Catharsis . . .

One of my employees at the Naval Base, an Italian national named Gino, had a serious heart attack on Saturday.  He has had surgery, and is still in intensive care.  While I don't have all the details, he may have suffered major heart damage as a result of the attack.


Last week, he complained of pains in his left arm and shoulder, and we begged him to go to the hospital.  He went, but the the ER ran a cardiogram, said nothing was wrong, and sent him home the same night.  Three days later, he was rushed to the hospital.


Gino is a sincere, smart and thoughtful human being, and a joy to work with.  He also has one of the wryest senses of humor on the planet.  In less than a year, he has become one of my best friends in Italy. 


He lives in San Giorgio a Cremano, near the slopes of Vesuvius.  We can see the volcano from our office, and Gino and I have been kidding each other that if Monte Vesuvio erupts, someone will eventually see us in a museum like those plaster casts in Pompeii.  That may sound a little dark and strange, but that's Gino's sense of humor. 


No one who reads this will know Gino, so the real reason I'm writing this is explained by the first word above.  I had to put my words down on paper - so to speak.

Unfortunate . . .

. . . juxtaposition

BBC news has announced that, "Singer Amy Winehouse, 27, has been found dead at her north London home."

The sidebar on the same page says, "Winehouse comeback tour cancelled."

I am not making light of Ms. Winehouse's misfortune.  She had a unique talent that the world will be poorer for losing. 

My point is, that in this age of instant information, publishers should pay a bit more attention to proofing their work.

The Italian . . .

. . . next door

Has taken to sunbathing senza vestiti.  Sans vêtements.  Utan kläder. A cappella. 

Make that bare ass, dick-out, buck nekkid.

It is not a pretty sight.  

All the villas here have high walls, so I normally wouldn't have a problem.  But, the only balcony that we use overlooks the area where he likes to plop on the chaise and let it all hang out.
 
I don't need that while cooking dinner.

In another place . . .

. . . in another life,

I chose what I thought was a truly impressive, masculine and appropriate walpaper for my den.

I labored under that misconception until, while driving through a much seedier part of town, Mrs. B pointed to the second floor of a massage parlor under demolition.

Need I go on . . . ?

QVC cancels . . .

. . . Jane Fonda book promotion

Some life choices are not easily forgotten.  Sitting on the enemy's anti-aircraft battery with a soulful countenance just may be one of those choices.

Fair?  Maybe, maybe not.

But, after the dance, the piper must be paid.

 Un . . .

. . . believable

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) used the race card this afternoon to assess blame in the debt ceiling fight. Jackson Lee, a black Congresswoman, believes the disagreement over raising the debt ceiling is because of President Obama's race.

 "I am particularly sensitive to the fact that only this president, only this president, only this one has received the kind attacks and disagreements and inability to work. Only this one," Jackson Lee said on the House floor this afternoon.  (Real Clear Politics)

Yep, he's the only one who met consistent, withering criticism - other than G.W.Bush, Bill Clinton, G.H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter . . . ad nauseum.

I guess they were all black also.

I didn't know.

What POSSIBLE other reason could there be? 
[subliminal] policy [/subliminal]

Other than race, that is. 
[subliminal] agenda [/subliminal]

I don't deny that there is racisim in America.  There is racism everywhere.  However, using it as a crutch for every perceived injustice is simply ignorant.

Lord, deliver me from ignorance, for it makes my brain hurt.

Beautiful view . . .

. . . isn't it?

Monte Vesuvio

From a Sorrento patio at night, Monte Vesuvio (Vesuvius) is certainly a captivating sight.   It also appears very benign. 

It's not.

The most famous eruption, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum was almost 2,000 years ago - 79 AD.   However, the most recent was in March, 1944, and destroyed three villiages - San Sebastiano al Vesuvio, Massa di Somma and Ottaviano.  San Georgio a Cremano was also partially destroyed.

An Italian coworker and friend lives in San Georgio, which is still a thriving, growing community - notwithstanding the obvious risk.  I guess the time lapse of a generation tempers memories.

Vesuvio is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, because of the long delay since the last cataclysmic eruption and the 3,000,000 nearby residents.

Counting Mrs. B and me, make that 3,000,002.

With only 20 months to go in Italy, perhaps we will escape, and not look like this: