[Nancy]

Yes, I've been wondering about last night too. How did it go?

[Jake]

I think what Irene meant was that the nights, especially when cloudy and rainy, are particularly trying for the elderly and children, because of the obvious discomfort and soggy weather in the tent areas. There's not much to report on from that standpoint, other than to say there are people out there who are terrified about the earthquake and aftershocks. Basically in quite a few areas there hasn't been silence tremor-wise for a few weeks now.

[Dina]

Carissima Irene, your words are always eloquent. Please don't ever worry or feel guilty about the words in your posts. We all love to read them.

[irene soggia]

Dina, thanks for your encouragement, I'll keep in my mind your dear words.
I love being here with you all too, if I'm wrong I will excuse the translation!
Thank you!

[Maureen]

Stay safe Irene

[irene soggia]

Originally Posted by Maureen

Stay safe Irene

Maureen, thanks for your thoughts. When you see the little Georgia, give her a big hug from me!

[irene soggia]

Pope Benedetto XVI today was to children affected by the earthquake.
The children have made ​​a great feast.
The Pope was moved by the great affection that the children of Emilia Romagna earthquake have shown him.

[Jake]

That's all nice and such, but in Bondeno, outside of Mantua, one of Anna's Aunts and Uncles are not allowed to return to their home. Their home is next to the church in the church square, and half of the church - the part away from the houses - is destroyed. The other half - its facade facing the Square, is still standing. Building inspectors and police won't allow the inhabitants of the Square to return to their mainly intact homes, because the dominant church edifice is unstable and threatens the Square. Anna's Aunt has a hairdresser business in that Square, on the ground floor of her home. Now she has to spend money on a container to house her business, because the priest will not demolish the part of the church left standing. The priest has total power...no lawyer will go against the will of the church.

I lose patience with Roman Catholicism here, although I am member, because my Aunt-in-Law is also a follower but in effect screwed by the very priest who leads her church. 'It is God's will to have half the church standing," the priest says. You hypocrite, I respond, is it God's will to prevent his followers to return to their homes, the homes which glorify God's name, when demolishing the church in its entirety and rebuilding it would allow all to live where they do and worship where they want? All of the people living in the church square are parishioners, but all are not allowed to return to their homes because of the church. Earthquakes of this nature don't happen frequently, and so the rebuilding of the church may allow it to endure for another 400 or so years.... Hypocrisy to the max. Sorry, Irene, but Ratzinger's visit just doesn't really do it.

I prefer this: http://www.tg1.rai.it/dl/tg1/2010/ar...79e096c20.html

[BrianFStevenson]

Originally Posted by irene soggia

Pope Benedetto XVI today was to children affected by the earthquake.
The children have made ​​a great feast.
The Pope was moved by the great affection that the children of Emilia Romagna earthquake have shown him.

Thank you for posting these, Irene. For the children to know that one of the spiritual leaders of the world cared enough to visit must have been an inspiration for them and their mums and dads. I am reminded of how much the spirits of those in the East End of London were lifted by the visits of King George VI and the late Queen Mother when they visited after the district was bombed. People were talking about the Royal 'visits' for a couple of generations afterwards, and it will be the case here too.

Grazie per l'invio queste, Irene. Per i bambini a sapere che uno dei leader spirituali del mondo curata a sufficienza per visitare deve essere stato fonte di ispirazione per loro e le loro mamme e papà. Mi viene in mente quanto gli spiriti di coloro che nell'East End di Londra sono state revocate dalle visite di re Giorgio VI e la Regina Madre, quando dopo aver visitato il quartiere è stato bombardato. La gente parlava delle "visite" reali per un paio di generazioni successive, e sarà il caso anche qui.

[Jake]

Another earthquake in Italy, this time well to the south in Calabria, 5 on the Richter Scale.

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/12_o...68a0023b.shtml

[Jake]

It seems one person in total died, of a heart attack - afraid of the earthquake more than anything else.

[irene soggia]

Strong Earthquake in Calabria and Basilicata, southern Italy.
Here are some pictures .....

[Jake]

I think it's raining down there too, doesn't help matters, especially the cold autumn rain.

[irene soggia]

ANSA news: We have alerted all units of crisis, schools were closed, severe collapse of buildings, estimates of damage very large but not yet final.

Shock of the earthquake recorded in Molise.

[BrianFStevenson]

Thoughts and prayers for those affected in Italy.

[Jake]

Another problem for Italy.

Up north in the Emilia region, where the earthquakes earlier this year occurred, much is still to be done. Anna's cousin had her wedding last month in a tent, for example, and most of her family is still homeless or at least not in their habitual homes. Now down south, where the promise of reacting quickly will be tested even more than up north.

When will Italy finally get rid of its bureaucracy and really help those in need? Even with the technocrats it is virtually impossible to do so...

[irene soggia]

Jake, you're right, Italy is a country of bureaucrats but opposite in disasters such as earthquakes, landslides is always difficult to examine the actual reality.

This is a problem that affects not only the bureaucrats Italian, unfortunately!

[Jake]

No, I understand that, but after enduring months of heat the people of Emilia are going to endure the cold foggy months of winter as well, and the pace of operations in reclaiming houses in that area has been very very slow.

For sure we cannot tell when and where an earthquake will occur, even though in Aquila a seismologist has been sentenced in prison for not having forecasted the earthquake there quite a few years back, but emergency response, and getting people back on track should be at hand and rather quickly.

[irene soggia]

Originally Posted by irene soggia

Jake, you're right, Italy is a country of bureaucrats but opposite in disasters such as earthquakes, landslides is always difficult to examine the actual reality.

This is a problem that affects not only the bureaucrats Italian, unfortunately!

Obviously this is not one my consolation! It would be unrealistic to think that after a disaster, everything can return to his normal civilian, all we hope is not the case, and every time, in all parts of the world are crying on a tombstone!

Or say you just should not happen again!

[irene soggia]

Originally Posted by Jake

No, I understand that, but after enduring months of heat the people of Emilia are going to endure the cold foggy months of winter as well, and the pace of operations in reclaiming houses in that area has been very very slow.

For sure we cannot tell when and where an earthquake will occur, even though in Aquila a seismologist has been sentenced in prison for not having forecasted the earthquake there quite a few years back, but emergency response, and getting people back on track should be at hand and rather quickly.

There is no doubt about this, Jake!