What a nice picture!

Anche tu Rubi?

Come ti chiami, bella? tanto il mio nome già lo sai è per questo che sei qui, per non scordarlo mai. Io ti posso regalare tutto quanto tranne la felicità, però ti prego non chiamarmi anche tu papà. Tu che vita che farai sai che proprio non mi importa, perché domani, quando uscirai da questa porta, quanti anni avrai e quanti te ne avrà rubati io sono solo cazzi tuoi che qui tanto è tutto mio. Anche tu Ruby tu come me, rubi sì siamo entrambi due grandi rubacuor che io ti pago, Ruby ma non m'appago, Ruby ma tu puoi sognare in questa villa a Arcor come sei alta, snella che gamba lunga lunga! adesso dai facciamo.... un po' di rumba su dai racconta i tuoi casini e dammi da bere, ho ancora sete che andare coi più piccolini mi fa sentire grande son scherzi anche da prete. Ma anche tu Ruby tu come me, rubi che sono bello, sono alto e sono un rubacuor che posso tutto, Ruby io sono il capo, Ruby e ti concedo di sognar in questa villa a Arcor ma anche tu, Ruby tu come me, rubi che sono bello, sono alto e sono un rubacuor che posso tutto, Ruby io sono il capo, Ruby e ti concedo di sognar in questa villa a Arcor e ti concedo di sognar in questa villa a Arcor e ti concedo di sognar ma intanto dammi... il cuor

What's your name, pretty? anyway, you know my name, already that's why you are here, not to forget it ever. I can give you everything but happiness, but, please, don't call me "daddy" you too.(1) What kind of life you will live you know, i really don't mind, because tomorrow, when you'll go out this door, how old you'll be and how many years i will have stolen to you that's only your freaking business cos here, anyway, everything is mine. You too Ruby (2) just lke me, you steal(3) yes, we are both heartbrakers (4) Cos i pay you, Ruby but i get no satisfaction, Ruby but you can dream in this villa at Arcore (5) how tall you are, how skinny what a long long leg! now let's make.... some rumba (6) Come on tell me your troubles and give me something to drink, i am still thursty that dating the little ones makes me feel tall (7) they are also priests' jokes (8). You too Ruby just lke me, you steal cos i am handsome, i am tall and i am a heartbraker cos i can everything, Ruby i am the boss, Ruby and i allow you to dream in this villa at Arcore You too Ruby just lke me, you steal cos i am handsome, i am tall and i am a heartbraker cos i can everything, Ruby i am the boss, Ruby and i allow you to dream in this villa at Arcore and i allow you to dream in this villa at Arcore and i allow you to dream but now give me your... heart

Omar Stellacci

Notes:
(1): Referred to one (the first?) scandal of sexy girls at the court of Berlusconi, which used to call him "Papi" or "Papà" (="Daddy")
(2): Ruby is the nickname of this underage girl that looks like had an affair with Berlusconi.
(3): In italian "you steal" is "rubi", which has the same sound of the nickname of the girl: Ruby.
(4): In italian "heartbraker(s)" is "rubacuori" (literally "heart thief"), which root sounds similar to "rubi" and "Ruby".
(5): Arcore is the town where Berlusconi's villa is.
(6): In italian, "gamba lunga lunga" (="long long leg") rhymes with "bunga bunga" which according to all the newspapers, is the favorite erotic amusement of Berlusconi. That expression is so popular that it is clearly recalled although not pronounced.
(7): Referred to Berlusconi's height (he's kind of short).
(8): In italian, "scherzo da preti" (literally "priests' joke") is a dummy joke (priests are notoriously not very funny). But here it is also referred to some pedophily scandal among Catholic priests.

Three

10/10/2007

Lake Viola

Lake Viola (refuge Viola in the background)

August 19.
A nice quite easy kike. You have to reach (by car) the town Arnoga, on the road that connects Livigno to Bormio (North Lombardy, next to the border to Switzerland). Right on the interior part of the hairpin bend there is a hotel, while on the opposite side there is a bar and a road that signs the start point of the path.
In low season it is possible to drive the first part of the road by car, there are some comfortable parking lots ahead. During the summer there is too much people, so, to drive this road, you have to own the proper permit that can be bought at some public structures or on site. But there is a closed number of permits for the cars, so it ends up that you have to park the car outside. Too bad, because the first part of the path is pretty long and not very interesting, and moreover every now and then there are cars passing by: residents or public cars (2 euros for the tickets - you can take a ride till the last parking lot). It is possible, for 40 euros to have a ride all the way to the refuge Viola on an off-road vehicle

Mr. Bentley, Maddie and me

with 8 seats (so it comes 5 euros each), but we didn't see anybody doing that.
We left the car outside, in the parking lot just after the hairpin bend.
In the beginning the path is on asphalted road, very easy and with a minimum pendence (uphill). There are several houses around, that gradually become less frequent leaving space for woods and pastures. Every now and then you can encounter a parking lot completely stuffed with cars. The last parking lot is the starting point of the path allowed only to pedestrians (and the few offroad vehicles for the refuge). The road gets lost among meadows and rocks, and you can start to hear the typical whistles of hte marmots. They were all around us, although we were not able to see any. The path keeps being easy but really long. Taking a look to the map you believe to be really close to lake Viola and the refuge, our final destinations, but at every curve you are deluded. Finally, after another curve, there it is lake Viola. The refuge is still far but we decide to stop anyway, to eat the sandwich that we carried in the backsack. Maddie and Mr. Bentley were also exhousted and starving too. They deserve a snack.
We decide to head back without reaching the refuge. The GPS signs that we walked already for 10.5 kms, but it is quite wrong, probably the recording results longer because for the jags caused by the bad reception of accurate position. Going back on the same path till the start point we record over one kilometer less. The informations that we have found on the internet talk about a distance of 8.5kms
The hike is really nice although a little annoyed in the first part for hte cars. It is quite easy but it looks really neverending. The sight of the little lake at the end offers a gratification for all the strength to reach it.

Outward:

Time: 2:44

Distance: 10.50km [6.52mi] (?)

Difference of level: 393m [1289'] (730m [2395'] uphill, 337m [1106'] downhill)

Altitude: 1882m [6175'] to 2313m [7589']

Return (on the same path)

Time: 2:05

GPS track of the excursion.
A: Path start point; B: Last parking lot; C: Picnic; D: Lake Viola; E: Refuge Viola

Ascanio Celestini

Ascanio Celestini

The People is like a child

He doesn't understand anything about politics.
If you talk Him about revolution and you do it seriously, it ends up that the People really makes it, that revolution.
So, we must do as the Communist Party did.
They made the People see the revolution from a distance, like a dancer on television.
The People is like a child and enjoys watching dancers.
Boys watch television because they like dancers's asses.
And girls watch television because they would like to have an ass like those dancers who boys are so fond of.
Everybody watches asses on TV
But both girls and boys know that TV is just an appliance.
That those asses exist only into TV.
They look around and the truth is that they are just sitting on the sofa in their apartment with no ass and no dance around.
But they're happy anyway. They are happy because every time they turn on TV again, there will be an ass ready to be watched, live broadcast.
And no matter if it is fake like Cinderella tale.
It matters only that after the live-broadasted ass they can go to bed serene.
The People likes the revolution, but you must show it as the ass of the a dancer.
Like something beautiful and impossible.
You must tell Him about the revolution, like a fairy tale.
The People is like a child.
He always wants to have reason.
So who rules the people has to tell him that the "the others are always wrong.
The others are disbelievers atheists, perverted homosexuals, dirty southerns, stinky black ones...
..in other words: relativists".
Then the People is happy.
Because the People is a child and as all the children He likes to play.
In children's games there is always someone who wins and some other who loses.
That's why the People likes football so much.
The People knows that the real football is not the one played in the small fields, it's not a match among friends.
The People knows that He cannot play the real football.
That He can only watch the real football on television.
Then the People sits and watches.
The People screams, shakes, gets tired like a child.
And when the night comes He immediately falls asleep. The People is very good, He is like a sheep.
The People knows that life is like a football game on television, as the final of the world championship: the whole world watches it, but then the match is played only by two teams.
Football is beautiful! Life is beautiful!
Only a few can enjoy it, but everyone else can cheer.
The People is like a child.
If you steal His candies, the child gets angry.
But if you put them in a shop He buys them immediately.
So you, who are smarter than the People, would make them pay twice of their value.
So for each candy He buys, one you sell and another you steal.
If you put your hands in the People's pocket you're a thief,
but if the People comes to you and empties His pockets, it's only a law of the market.
The People is like a child, He likes to buy candies.
Then maybe He takes them home and doesn't even eat them.
Maybe He throw them in the bucket, maybe.
Because children like to buy buy buy.
So you, who are more adult than people sell them everything.
The People wants to eat? And you sell Him junk until He bursts.
The People wants songs? And you sell Him some pounds of refrains to sing under the shower.
The People want ideals? And you sell Him also those.
Then maybe He takes them home and no longer believe in them.
Maybe He threw them in the bucket.
Better! Better...
So He goes straightaway back to the supermarket to buy candies.
The People is like a child.
Makes lots of questions and you can not tell Him the truth
otherwise He makes your life difficult.
For example, I've got a son, his name is Robertino Casoria, he's the worst of his class.
She said "Daddy what are the terrorists?"
I've wanted to tell the truth, I told him: "Do you remember when you were a child? At Christmas I told you that Santa Claus would come.
You were a smart kid and you didn't believe.
But then at night I went to put the presents under the tree and the next morning when you saw them you started to believe that Santa Claus had brought them. You thought that if there is a gift it means that there is also the bearded one who takes it with the sleigh with reindeer.
But it was still me.
And terrorists are the same thing. Someone tells you that there are terrorists and you do not believe it.
Then a bomb bursts, a couple of skyscrapers collapse
and everybody thinks that if there is the attack it also means that there are the terrorists...
but it is all a lie, it's still Dad who silently in the night blows up bombs and then blames the terrorists".
And my son goes:
"My friend Pancotti Maurizio" - Robertino goes around with
a fat kid that is unbearable, and I think it's also a bit stupid - he told me, "says Maurizio Pancotti that this thing is called strategy of tension"
Then I told him "your friend Pancotti Mauritius is a Communist!
And you know why he is so fat? Because communists eat the children. Be careful when you go to him for a snack because he is going to eat you!"
And my son Robertino began to tremble.
For a week he no longer left the house.
I obrained him to do whatever I wanted, I told him "wash my car! Tidy up your room! Bring me my slippers!" He obeyed me like a dog. Because one can rule with fear.
And the People is the same.
The People is like a child.
If you don't want Him to get lost in the woods you have to tell Him that there is the big bad wolf, the monster!
The terrorists, the Arabs with their big beards, the Malaysians pirates. Occasionally words must change, to perform a rotation.
The devil, the zombies, the monster of Loch Ness, the bugaboo, the Martians, the ghosts.
The People is like a child.
If you scare Him, He brings you your slippers, He washes your car.
The People is like a child.
If you scare Him, He obeys immediately.

