August 2006

Telecom Italia: The Whole Ugly Saga

August 30, 2006

This page is mostly a collection of previously-published material, bringing together in one place the long, painful story of our experiences with Telecom Italia. And the story keeps growing… May 22, 2003 Setting up simple household utilities in Italy used to be an arduous process. As one friend put it, getting a phone line installed [...]

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The Perils of the Italian Quest for Fresh Wild Mushrooms

August 29, 2006

While out on a walk (which became a hike), I saw a couple of women heading into the woods with wicker baskets dangling from their backpacks – off to hunt for mushrooms. Italians, like hobbits, are very fond of mushrooms, especially the varieties which defy cultivation and can only be found in the wild (or [...]

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Airport “Security”: Reflections on Our Times

August 20, 2006

After all the fuss in the UK last week about terrorists toting Gatorade bottles, we faced our return flight to Italy with some trepidation. Not because we were afraid of being blown up, but because the “enhanced security measures” widely reported in the media promised hours in line waiting to be pawed over by TSA [...]

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Airport Usability: Philadelphia

August 20, 2006

Our port of entry into the US on this trip was Philadelphia. Once through immigration and customs, we had to change terminals and pass security again. The rules seem to be different in every airport (shoes off or on? computers in or out?), so I looked outside the security area for instructions. No sign, no taped [...]

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