Ram's activity

 Chronologically: referenda - there have been and there will continue to be - unfortunately the powers that be take no notice of the results.Bottom pinching - alive and well - try going to Naples and rising on a bus - there will be much more than just bottom pinching.Rise of the independent woman - yes -thank God it seems to be moving in that direction.  The down side is that in here Siracusa - you are seeing the depressing Friday night syndrome of young women three sheets to the wind passing out in the streets - one of the reasons I escaped London was walking through Leicester Square and having to avoid the incoherently drunk vomiting - and its infinitely more depressing seeing a young woman in that situation than a young man no matter how liberal I may be.As an ex telly person from the UK I have always firmly believed that Itlaian TV is lodged in the 1970's in its attitudes, production values and imagination.  Even the ads are 'old fashioned' its all 'Buy this' - the idea of subtlety like the audi ads for instance passes people by - there are programmes which bear a depressing resemblance to the Black and White Minstrel show.  But having said all of that, very few women are depressed or upset by the use of bimbettes to punctutate every progamme - perhaps its just received wisdom.  And that brings us back to the power of Berlusconi  whose channels reinforce the stereotypes - for him TV is the opiate of the people and 80% of Italians take what they see on TV as gospel truth. Convenient if you have numerous TV stations and Emilio Fede. I suspect the influx of eastern european and asian brides has two reasons.  Firstly macho posturing hides a deep insecurity of the Italian male,  its a matriarchal society and all men know its the women who really wear the trousers.  And secondly, a Russian bride wont bring a mother in law with her, and you dont have to marry the family.  Here in Sicily, foreign women, blondes, are still seen as exotic creatures with exciting liberal attitudes - which is fine if you want to get them into bed but more worrying for the Sicilian male if you marry them - hence the high divorce and 'cornuto' level amongs these marriages. 

 I could say that nobody/few is 43% of the electors - not an insignificant number, and Berlusconis rag tag and bob tail agglomeration is tarnished christian democrats, neo fascists, separatists and anti europeans.  But I wont. Its much more likely that Berlusconi keeps getting reelected because he throws vast amounts of money at the electoral machine, owns and/or influences 80% of the media in Italy and will not allow any opposition (even if there were an effective opposition):  he is without doubt a master politician, but that doesnt make him a person worthy of ruling the country.  He is a rich megolamaniac with increasing signs of senility, a terrible sense of humour, little self control, and surrounded by obsequious yes men who dont question his terrible lapses of judgement.  He displays all the signs of a manic dictator who cannot be gainsaid, any criticism becomes anti-Itlaianism and yet he can say and do what he likes.  Even his wife has had enough.   If there were a role in a film made for the late great Peter Sellers - it would be Berlusconi the biopic.  Now, theres an idea...... Who should play berlusconi in the film of his life??

 Id say Italy is certainly more liberal politically than most of the US, and they certainly like to talk politics - unfortunately only talking doesnt actually change anything.  All Itlaians have very definite opinions on what should and shouldnt be done to improve Italy, but translating it into actions is much more difficult.  at the moment, its really 50/50 in Italy - those who think Berlusconi is the salvation of the country and those who think he is the antichrist.Culturally italy is probably more conservative (with a little c)  than the States, certainly in the cities - but the great motto is you do what you like in private - but dont go flag waving your liberal tendencies.... However the Italians are a tolerant lot on the whole, and they would do little other than purse their lips and cross themselves if you step too far outside accepted norms.    

 Celta is the most widely accepted and recognised certificate - certainly if you want to get into serious teaching.   I did mine with international House in Piccadilly and armed with it could walk straight into all jobs.   It does depend where you are planning to teach - in the north there is more competition so the more and better qualifications you have the easier it will be

 My Abruzzo home - you could go on and on - but they are two different things.  Organised crime is one, regrettably, huge factor in living in Italy - but I assume the oil drilling in Abruzzo isnt being run by organised crime, even if some elements would benefit from it.   The sotry of the Val di Noto is ample testimony to the fact that public pressure can stop some of the more outlandish schemes that are proposed.  The key thing to remember in Italy, and one that the Italians fail miserably at, is to keep it a single issue pressure group, and dont be tempted to draw in allcomers who each have their own agenda. 

 Not just the coast - I was blown off my feet in alberobello - in March  - never been so cold in my life!  

 It isnt the end of the world - here in Sicily the govt gave a Texan oil company the rights to search for gas deposits , and they threatened to turn the Val di Noto into a gas plant.  The city of Noto elected a no-gas mayor, and they issued writs against the company for spoiling aquifers.  The carabinieri stopped them drilling and they finally went elsewhere.  Its not impossible to stop them drilling - I would say that in the light of the earthquake there could be high public interest in a potentially disaster prone zone with oil wells aint such a good idea.    If you can find out if they will pollute the water supply you have a legal base to stop any development, if not you need public opinion on your side.  Good luck

 Bio pools are great - but they work better in northern climes - in the south of Sicily there is just too much sun and you can't stop algal blooms.  Or, you build a filter bed that is 3 times the size of the pool - bear in mind that you must have oxygenation and you must have running water, or it will be mosquito heaven apart from anything else.   There are some good companies now, that do bio pools, but the more filter bed you have the better your swimming pool 

 Finding an apartment for a month, means that you are on holiday lets only, so real estate agents wont generally be able to help.  I would suggest www.subito.it or vivastreet for lets.   It depends on the zone - if you know where you want to stay you can zone in - most larger towns have a newspaper with classifieds or a listings paper. 

 This is a difficult one - Your son has a right to take the property if he wants it as a prima casa - but has to give notice to the tenant.  It all depends what contract your tenant has.  Usually, especially in the south, it is usual to pay the tenant to leave, or help the tenant to find alternative accommodation, but if you are prepared to wait for the notice period to expire it isnt necessary.