Word: selva
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Senator Gustavo Selva was running late. With downtown Rome blocked off for President Bush's one-day visit in June, the veteran Italian lawmaker had to cross the capital to get to a live television appearance. Selva confronted the challenge with all the brio - and arrogance - of a man of his station: he phoned for an ambulance and had it dispatch him to the address of his "cardiologist," which, of course, was that of the TV studio. Once on air, Selva, a former radio news executive, proudly dished out the tale of his own resourcefulness, hailing his ruse...
Maybe there was a time in Italy when Selva's smug insouciance would have earned him points for Latin style. If so, it's passed. Instead, the episode fueled disgust over the mind-set of Italy's decidedly unservile public servants. Selva, 80, submitted his resignation to the Senate in a bid to quell public outrage. But when the matter was finally put on the legislative calendar on July 17, he announced that he'd changed his mind. Saying that his sin hardly compares with those of Senate colleagues accused of such crimes as bribery and drug dealing, he withdrew...
...many disillusioned Italians, Selva's ambulance stunt was just another act in the absurd pantomime of the country's politics. Only 15% of the population expresses trust in political parties, and it's no wonder considering how maladroit Italian pols can be. On July 30, for example, Lorenzo Cesa, leader of the Union of Christian Democrats (UDC), had this response when a deputy resigned over a tryst with a prostitute in a Rome hotel: Cesa called for what he dubbed a "family reunion" stipend so parliamentarians can afford to spend more time with their loved ones. "Loneliness," he explained...
Just three miles south is another fine resort, Villa La Selva, situated on land held until the 15th century by the famed Medici family. Owner Sergio Carpini, 71, spends every spare moment hunting for antique furniture and fine Italian marble and textiles with which to furnish his guest rooms. Carpini is putting the final touches on a hilltop villa that sleeps 20. Initial restorations uncovered a Madonna and the wooden bearings of a house from the early 16th century. "Like the masterpieces in the museums," says Carpini, "this is our patrimony that must be preserved." Here too are some...
Cynthia Evans La Selva Beach, Calif...