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Michael Hardt. Love, Democracy and Globalization. 2005 4/8
The Truth
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I Love Touring Italy - Turin, Piedmont
The Truth
If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area might be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. There are even some parts of Piedmont that haven’t yet been discovered by tourists. This article presents Turin, the capital and largest city of the Piedmont. A companion article presents the rest of the Piedmont region.
Piedmont means foot of the mountains, and that describes the area perfectly. Turin, in the center of Piedmont, is pretty well surrounded by hills and by mountains such as the Alps. While the setting is beautiful, don’t expect a Mediterranean climate such as found in most of Italy. The Piedmont climate is continental, with cold winters and hot summers, especially in the plains.
While Turin’s population is slightly over nine hundred thousand, the population of its metropolitan area is well over two million. About one half of the Piedmont residents live in the greater Turin area. In a sense the 2006 Winter Olympics have put Turin on the tourist map and played a major role in its continuing development. As you will see, Turin, center of Italy’s automobile manufacturing, is not just an industrial city.
This city was once a walled Roman military camp. Like so much of Italy, Turin and the entire Piedmont region was occupied again and again. You may be surprised to learn that the French House of Savoy ruled Piedmont for about five hundred years. They even returned to power after Napoleon’s defeat. Not surprisingly a lot of French influence remains. Piedmont played a major role in the Risorgimento (Italian Unity Movement). Turin was the first capital of the United Kingdom of Italy between 1861 and 1865 ruled by Victor Emmanuel II, a Savoyard.
We’ll start our tour of Turin downtown. The Duomo di San Giovanni (St. John’s Cathedral) dates back to the Fifteenth Century. Its chapel Cappella della Sacra Sindone (Chapel of the Holy Shroud) contained the famous Shroud of Turin, brought to Turin in the Sixteenth Century by a member of the Savoy royal family. In 1997 a fire damaged the chapel, which was closed until further notice. You can see a copy of this shroud near the Duomo’s altar. But the Shroud itself is next scheduled for public display in 2025.
Other downtown churches worth seeing include the Seventeenth Century San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) and the twin baroque San Carlo and Santa Cristina Churches. Cross the Po River to see the Nineteenth Century Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio (Church of the Great Mother of God) said to be constructed over the Holy Grail and the Sixteenth Century Chiesa della Santa Maria del Monte (Church of St. Maria of the Mountain). Next door is a small but interesting museum devoted to mountains and mountain climbing, Museo Nazionale della Montagna (National Mountain Museum).
Talking about museums, a must see is the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) considered to be one of the best in the world. For example, it contains hundreds of mummies and a burial chamber that’s so complete it includes drafting tools, a cosmetic case, and a contemporary board game. Jean-François Champollion, the individual who first deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics, wrote “The road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin”. GAM, the Galleria Civic d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (Civic Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery) on the edge of downtown is devoted to Italian contemporary art covering much more than the last one hundred years.
It is fitting that Italy’s Detroit should host the Museo dell’Automobile (Automobile Museum). When they say antique cars, they mean antique cars, dating back to 1896. And what cars, the collection includes the first FIAT model, Bugattis, Ferraris, and actress Gloria Swanson’s Isotta Franchini from the movie Sunset Boulevard.
The Borgo Medioevale (Medieval Village), built on the banks of the Po River more than one hundred years ago, represents a Fifteenth Century Piedmont village. Most Borgo buildings are copies of medieval buildings that really exist somewhere in the Piedmont. You’ll love the Rocca Medioevale (Medieval Castle) in the middle of the site.
Talking about castles, you won’t want to miss the Palazzo Madama (Madame’s Palace) situated in the Piazza Castello (Castle Plaza). This building, named for the Savoy Queen Maria Christina, once housed the Italian Senate. Do not confuse it with a building of the same name in Rome that houses the present Italian Senate. Like so many other Italian buildings the Turin Palazzo Madama houses temporary art exhibitions.
The nearby Seventeenth Century Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) on the site of an ancient Roman city gate was the Savoy royal residence until 1865. You can visit some of the royal apartments and admire the tapestries, furniture, and royal gardens. A few blocks away is the birthplace of the first king of united Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II. Don’t expect a shack, it’s the majestic Palazzo Carignano that served as the seat of united Italy’s first parliament from 1860 to 1865. This Palazzo houses the Museo del Risorgimento (National Museum of the Italian Renaissance) devoted to the national unity movement.
While there are many, many other places of interest in Turin, we conclude by examining what is probably Turin’s best-known landmark, the Mole Antonelliana, the official emblem of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This building, once the world’s tallest brick structure, was originally supposed to be a synagogue but never served as such. It houses the Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Cinema Museum) with a film library containing seven thousand films.
