Berlusconi: Whatever the man does it's a shame!

[Except if he's to give up politics].

All day long, conflicting reports 'on whether Berlusconi would resign' didn't stop on
international press and social media...

- 'Journalists close to Berlusconi say he will resign' Monday [Reuters]
- 'Berlusconi denies rumours he will stand down' [The Telegraph]
- 'Berlusconi to quit within hours' [The Times]


- 'Silvio Berlusconi: 'Rumours of my resignation are groundless' [on his Fb page]

- 'Berlusconi's key ally tells him to resign' [Al Jazeera]
- 'Berlusconi, giallo sulle dimissioni' [La Repubblica]
- 'PM Silvio Berlusconi faces a crunch vote on public finance on Tuesday' [BBC News]
- 'C'est terminé, Silvio, inutile de t'accrocher' [Le Monde]

And The Financial Times: 'In God's name, go!"
[A sentence that echoes the words once used in 1653 by Oliver Cromwell in dissolving the Parliament].


[SkyNews online - Nov. 8/2011]
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Berlusconi, a Sunset with no End?

This wax statue with reptilian eyes - one might think
ready for Madame Tussaud - yet resisted once more
in a country where many have sold their soul to the
devil.
Today was the 'voto di fiducia' day and, yes, the fools
and the Faust-like gave it to him.


Italian menu of December 14, 2010, in Rome :
- morning, peaceful protest of university students
- afternoon, Black blocs attack the police and it is the
guerrilla in central Rome.
... ma il Berlusco ottiene la fiducia, per 3 voti in più !


Through the looking glass of today's international Press...








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There is a Baroque Basilica on La Pigna hill...

You already know La Pigna hill in Sanremo...
[otherwise, click on post's title]

... so let's go up the hill, one more time, to complete the
visit of this lovely place, crowned by the Sanctuary 'Nostra
Signora della Costa'.


Tradition says that the first church was built in 1361, the year which marked the end
of the Doria family domination over Sanremo and the autonomy of the town from
the Republic of Genoa. The present church was built in 1630 on the site of the previous
chapel.

The white and black cobblestone flooring of the church-square, extending on the
tree-lined avenue, date back to the seventeenth century, was recently renovated
and is in itself a work of art...



When one goes on the top of the hill, the eye is immediately drawn to the views of the
city, the numerous boats and the lush vegetation to be then lost far away on the skyline.

[Reflections on the sea are misleading, all panoramic pictures were taken just on arrival].


Let's step inside the church, now...


This XVII century building which has represented over the centuries a sure reference
point for seafarers approaching the city, preserves in its interior (sumptuously decorated
with marble and stucco works) a number of wooden statues by Anton Maria Maragliano,
paintings by Domenico Fiasella, Giulio Cesare Procaccini, Bartolomeo Guidobono.


In a dominating position over the high altar is the painting
known as the 'Madonna col Bambino'
attributed to Nicolò da Voltri.

[Read more on Sanremo on SanRemoGuide].





The dome frescoes, by Giacomo Boni.

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Dogs in the City, aka Urban Dogs

I've spent a few days early October 2009in Sanremo and Nice on the coast,
and recorded what is just a little number of the dogs I've seen all around the
streets ! Looks like there would be 1 dog per 30 inhabitants or so...

Citizen Dogs...

(G@ttoGiallo).

Music: Ricky North, The Entertainer, Cascades.
____

Now, you just follow G@tto on La Pigna Hill...

in Sanremo, Italy.

When in Sanremo, if you ever go there, you'll see this map near the gates leading up
the hill.
Here are two recommended routes :
- the red one :
1 Palazzo Borea d'Olmo, 2 Chiesa Santo Stefano, 3 Piazza Nota & Palazzo del Commissario,
4 Porta Santo Stefano & i Vailai, 5 Porta Bugiarda & Porta del Roglio, 6 Via Rivolte, 7 Oratorio
San Costanzo, 8 Giardini Regina Elena, 9 Santuario Madonna della Costa.
- and the blue one :
1 Chiesa Concattedrale Collegiata San Siro, 2 Piazza San Siro, 3 Le Canoniche, 4 Torre Ciapèla,
5 Porta Montù, 6 Palazzo Manara, 7 Porta Palma, 8 Chiesa San Giuseppe, 9 Porta San Giuseppe
& Via dei Mille, 10 Piazza della Cisterna, 11 Porte Santa Maria, 12 Piazza del Capitolo, 13 Chiesa
Santa Brigida, 14 Piazza dei Dolori, 15 Oratorio San Sebastiano.




This is a tough slideshow, so put on your most comfortable virtual shoes and
watch your steps because this is a long way up and down a steep hill.
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Strangely, YouTube offers very little on La Pigna medieval area...


[repez]
This video was made by a class of the local Cassini high school.
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Back on La Pigna hill in Sanremo...

I've already reported a first visit up to the Sanremo ancient area in
a previous post. I was recently back there and up the hill to enjoy
its particular atmosphere and take a closer look to the huge fig trees
that thrust their roots into the crevices of that rocky ground.


The Ficus macrophilla, commonly known as the Moreton Bay fig is a
large evergreen banyan tree of the Moraceae family, subsection of the
Malvantherae.


Its specific epithet macrophylla is derived from the ancient Greek makro
(large) and phyllon (leaf) and refers to the size of the leaves.






The characteristic "melting" appearance of the Ficus macrophylla is due
to its habit of dropping aerial roots from its branches which on reaching
the ground thicken into supplementary trunks which help to support the
great weight of its crown.


The trunk can be massive, with thick, prominent structure and a rough
grey-brown bark. Some trees can reach heights of 60 m.


Currently the tallest Moreton Bay Fig (49 m) is found near Egg Rock, in
Queensland, Australia, but even Europe exhibits some sizeable
naturalized specimen.
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(More on > Wikipedia).

When Lady Justice Hits...

"La Corte costituzionale, giudicando sulle questioni di legittimità costituzionale
poste con le ordinanze n. 397/08 e n. 398/08 del Tribunale di Milano e n. 9/09
del GIP del Tribunale di Roma, ha dichiarato l'illegittimità costituzionale dell'art
1 della legge 23 luglio 2008, n. 124 per violazione degli articoli 3 e 138 della
Costituzione. Ha altresì dichiarato inammissibili le questioni di legittimità
costituzionale della stessa disposizione proposte dal GIP del Tribunale di Roma".

La Repubblica - (it)
- La Consulta: lodo Alfano illegittimo - Berlusconi: "Vado avanti, giudici di sinistra".
Times on Line - (en)
- Silvio Berlusconi faces fight for career as top Italian court strips PM of immunity.
Le Monde - (fr)
- La Cour constitutionnelle italienne invalide la loi d'immunité protégeant Berlusconi.


(ItalianSpot)

Lodo Alfano > Wikipedia.it,
Lodo's Text (it) pdf >
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Italy, the World is watching You !

Shame on you, Berlusco and - which is worse, on those Italians
who put you on command !
On the verge of European elections, Italy offers a foolish image
not only of the country but also of (more than 50%) Italians.










__________

I'm afraid that today's most representative cliché about Italy
- for and on behalf of pizza or spaghetti, is...
berlusco or bananas.

Yours faithful,
G@ttoGiallo