Some Great News from Italy

As usual, here is my monthly posting of some of the best news coming out of Italy -- just when the weather forecasts and ratings agencies and a few others seem to want to spoil a perfectly good summer holiday.  

Anyone watching the Olympics, would have noticed that in the first days of these summer games, Italy was trailing behind only China and USA in terms of medals (but who's counting?!)  We loved seeing the three women fencers (including one mom) up on the podium, having garnered the bronze, the silver and the gold.  My question:  did they play the Italian national anthem three times?  
I've posted this before, and will post it again, if we could just get the (often female) journalists to stop writing dribble on our bellissime and sexy athletes, and give them credit for all the hard work...we would truly have gotten some top honors.


Rome's Mayor announced that work would begin on the restoration of the Colosseum.  Of course, we know this routine:  They'll probably wrap the entire building in scaffolding, just in time for tourist season, and then go on holiday.  As humor columnist Dave Barry once summarized after seeing so many statues and buildings in wraps..."In Italy, even all the statues go on vacation..."
Actually, it turns out that they will smartly start the works after the tourist season - this coming December.  It will, however, go under wraps.  Now if they could just call in Christo.

The region of Liguria (with Genova at its heart) approved 'medical marijuana'.  This is terrific news, and hope that the rest of Italy follows.  It would be interesting, however to see the statistics of the numbers of people who suddenly turn ill...

Although I already reported it, the Beagle puppies from the Green Hill Puppy Farm were getting adopted in droves, so at least a few won't end up on lab tables and stuck with pins.  This does not mean puppy raising is still illegal, and, from reports, there are oodles of other puppies available from centers, illegal and not, waiting to be adopted after their rescue.  

Click here to see other rescue dogs that need homes.

And, back to sports, who didn't enjoy ASRoma soccer team as they went on tourneè in America.  A stroke of brilliance by our American owner (who also owns the Red Sox).  Everyone is looking forward to American player Bradley as he brings his touch to Rome this fall.

Check out my facebook page for more updates on fine things in the Bel Paese throughout the month -