This is a part of a monologue by Ascanio Celestini. The translation is mine, the original is over here.

Two hikes in Val Taleggio

While preparing a post about an excursion we made last week during our holidays, i take advantage of the relaxed mood of the return to the office to document two hikes still sitting in the bottom of the last drawer.

Cornello dei Tasso

March 28th: Cornello-Oneta

Walking towards Oneta

Following the main road SS470 of Brembana Valley, after San Giovanni Bianco you have to take the last exit before the tunnel, towards Camerata-Cornello. From here continue along the old road until you find a left turn that starts to climb the mountain. Some haipin bends and you reach a sports center, where you can leave the car.
From here walk down to the hairpin, which branches off a paved road. At the end of this road the trail starts. Soon you reach the medieval village of Cornello del Tasso (one of the Borghi piu' belli d'Italia).
From here you enter the woods, and soon you find a little church dedicated to St. Anna.
You reach then Oneta, another beautiful medieval village known for being the birthplace of the character Harlequin. After a short exploration of the village, we returned on our steps.
The path is well-shaded and flat. There is no difficulty at all but it's very nice.

Outwards:

Time: 1:08

Distance: 4.82km [3mi]

Difference of level: 144m [472ft] (210m [689ft] uphill, 66m [217ft] downhill)

Altitude: 449m [1473ft] to 563m [1847ft]

Return (on the same path):

Time: 1:16

GPS track of the excursion.
A: Parking lot; B: Start point of the path on the hairpin; C: Cornello dei Tasso; D: Oratorio di S. Anna; E: Oneta

Exploring Il Fraggio

May 16th: Pizzino
We had already been here one time before, passing by around here and following the signs indicating the sale of artisan goat cheese.
Coming from Bergamo on the road of Brembana Valley, at San Giovanni Bianco, take a left towards Taleggio valley. At Sottochiesa there is a road on the right that already indicates the goat cheese. Pizzino is after few hairpin bends.
We leave the car in a small parking lot just before the church.
Following the indication, we find our way for the farm "Il Pavone", where they make that magnificent cheese. Over there the trail starts, through woods and pastures that leads to the village Fraggio (a couple of houses and a church dated XV century). From here, we turned around the village and climbed gradually until we reached the paved road that descends back to town Pizzino.
Then we go back to the farm to buy some cheese, and then, back to the parking lot. This tour is not particularly difficult and rather short.

Ring path:

Time: 1:45

Distance: 5.22km [3.24mi]

Difference of level: 166m [545ft] (295m [968ft] uphill and downhill)

Altitude: 887m [2910ft] to 1053m [3455ft]

GPS track of the excursion.
A: Parking lot; B: Il Pavone farm; C: village Fraggio

GMO in Friuli

GM-free zone

Follows the call by Greenpeace I received through their mailing list:

Hello Dario,

during these days we are risking the first extensive contamination from GMOs in Italy, because of an alleged seeding - which would be completely illegal - of GM corn in a field in Friuli, in the Municipality of Fanna (Pn). On 10 July the "suspicious" field has been seized, but the Public Prosecutor's office of Pordenone, instead of urgent action, took a month to verify the analysis and drafting the report.

Waiting till August is absurd! Molecular analysis to ascertain the presence of GMOs on the samples - which already were salmpled much time ago - do not require more than three days! Now that corn is at an advanced stage of maturation: a few more days and these plants will produce their pollen, which will disperse in the environment and give off a contamination difficult to stop.

We can not stand still and watch! For this we invite you to write, along with Greenpeace and the entire Task Force for an Italy GM-free, the to President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano. In its role as guarantor of laws and their application, we ask our President to take urgent action on the Public Prosecutor's office of Pordenone to avert any possibility of contamination by GM crops.

If, like us, you want to prevent GMOs contaminate the environment and agriculture, you too sends the letter to the President Giorgio Napolitano.

Thanks!

I have signed.