What about food? The Piedmont region is well known for all kinds of food, often with a French style. Don’t forget that it was ruled by the French House of Savoy for over five hundred years. Turin claims to have invented solid chocolate. Once upon a time, if you wanted a chocolate fix, you needed a cup or a glass. Of course, you still can get great chocolate drinks in Turin. For example, the house specialty of the world famous Al Bicerin is a hot drink brimming with chocolate, coffee, and cream. They even sell chocolate-flavored pasta. La Dolce Vita. Grissini (Bread Sticks) were also invented in Turin. Turin’s real thing is quite different from the store-bought version thousands of miles away.
Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Risotto al Barbaresco (Risotto cooked in Barbaresco wine). Then try Vitello Tonnato (Veal in Tuna Sauce). For dessert indulge yourself with Grandiuto (Chocolate with Cocoa, Hazelnuts, and Sugar). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.
We’ll conclude with a brief look at Piedmont wine. Well over half the region’s wine production is either DOC or DOCG wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. At last count there were 44 such wines coming from Piedmont. Add a G for Guarantita and there are seven such Piedmont wines, including Barolo, felt by many to be Italy’s finest red wine, and Barbaresco. But Piedmont also produces many fine DOC or unclassified wines.
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The Truth
Rumor Control: Rihanna Goes Sheer, Chilli Needs Love, Lil Wayne Spends Time With Nivea
Allen Iverson gets crossed over by his wife, who’s filing for divorce. [ NBA Fanhouse ] Are you feeling Rihanna ’s bat-like sheer get-up? [ Necole Bitchie ]Read more on Vibe Magazine
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Naomi Campbell Love & Tears
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Naomi Campbell - Love and Tears The video -
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For the Love of Oscar: Liveblogging the 82nd Academy Awards
Get ready, it’s time for our annual Oscars liveblog. To highlight some of the nominees, Avatar and The Hurt Locker are both up for 9 Oscars, Inglorious Bastards for 8, Precious and Up in the Air for 6 and Up for 5. To see the complete list, check here . 9:02 : And the show’s over, folk! Thanks for hanging in there! And thanks to Gothamist’s Jen Chung for much of the …Read more on LAist
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Can You Win Back A Lost Love? Yes! Discover How
The Truth
The pain of breaking up can be devastating. What can you do? Can you win back a lost love? If saving the relationship is what you truly desire, then you have to learn what to do and say. And above all, you must avoid the usual mistakes almost all people make when attempting to restore a relationship.
Is getting back together what you truly wish? Is it what’s best for both of you? Be truthful with yourself and make sure you’re not just going through separation anxiety.
If a reunion is what you sincerely desire, then you’re going to have to stop all needy/pushy behavior. When you act pushy you give away your power and independence. Trying to convince your ex to get back together will only drive them away.
By allowing your ex their space, you allow for them to naturally start coming back to you again. Think about it… if someone is throwing themselves at you, what’s your initial reaction? You feel like getting away from them. You really want zero to do with them right?
Build Up an attitude of detachment. This can be hard to do, especially when you are depressed and anxious to get back together. You must force yourself to behave this way. Staying busy doing positive things for yourself helps a lot. Not only will this help you get back your independence, but it will also send a message to your ex that your life is going great without them.
This approach is very powerful. Now you’re no longer fighting human nature… you’re working with it If you resist the temptation to start acting needy and instead adopt an attitude of independence and detachment, you will be amazed how fast your ex changes their attitude. Now you are no longer the one chasing… you are now a powerful, independent person.
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"I Love Pamela Anderson!!" Dancing with the stars Nominations Part 2!
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Part 1: Some pretty good ones on the Dancing with the Stars nominations list…Kelly LOVES Pamela
Click here to watch part 1: http://www.youtube.com — Tune in every other Tuesday @7pm EST for our live show and hear your youtube, Facebook, and Twitter questions/comments answered! http://www.livestream.com Thanks guys! – -
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‘Love Never Dies’
By United Press International LONDON, March 10 (UPI) — “Love Never Dies,” the sequel to the long-running “Phantom of the Opera” opened in London to reviews that loved the music but didn’t care much for the story.Read more on UPI
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"the Quiet Man" is a Love Story Set in the Emerald Isle of Ireland
The Truth
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
The Quiet Man - 4 Stars (Excellent)
No one ever said that filmmaking was easy, only that it could be very good and sometimes enduring, as in “The Quiet Man”, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara with legendary Director John Ford.
Like a lot of great films, The Quiet Man is a story of the conflict and conquest in the courtship of a man and a woman. A woman determined to get her way, a brother determined to keep his sister from the man she loves, and a man determined to win the heart of the woman he marries.
Irish-born Sean Thornton (John “Duke” Wayne) is an American who swears off being a professional fighter after accidentally killing an opponent in the ring.
Returning to the Irish town of his birth, he starts a new life and finds happiness when he falls in love with the fiery Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O’Hara).
Mary Kate’s brother, Will “Red” Danaher (Victor McLaglen) stands in their way. Without her brother’s permission, she cannot marry Sean. The male dominance in Irish culture during this period is evident. Women were to obey, period.
