After almost 3 whole weeks of non-stop rain, the mere fact that the clouds did not cover the sky completely were seen as a bless.
And, finally, I could go on with what I had been planning to do for weeks, waiting the sunshine: busking!
Today's final amount: £5,69! I have money for next week's coffees and newspapers!
yeah!
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Oh, he eventually died
This is a sad and bitter story. It is sad because things like these should not happen anymore; it is bitter as well if compared to the ideal of Italy as a leading country in progress, lifestyle, social matters; our concern about human rights in Burma, China and anywhere else is remakably high! But what about home then?
The night between 15 and 16 October a 31-year-old chap, Stefano Cucchi, is arrested in a park in Rome: he is found carrying 20g of hashish. Brought to the police station first and then to jail (charged for drug dealing), he eventually ends dead in a hospital bed just a week later.
What really happened during those few days is still obscure but, nontheless, dodgy. Photographs taken at Cucchi's arrival in jail show him in a bad shape, with bruises, cuts and red signs all over his face. It is said he could barely talk and was clearly limping. Spokesmen from the police assured that the bloke was already like that when arrested, and no one touched him.
Later investigations found out that Cucchi was at the gym the same day of his arrest, at 7pm, therefore in a healthy state, as confirmed by the gym owner.
An illegal immigrant, inmate of Cucchi, said to have seen the guards badly beating the boy, repeatedly "slapping and kicking him".
A few days ago, 6 people were charged for beatings: 3 jailguards and 3 doctors, for complicity in covering the crime.
What scares me most in all this mess is the political attitude that followed. Ignazio La Russa, minister for Defence, just after the news of the death came out, commented it assuring "the absolutely correct behaviour of the police forces in this occasion." Senator Carlo Giovanardi did even worse, saying that "Cucchi died because he was a drug addict."
At the time of these declarations, no investigations had begun yet. Nonetheless, they did not think twice in taking a completely arbitrary stand (unsupported by anything) against a man who died in an Italian jail, under the State responsibility, almost blaming him for his own death.
Folks, be ware of this, for next time it might be your turn.
The night between 15 and 16 October a 31-year-old chap, Stefano Cucchi, is arrested in a park in Rome: he is found carrying 20g of hashish. Brought to the police station first and then to jail (charged for drug dealing), he eventually ends dead in a hospital bed just a week later.
What really happened during those few days is still obscure but, nontheless, dodgy. Photographs taken at Cucchi's arrival in jail show him in a bad shape, with bruises, cuts and red signs all over his face. It is said he could barely talk and was clearly limping. Spokesmen from the police assured that the bloke was already like that when arrested, and no one touched him.
Later investigations found out that Cucchi was at the gym the same day of his arrest, at 7pm, therefore in a healthy state, as confirmed by the gym owner.
An illegal immigrant, inmate of Cucchi, said to have seen the guards badly beating the boy, repeatedly "slapping and kicking him".
A few days ago, 6 people were charged for beatings: 3 jailguards and 3 doctors, for complicity in covering the crime.
What scares me most in all this mess is the political attitude that followed. Ignazio La Russa, minister for Defence, just after the news of the death came out, commented it assuring "the absolutely correct behaviour of the police forces in this occasion." Senator Carlo Giovanardi did even worse, saying that "Cucchi died because he was a drug addict."
At the time of these declarations, no investigations had begun yet. Nonetheless, they did not think twice in taking a completely arbitrary stand (unsupported by anything) against a man who died in an Italian jail, under the State responsibility, almost blaming him for his own death.
Folks, be ware of this, for next time it might be your turn.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Long live la Basa Padana
Good job guys, have a safe journey back!!!
A' sav' dom in an mes!!!
Cheers mates!!! a la vostra!
A' sav' dom in an mes!!!
Cheers mates!!! a la vostra!
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Brucia la strega
E' con nervoso disgusto che mi siedo a scrivere adesso, pochi secondi dopo aver letto qualcosa di decisamente irritante (per non scomodarmi troppo con le parole).
Il Rototom Sunsplash festival, che da quasi vent'anni si tiene regolarmente, ogni estate, ad Osoppio ed in altre località friulane, viene attaccato dalla procura di Tolmezzo (Udine) che intende vietarne le prossime edizioni.
Stiamo parlando del più grande festival reggae di tutta Europa, che attira gente da ogni dove a passare 10 giorni nel nostro Bel Paese per un tale evento! E sapete quali sono i motivi che spingono la procura a darsi da fare per mettere al bando festival, musica, baracca e burattini? Non ho intenzione di parafrasare, leggete di persona:
http://it.peacereporter.net/articolo/18860/%27%27Non+processate+Bob+Marley%27%27
Il Rototom Sunsplash festival, che da quasi vent'anni si tiene regolarmente, ogni estate, ad Osoppio ed in altre località friulane, viene attaccato dalla procura di Tolmezzo (Udine) che intende vietarne le prossime edizioni.
Stiamo parlando del più grande festival reggae di tutta Europa, che attira gente da ogni dove a passare 10 giorni nel nostro Bel Paese per un tale evento! E sapete quali sono i motivi che spingono la procura a darsi da fare per mettere al bando festival, musica, baracca e burattini? Non ho intenzione di parafrasare, leggete di persona:
http://it.peacereporter.net/articolo/18860/%27%27Non+processate+Bob+Marley%27%27
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Wales-New Zealand
Fine settimana impegnativo per Cardiff. Fin dalle prime luci di sabato mattina una folla impressionante si radunava nelle strade del centro, da ogni dove, riempiendo i pub che per l'occasione hanno aperto con un pò di anticipo, pronti ad inondare le gole degli assetati con torrenti di birra a 2£ la pinta.
Ah, già, dimenticavo i 53.000 tra cui qualche migliaio di Neo-zelandesi muniti di biglietto che varcavano la soglia del Millennium Stadium e si preparavano all'Evento.
Si, l'evento: rugby, of course! Test match tra Galles e Nuova Zelanda, qualcosa che nessuno da queste parti si sognerebbe di perdersi. La giornata è pietosa, piove e tira vento, quindi scegliamo con cura un pub tra le centinaia disponibili in cui vedere la partita. Il match è alle 17.15, ma i locali strabordano di gente già da prima di pranzo. Arriviamo verso 16.30 e attendiamo, finchè arriva il momento degli inni; nel pub si leva un coro unanime quasi assordante per l'inno in Gallese (ci sono 2 inni qua, uno in inglese e uno in gallese), è un'atmosfera da pelle d'oca, fantastico! Haka, e si comincia! Match abbastanza equilibrato, anche se gli autoctoni vociferano che la loro nazionale poteva/doveva fare meglio, dato lo status quo di questi ultimi anni. Wales perde 12-19 alla fine, ma i Welsh people sono contenti lo stesso, la birra continua a scorrere e la città è un macello per tutta la notte. Hail Rugby!
Per ri(vedere) tutta la partita, cliccate qua:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ntrkm/Rugby_Union_2009_2010_Wales_v_New_Zealand/
(dateci un occhio se ve la siete persa, merita!)
Ah, già, dimenticavo i 53.000 tra cui qualche migliaio di Neo-zelandesi muniti di biglietto che varcavano la soglia del Millennium Stadium e si preparavano all'Evento.
Si, l'evento: rugby, of course! Test match tra Galles e Nuova Zelanda, qualcosa che nessuno da queste parti si sognerebbe di perdersi. La giornata è pietosa, piove e tira vento, quindi scegliamo con cura un pub tra le centinaia disponibili in cui vedere la partita. Il match è alle 17.15, ma i locali strabordano di gente già da prima di pranzo. Arriviamo verso 16.30 e attendiamo, finchè arriva il momento degli inni; nel pub si leva un coro unanime quasi assordante per l'inno in Gallese (ci sono 2 inni qua, uno in inglese e uno in gallese), è un'atmosfera da pelle d'oca, fantastico! Haka, e si comincia! Match abbastanza equilibrato, anche se gli autoctoni vociferano che la loro nazionale poteva/doveva fare meglio, dato lo status quo di questi ultimi anni. Wales perde 12-19 alla fine, ma i Welsh people sono contenti lo stesso, la birra continua a scorrere e la città è un macello per tutta la notte. Hail Rugby!
Per ri(vedere) tutta la partita, cliccate qua:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ntrkm/Rugby_Union_2009_2010_Wales_v_New_Zealand/
(dateci un occhio se ve la siete persa, merita!)
Thursday, 5 November 2009
The Gunpowder Plot (pt. 3)
On this same day, 404 years ago (well, day..let's say night), society was extremely close to be shaken to its most basic foundations. We could even say it was close to destruction, turmoil and general mayhem, without the worry of being wrong. If things are as they are today, it is also because of what happened that night, or better, what did not happen.
A group of thirteen conspirators headed by Guy Fawkes, tried to alter the whole system once for all: historically, in order to return England to its catholic past; politically, to tackle the monarchic system of that time; philosophically, to pursue the wish of a radical change and ideally, to build a new and fairer society in which to live.
The plan in itself was simple: blowing up the Parliament and, with it, the King and most of the Lords, during the 5th November State Opening ceremony, in 1605. For the occasion, 36 barrels of gunpowder were sneaked in a cellar directly beneath the House of Lords chamber; Fawkes were in charge of lighting the powder and blast the building to pieces.
As you can imagine, it did not work out. Guy Fawkes was betrayed and caught down in the cellar, on the point of lighting the fuse. He was arrested, tortured and sentenced to "hanging, drowning and quartering", as his fellow conspirators. The whole plot ended in nothing.
What survived since that day was the idea portrayed by Fawkes name. His "ways" were undeniably extreme (although they have to be seen with the eye of the 17th century, nda) nontheless his image is not that of an evil-minded traitor anymore. It evolved to something more like an abstract and nostalgic inspired mind longing for a major change toward the better.
After all, he is listed as one of the 100 Greatest Britons of all time. There must be a reason!
Hail Guy Fawkes! I'll keep a penny for you!
A group of thirteen conspirators headed by Guy Fawkes, tried to alter the whole system once for all: historically, in order to return England to its catholic past; politically, to tackle the monarchic system of that time; philosophically, to pursue the wish of a radical change and ideally, to build a new and fairer society in which to live.
The plan in itself was simple: blowing up the Parliament and, with it, the King and most of the Lords, during the 5th November State Opening ceremony, in 1605. For the occasion, 36 barrels of gunpowder were sneaked in a cellar directly beneath the House of Lords chamber; Fawkes were in charge of lighting the powder and blast the building to pieces.
As you can imagine, it did not work out. Guy Fawkes was betrayed and caught down in the cellar, on the point of lighting the fuse. He was arrested, tortured and sentenced to "hanging, drowning and quartering", as his fellow conspirators. The whole plot ended in nothing.
What survived since that day was the idea portrayed by Fawkes name. His "ways" were undeniably extreme (although they have to be seen with the eye of the 17th century, nda) nontheless his image is not that of an evil-minded traitor anymore. It evolved to something more like an abstract and nostalgic inspired mind longing for a major change toward the better.
After all, he is listed as one of the 100 Greatest Britons of all time. There must be a reason!
Hail Guy Fawkes! I'll keep a penny for you!
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