Drink up, for your health...SERIOUSLY!

According to new research performed by British scientists, red wines from Italy and (ugh) France may be much more beneficial to your health than wine from any other region.

These scientists, after careful research, have found that the wine coming from the Italian region of Nuoro province in Sardinia and French foothills of the Pyrenees, contain around 10 times more of the healthy antioxidant called procyanadins , which protects the condition of a persons blood vessels.

The research team was led by Professor Roger Corder of Queen Mary, Univerisity of London and Professor Alan Crozier of the University of Glasgow. Both Corder and Crozier found that the wines from these Italian and French regions substantially beat out all other wines from Australia, South Africa and the United States with the amount of procyanidins found in the Italian and French wine.

Moreover, these regions were then tested to see if indeed they people generally had a longer life expectancy and in fact, they did.

The reason these two regions produce more procyanidins in their wine comes from the fermentation process. First, in order to produce a substantial amount of procyanidins within a wine, fermentation must be done with the grape seeds and skins in tact for around three to four weeks. However, newer fermentation procedures are done with the seeds and skins usually for no longer than one week, therefore leaving out a good amount of procyanidins in their final product.

Therefore in reality, those people who think that having a drink is a horrendous health mistake might want to reconsider, since procyanidins, which is found in all wines, counteracts endothelin-1, a protein that constricts blood vessels and causes heart disease. Consequently, numerous studies show that the moderate drinkers are much less likely to suffer from heart disease than those who “don’t touch the stuff.”

Therefore, drink up… SALUTE! (FYI: it means “to your health” in Italian,)

Check out the full article:
The Timesonline
By: Mark Henderson, Science Editor of The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2478251_1,00.html

Podcast: Interview with Italian Hotel Owner and Business Man, Filippo Signorini

View and listen FULL podcast:
Podcast.

Filippo Signorini is a native Italian and takes pride in his small family-run hotel in Northern Italy, located directly on the Adriatic Sea. Being also a savvy business man, Signorini discusses Italy's previous election between Prodi and Berlusconi and tells his opinion about Italy’s new president.


Signorini also comments on some of the changes he sees with Prodi’s new administration. For example, Prodi’s idea to implement a tourist tax throughout Italy would be a big change, especially for Filippo’s hotel, the Hotel Ducale. If this tax is put in place, the Ducale could possibly experience some negative effects.

Also check out Hotel Ducale.

View FULL podcast:
Podcast.

Wood chips banned in Italy

Italy has banned the use of wood chips in it's wine production.

Apparently, some Italian wine makers have used wood chips in past wine productions to simulate the flavor of wine that would have been stored in authentic oak barrels.

Italian wine makers as well as lawmakers have come to the agreement that this practice could and might therefore, hurt the quality of their wine.

Ironically, the European Union had actually relaxed the wood chip usage rules however, Italy's Agriculture Minister signed a decree which said that the chips may NOT be used in any top quality wines.

Luckily, other Italian winemakers have agreed with the rule and declared that this was the key to furthering and insuring the quality of Italian wines.

Italy bans use of wood chips to simulate oak-cask flavor in quality wines
ReutersPublished: Friday, November 03, 2006
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=65c797c8-adae-4f7d-a6a1-f746ecaceb5e

R.I.P Mussolini...or not...

Mussolini’s “March on Rome” marked its 84th anniversary just a few days ago in late October, which has apparently sent the current Mussolini family into an uproar about whether or not to have the remains of the former Il Duce transported from its present tomb in Predappio to Rome or left alone to R.I.P.

As is stands, Mussolini’s remains are located on Italy’s eastern Adriatic coastal town of Predappio, where Mussolini himself had previously requested to be buried. The fact that his remaining family has thrown themselves into frenzy about whether or not to move his remains to a “grander location” such as Rome is almost ludicrous and irrelevant, especially since Mussolini himself requested to be buried with his wife and four children in Predappio.

This insane idea of a corps relocation was actually that of Carla Puccini, widow of Romano Mussolini, a jazz pianist who died this year.

“For me, Benito deserves to rest in Rome, in a suitable setting,” Puccini argues.

May I be so bold as to ask who this woman thinks she is, making such radical statements about how this Italian dictator, who unmistakably threw Italy into a backwards spiral for nearly 20 years with his outlandish propaganda and strict censorship, should be worthy enough to be buried in a more “suitable” setting...let alone ROME???

Mussolini requested to be buried where his remains are now located…which is probably more than he should have EVER received!

Another Mussolini devotee, who is close to the family, also feels that his remains should be relocated to Rome, directly across from the balcony where Mussolini made many of his ridiculous speeches.
Had either of these people been alive to experience the madness of the Mussolini reign, I fear they would experience a vast change of heart.