Red Danaher resents the fact that Sean was able to purchase his birth home adjacent to the Danaher’s property. Danaher had continually bid for the property next door but lost out to the American “newcomer” and outsider.
Eventually Danaher is duped into letting Sean marry Mary Kate, but initially he refuses to let Mary Kate take her inheritance (furniture and a dowry). The villagers persuade Red to give Mary Kate her furniture, but he stands fast on the dowry.
For Mary Kate the 350 pounds sterling she is owed represents a lot of money, but the breaking of tradition and doing the right thing becomes an issue she cannot and will not ignore, even for the sake of her marriage.
Mary Kate is a woman who, if nothing else, makes it clear she will be dealt with despite her ill temper and stubbornness. She believes that Sean is a coward for not confronting her brother Red. Sean simply does not want to accidentally kill another man in a fight over money.
When Mary Kate decides to leave her marriage and take the train out of town, Sean goes into action. After dragging Mary Kate off the train and through the pasture, the longest fistfight in screen history erupts.
Once Mary Kate realizes that Sean will fight for her, she is quite happy to return to their cottage and makes it clear that dinner will be ready when Sean returns home. The Duke (Sean) slugs it out with Kate’s brother, eventually wins, and wins back Kate’s heart as well.
The story of The Quiet Man reminds me of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and its movie version in 1967 starring Elizabeth Taylor as Katharina and Richard Burton as Petruchio.
Katharina is cast as an ill-tempered, strong-willed, opinionated, vocal, recalcitrant, unmanageable woman. Petruchio manages to bring her around and when he does, Katharina is content to do his bidding. I see a lot of Mary Kate Danaher in Katharina.
The supporting cast of The Quiet Man is a collection of Irishmen worthy of the name: Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald), Father Peter Lonergan (Ward Bond), Father Paul (James O’Hara) and The Widow Sarah Tillane (Mildred Natwick) among others. And, yes, there are a lot of relatives in this cast.
The Quiet Man was based on a 1933 Saturday Evening Post short story by Maurice Walsh. Ford read the story in 1933 and purchased the rights to it for $10.
In 1944, John Ford, John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara made a handshake agreement to do the film version, but it would take another 8 years for Ford to raise the money necessary to produce the film.
The Quiet Man was the first American feature to be filmed in Ireland’s picturesque countryside. The film almost never happened as Ford was told by producers that a “silly Irish story would not make a penny.”
Finally Republic Pictures was approached and studio chief Herbert Yates relented under the condition that Ford, Wayne and O’Hara would also do a western for Republic, a sure money-maker that would offset losses anticipated from The Quiet Man. The result was the 1950 production of “Rio Grande”.
John Ford was more than interested in doing the film. His real name was John Martin Feeney, his parents immigrated from County Galway, Ireland and settled in Maine. Ford also went by the name Sean O’Feeney.
Maureen O’Hara (real name Maureen Fitzsimons) was born in County Dublin, Ireland, spoke Irish and used her Gaelic language in the film. Her father was part owner of Ireland’s leading football team, the Shamrock Rovers.
John Wayne was half Irish. He appeared in more than 20 of Ford’s films, many of them low budget westerns and war movies. The Duke said that of all the films he made, The Quiet Man was his favorite.
Ford earned his 4th and last Best Director Oscar for The Quiet Man in 1952. His other 3 Best Director Oscars were for “The Informer” in 1935, “The Grapes of Wrath” in 1940 and “How Green Was My Valley” in 1941. Only How Green Was My Valley won an Oscar for Best Picture.
Ford remains the only director in history to win 4 Best Director Oscars. Two othersWilliam Wyler and Frank Caprahave won 3 times.
Ford received the American Film Institute’s first Life Achievement Award in 1973. He has been recognized as one of the greatest directors of all time. His work had an influence on directors Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Sam Peckinpah, Peter Bogdanovich, Sergio Leone, Jean-Luc-Godard and Akira Kurosawa.
The Quiet Man won a second Oscar for Best Cinematography and was nominated for 5 other Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Victor McLaglen), Best Art Direction, Best Sound and Best Writing (screenplay by Frank Nugent). The Best Picture Oscar in 1952 went to “The Greatest Show on Earth”.
Action adventure freaks and lovers of unredeeming modern-day films such as “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” will not be able to stand The Quiet Man, which is very slow developing yet offers a perfectly picturesque Irish setting for a real love story.
The Quiet Man is an Irish movie filmed in Ireland for the glory of Ireland, its people and its culture. I am only 15% Irish and a third generation American, but always claim that my 15% Irish heritage is the best part of me.
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Episode 16 The Hurt Locker & New York, I Love You Part 9
The Truth
Quickies Reviews The Hurt Locker New York, I Love You News “Avatar” Finally Beats Out “Titanic” & Is Now The Highest Grossing Movie Of All Time Zachary Quinto Wants Nothing To Do With “Star Trek” For At Least Two Years RIP Miramax Trailer Hype Chloe “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps”