter has been written by Padre Pio. But there is something more, because there is also the assessment by the doctor De Rossi, in which he claims that this object is placeable in the Roman period, that is about 2000 years old. I do not need absolutely notoriety for this thing. What I am interested in is that the Padre Pio’s devotees know that this thing exists and that…

Q: Clear.
A: …the authority does not want that this thing be revealed, they do not want..for what reason?

Q: Why?
A: You do not have to ask it to me.

Q: Did you also receive menaces, did not you?
A: Yes. I received menaces also for physical retaliation.

Q: Ok. I shake hands with you. If all this would be true…who knows?!
[Jimmy Ghione, Striscia la Notizia, Rome]

No responses yet

May 19 2008

The scaring estimation of the cancer in a map

Published by desiitaly under News, People, Politics Edit This

I do not know how to act and what to think anymore.

I want to share everything about my Country.
Yep, Italy has wonderful cities, wonderful landscapes, wonderful art, wonderful history, wonderful food, but I can not avoid to report what I know.
Everything is wonderful here. Everything but the interests of the politics.

I get totally troubled and shocked every time I look for online news which are offered by journalist who still have a conscience, who still spend their working hours hunting and reporting the truth without altering it; they are often in peril because they tell the facts as they really are, without protecting anyone and, on the contrary, telling on everything without filters.

I am very glad that we still have those good journalists here and I am very thankful that there is still someone who is able to do his/her job in the proper way, but I can not do anything to help people if they do not want to open their eyes.

I am sure that Italians are totally asleep and the worst thing is that it seems that they do not want to wake up at all…othrwise they would do something necessarily, I want to believe it!! Do not you?
They do not care about what it is happening in their Country, about what is good and what is not, they probably believe in fairy tales where the good always wins out and the evil is always knocked down.
Unfortunately we do not live in the fairy tales and, if someone does not stop the evil, it tends to increase until influencing everything and everybody.
I am not too much catastrophic, I am not catastrophic enough!

Today I am shocked by a map about the incinerators who are situated in the whole “boot” (and you know Italy is planning to increase their number in a not too far future); together with the areas of their localizations, it is shown a scheme of colours demonstrating the decrement of the estimated life in months due to the anthropogenic fine particles called PM 2,5: it is expressed starting from 1 month with the lighter colour to 36 months with the black one.

Map of the decrement of the estimated life in months
due to the anthropogenic PM 2,5

Decrement of the estimated life in months due to the anthropogenic PM 2,5

Looking at the map deeply (and I heartily suggest you to check it HERE using also the zoom), you can first notice that there is no place enlightened with the lighter colour, but even with the immediately subsequent ones; in fact, you can see the warmer colours starting from the middle of the scheme!

Now…do you really think it is conscientious for Italians to watch tv programs where experts suggest to maintain incinerators and even to build new ones, especially if these experts are people such Mr Umberto Veronesi (read also THIS ARTICLE ), who is a doctor, a surgeon and even a politic (now do you understand why he is not against incinerators even if he is a doctor and knows very well the effects of them on our health)?

2 responses so far

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