ITALIAN BLOGGERS STRIKE

It will be the first strike of bloggers ever.
On July 14, 2009, Italian bloggers will muzzle themselves in the Web as well as in Piazza Navona in Rome, at 7PM where they will meet to protest against an Italian government bill (the Alfano decree) introducing a number of new rules which will limit the freedom of expression in Italian internet.The so-called "obligation to rectify" imposed to the manager of an information site (blogs, social networks such as Facebook, Twitter etc) clearly appears to
be a pretext. In fact such imposition, in termsof bureaucratization of the net-work and of very heavy penalties for users, shall make of the new decree an internet-killer.
The practical effects shall be to cause the independent sites and blogs tocease or materially reduce their publications. The apparent intent of introducing criteria of responsibility hides the attempt to make life difficult or impossible for bloggers and users of shared sites (for example: You Tube...)
The fact is that bloggers are already entirely liable, from a penal standpoint,in the event of crimes such as insults, defamation etc: there is no need tointroduce unbearable penalties for "citizen-journalists" who do not intend tosubmit themselves to the bureaucracy and the burdens contemplated in theAlfano decree.
The plurality of information, regardless of the media, internet, newspapers,radio and tv networks etc, is a fundamental right of men and citizens, onwhich democracy and freedom are based. The Alfano decree is an attack to the freedom of all media, from the major newspapers to the smallest blog.For this reason we invite all Italian blogs and sites to a day of silence, in the
day in which newspapers and tv networks will also remain silent. It is a message of all operators in the media world, who jointly shout to the political world: "we don not want to be gagged".
We therefore invite all citizens with a blog or a site to publish this logo and mantain it for the entire day of July 14 next.
Defending the press, the tv and radio networks, the journalists and the Web,we firmly defend the basic freedom of information and the future of our democracy.

Alessandro Gilioli
Guido Scorza
Enzo Di Frenna

To participate or for more information- go toDiritto alla Rete

If you don't speak out- you can be silenced- Freedom of Speech is our right.




Trovi altre fotografie come questa suDiritto alla Rete

Read more:http://divinacucina.blogspot.com/2009/07/italy-strike-against-ddl-alfano-speak.html#ixzz0LDksdPKu&C

Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini Muffins served this morning with focaccia, coppa di Parma and mellon, fresh fruit and berry salad, insalata Caprese, yogurt and muesli

This is the time of year when everyone in Italy is trying to figure out new ways to use zucchini.  A few years ago, when I planted twenty plants, I would find that whatever I had forgotten to pick or had not seen the day before had developed into a football or basketball by the next day.  In Gina DePalma's book Dolce Italiano there is a fantastic recipe for zucchini and olive oil cake. I have made it several times and it's always a huge hit.  This time, I decided to make a slightly different recipe for zucchini muffins.

3 cups grated zucchini/corgettes

2/3 cup melted butter

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

pinch salt

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1/2 cup nuts ( I used hazelnuts)

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat your oven to 175 C or 350 F

In your mixer bowl, mix together sugar, eggs and vanilla

Add zucchini, butter, and mix at low speed.  Sprinkle over this mixture the salt and baking soda.

In a seperate bowl, mix the cinnamon, nutmeg and flour.  Add this, with the mixer at a low/medum speed, spoonful by spoonful to the zucchini/egg mixture.

Fold the nuts and raisins into the batter by hand.

Fill a buttered and floured muffin tin.  This recipe makes 12 muffins. 

Buon Appitito.

Ten Graditudes

Today I am grateful for so much, it is almost overwhelming for me to think about.  When we look around at our lives, it is so easy to see the tedious and forget the magical.  Let's take a moment to step back and to focus on the blessings which are showered on us from every direction by a Spirit borne of love.

I am so grateful, today, that my brother in law Rick Litts had a clear colonscopy.  He is recovering from rectal cancer and received a clean bill of health yesterday.

I am so grateful, today, that my friend Gina DePalma, chef and author, received the news that her CT scan is completely clear.  She is an ovarian cancer survivor.

I am so grateful, today, that my mother, a breast cancer survivor, received a clean bill of health from her doctor this week and that her blood pressure is perfect.  

I am so grateful, today, that my current guests have enjoyed a week of warm, beautiful weather, that they have slept well and fully relaxed.

I am so grateful, today, that I feel good, that I have gotten healthy sleep, and that I am strong enough to do the work and task at hand.

I am so grateful, today, that I have good food to eat and a roof over my head.  

I am so grateful, today, that I have a partner with whom I share this interesting life, someone who interests me and challenges me, someone who I love and who loves me.

I am so grateful, today, for the friends that give me support and cheer me on.  I am especially grateful today for my friends Nancy Greer, who knows me better than I know myself, and my friend Megan McCaffrey who is constantly pushing me forward with her positive energy.

I am grateful, today, that I got all my personal laundry done because there are going to be a ton of sheets to do tomorrow!  :)

I am grateful, today, for every beautiful breeze I felt, for every flower I observed, for the blueness of the sky and the warmth of the sun.

Please, in your comments, tell us all something that you are grateful for, today!  Share your gratitude here and let's be grateful -- for each other.

Diana and Micha by Julia and Jay

copyright Julia Russell  www.juliarussel.com

My friend and guest Julia Russell's photo of Micha and I.  I really, really love this photo because of its humanity.  It feels--like us.  Thank you Julia, it's beautiful.  In our slightly aging selves, the love shines through.

Wait, wait.... didn't Jay  take this one??  

More Breakfast Treats

Piemontese Goat Cheese

Homemade German Wholegrain Bread with Raisins and Hazelnuts

Puff Pastry Treats with Almonds, Lavender and Peach Jam

Morning Mood

Strawberries with Balsamico and Mint

Peaches filled with Hazelnuts, Brown Sugar and Lavender

Watermelon with Coppa di Parma

In the early morning, the mist of the light rain passes, the fog lifts, the sun streams through, and the inspiration to prepare something beautiful and delicious once again stirs...

To have guests who appreciate this kind of inspiration is priceless.

Have a beautiful, inspiring, delicious day.

Focaccia Fundamentals

Walk into any panificio in this country and you will find one of the country's most beloved bread products, focaccia, a wonderful, slightly oily flat bread which is  surprisingly simple to make if you have a few simple ingredients and a little time.

Focaccia with Sage, Red Onions and Pink Peppercorns

(250 degrees Celcius)

3.5 cups flour 

1 cup warm water

1 package dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Wait a few minutes until it starts to foam.

With the mixer set on low, slowly add the flour.  Mix the salt with 2 tablespoons of water and throw that in as well.

Add the olive oil and mix until the dough becomes a unified ball.  

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth.  Cover on all sides with olive oil, place in a bowl covered with saran wrap and let it sit for an hour in a warm spot.  (I did a double recipe)

After an hour, the dough should have doubled in size.  Turn it back out onto a  floured suface and punch down.

I divided the double recipe into four equal pieces.  I made one for arriving guests this evening, one is in the fridge to be baked for breakfast, and two went into the freezer.

Place on an oiled baking sheet.  Push the dough from the center to the outer edges.  No rolling allowed.  Then poke it all over with a fork and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Place a bowl of water at the bottom of a preheated 250 degree Celcius oven.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

I topped this one with red onions, sage, olive oil, coarse salt and pink peppercorns.

Light, airy, delicious.  Buon Appetito!