Beppe's Rickshaw Route

Great New York Times article about Italy - A Life Less Dolce, and video about influential Italian comic and blogger Beppe Grillo - the Comic Who Shook Italy.   

He responds on his blog here and then moves onto his next gig: 

At 10h30 today, I will be taking a three-person rickshaw to Palazzo Madama in Rome, in order to deliver the signatures, in support of the popular demand for a “Clean Parliament” Law to be passed, to Senate Chairman Franco Marini. I will be pedalling, bearing the boxed forms, down Via Giuseppe Zanardelli, along Via Sant’Agostino, Corso del Rinascimento, Via Santa Giovanna D'Arco and Via della Dogana Vecchia. I will ask Franco Marini to table the popular law before the Senate as soon as possible. Stay tuned.

He uses bold typeface like he uses his hands when he talks. The blog translations are mechanized but his words ring with truth and make me want to learn Italian.  Almost.   

Here is the Dalai Lama and Beppe and a bit about meeting him.

The Dalai Lama gave me the honour of a private audience in Milan. The Pope refused to meet with him, as did Italy’s President Napolitano, while Premier Prodi was nowhere to be seen and didn’t want the Dalai Lama anywhere near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chamber and the Senate decided not to meet him officially. Milan’s Mayor Moratti chose to exercise caution, so she will see him, but together with a group of other Nobel Prize winners so as not to attract too much attention. It is said that she intends to dress up as a nun so as not to be recognised.

(...)

In China, the Dalai Lama has been barred from the Internet and you will come up with nothing if you enter his name in any of the search engines there, something that is not yet possible in Italy. The Internet continues to carry references about him, while the other media minimise, cut and misinform.

The Dalai Lama gave me a white scarf as a gift and I, in turn, promised him that I would become his Italian Richard Gere and fight for the liberation of Tibet. He looked somewhat baffled, but I put this down to the fact that perhaps I am better-looking than Richard. This blog will continue to do everything in its power to provide information regarding Tibet. In the interests of a free Tibet. I am counting on your help.

 

Comments

[Michelle Meaders]

In Italy, to "table" a bill means something different than it does here?

[Inky Ink, Inc.]

You put the bill on the table, put a little olive oil and some pepper on it and proceed on with the legislative process.