On the other hand, the town of Predappio, where Mussolini currently rests, might experience a great loss if Mussolini is moved, since there are many shops that continually sell flags, lighters, beer tankards, bottles of wine, caps and other items emblazoned with Fascist, Nazi and SS symbols to those easily influenced and inexperienced people who come to visit and pay their respects to Il Duce for whatever reason; personally however the mere thought of such conduct is utterly baffling.

Apparently there are still those who believe Mussolini to be great. However there are still those who believe Bill Clinton to be great, and the list continues.

I suggest re-reading history and re-thinking one’s morals.

(I must add a comment to this title...has not Mussolini been burried now for 61 years...so why then does this title suggest that he is now being buried for the first time?)
Italy confronts its demons with debate over burial of Mussolini
By Peter Popham in Turin
01 November 2006
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article1945771.ece

Transvestite law maker causes trouble in women's restroom

The fact that Italy has a transvestite law maker is shocking enough, let alone the fact that this transvestite is now trying to use the women's public restroom and causing havoc among others in the Italian parliament.

Apparently, this "female" transvestite was found in the bathroom by former actress Elisabetta Gardini, turned spokesperson for Berlusconis' Forza Italia party.

"I was traumatized," she said.

According to Gardini, "It was violence, sexual violence.''

The transvestite, whose name is Vladimir Luxuria wears womens clothes anproclaimsms "herself" to be a transgender, although there has not yet been an operation indicating any official sex change.

The fact that the Italian Parliament have recently been experiencing credibility issues only heightened the political cartoon jokes and mockery when the press heard of this latest "crisis."

Ironically enough, the issue of where Luxuria goes to the bathroom was apparently more important than say, the passing of the budget in parliament; since the time allocated for discussion of the budget was taken up by arguing about which restroom was appropriate for use by a transvestite.

Some lawmakers felt that Luxuria was being attacked, however others felt that the issue was so prominent that a special bathroom specifically designed for "her" should be created!

Luxuria said she had no idea that this would become such a hot topic.

Evidently actresses turned politicians surely can create a mountain out of a molehill.

Italy Lawmakers Debate Restroom Rights
Tuesday October 31, 2006 3:16 AM
By ALESSANDRA RIZZO
Associated Press Writer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6181666,00.html

California's art of schmoozing puts Italy at a loss

Apparently, “Vintages,” the well-known wine catalogue has just released in it's newest edition, 123 wines with 22 “in store discoveries,” which lucky for some, are tucked away in only a few select stores.

However, according to Michael Vaughan from the National Post, “Vintages” hurt its sales by choosing to not allow wine writers taste their open bottles. Strangely enough, although it has arguably reduced sales, “Vintages” has still refused to let wine writers taste their open bottles.

“Vintages,” in their latest release, have devoted 16 pages to California produced wines; a paltry four pages were given to Italy’s outstanding wines. This is due in part to politics…since California spent massive amounts on LCBO (the Liquor Control Board of Ontario) marketing projects together with sending LCBO executives on lavish trips, which therefore resulted in California wines commanding the pages of “Vintages.”

The LCBO is the world’s single largest purchaser of alcoholic beverage products. The LCBO is a provincial Crown corporation established in 1927 by Howard Ferguson.

Therefore, regardless of whether or not some of Italy’s wine is legitimately superior to those in California, schmoozing never hurts when you want V.I.P treatment.

They have wine in Italy? Really?
Michael Vaughan, National Post
Published: Saturday, October 28, 2006
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=a595a59c-0767-4be0-b1b9-8f3da4243259&p=2

Italians uncover uncanny link to cancer

Generally speaking, when the world thinks Italy, they immediately say 'bread and pasta!'

However, Italian researchers performed a study on more than 2,300 people in which they may have found a link between pasta and Kidney cancer.

Who would have thought that Italian researchers could possibly blame their beloved bread for causing cancer?

The study was conducted by Dr. Francesca Bravi in Milan at the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri," which showed that a diet Consisting of high refined cereals and bread could lead to the development of kidney cancer.

However, Ed Yong of Cancer Research UK said, "We will need more evidence from much larger studies before we can say if this link is real."

Hopefully for carb loving Italians and others worldwide, this crazy link is false.

Check out these TWO articles:

High bread consumption tied to kidney cancer
SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, online October 20, 2006
http://today.reuters.com/news/ArticleNews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-10-20T182944Z_01_ARM066534_RTRUKOC_0_US-BREAD-KIDNEY-CANCER.xml

Eating bread 'raises cancer risk'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6067908.stm