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NPR.org, April 2, 2005 · "Tip O'Neill was correct," says Father Tom Reese, editor in chief of America, the Catholic weekly magazine. "All politics is local... even in the Catholic Church." Reese suggests that instead of focusing on the possible papal candidates as a bookie would look at horses in the starting gate, try to think about the election from the point of view of the electors, the cardinals who cast the votes. "Each cardinal is thinking, how will this candidate go over in my diocese?" Reese says. "If you're from the Third World, you're concerned with people who are...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1281642.htm

A recent visit to Venice tells me that, for many Jews, ritual and a sense of connection to Jewish civilization override theology. I had heard that Venice was a place of romance; a magical city built on canals. But once there, we also discovered Venice's "Jewish problem." Two factions – one foreign, small and missionizing, the other indigenous, threatened and struggling – are engaged in a love-hate relationship. Jews began to settle in the area in the 13th century. Venice's economic elite needed them; the Church despised them. Which is how it came to be that on March 29, 1516...

As has become a local tradition of sorts, the Republican Club of South Sarasota county (Venice, Florida, specifically), held yet another inspiring, upbeat and well-attended rally in front of our campaign HQ at 250 Tamiami Trail (business Highway 41). The focus of these were, as usual, to publicly show our support of incumbant President George Bush, our Congresswoman, Katherine Harris, and Senatorial hopeful Mel Martinez. Special interest was generated this fine, sunny, southwest Florida day by the fact that Katherine Harris was in town to dedicate the reopening of the south (or "circus") bridge over the Intracostal Waterway, and after...

Once again, we GOP activists from sunny Venice, Florida were out in force to show our colors and spread the good word for our candidates for this election season! This time it was at the Venice “Sun Fiesta” parade, an annual celebration of sun & fun that starts off with a big parade down the main street of town, and then goes on through the weekend with rides, food, entertainment, vendor booths of various types, and thousands of folks partaking of the festivities. The Republican Club of South Sarasota County organized our entry in this year’s parade, consisting of a...

The news director of the state-run radio network Radio France Internationale (RFI) resigned on Monday after he was accused of making anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist statements in the promotion of his new book on Israel's separation fence. Alain Menargues, speaking last week on Radio Courtoisie, an extreme right-wing Catholic radio station, said, "I was very shocked by the wall. Read Leviticus in the Torah. What is it about? Separation between pure and impure. To pray, a Jew must be pure and whatever comes in the way of this purity must be separated. Where was the first ghetto? It was in Venice....

Signs of dirty politics By Tommy McIntyre, Staff WriterVenice Gondolier10/13/2004 Election campaign vandals keep pushing the envelope. But this is the worst year GOP campaign worker and Venice businessman Joe Brower has ever seen. "I just want this known so the Democratic leaders will get their crazies in check," Brower said. "This is the kind of stuff that happens in Bolivia." Sarasota County Democratic Party Chairman Harold O. Miller said he also is upset about the vandalism and Brower's comments. He particularly derided Brower's remark about Bolivia. "He (Brower) is completely wrong and it is shocking to hear him make...

Howdy, FReepers, Below are some pix I shot of the two "Bumper Stick-a-thons" that our local Republican club had here in Venice, Florida yesterday, Saturday, 10/9/04. I apologize for the low quality and size of these -- I just got this camera a few days ago and haven't had a chance to experiment with it much. Our first set of pictures is on the main street through town, Business Hwy. 41, or "Tamiami Trail". This location was right in front of our HQ.: A happy sign-waver! You can't read it ('cuz of my lousy photography!), but the sign above the...

VENICE (Reuters) - "Vera Drake," Mike Leigh's tough tale of a working-class mother who is caught performing illegal abortions in 1950s England, scooped up the prizes at the Venice Film Festival Saturday, including the coveted Golden Lion.

VENICE (Reuters) - While stars sip martinis poolside at the Venice Film Festival, down the beach hundreds of activists are staging a "camp-in" to protest against Hollywood blockbusters and high ticket prices at the competition. The T-shirt and flip-flop wearing crowd has stormed the red carpet twice, marched down the Lido's main avenues in anti-war protests and on Sunday night they occupied the exclusive terrace at the Excelsior Hotel where actors go to see and be seen. "That was our masterpiece, our crowning achievement so far," said Luca Casarini, an anti-globalization activist and one of the organizers of the anti-festival...

VENICE, Italy (AFP) - US actor Tim Robbins took the film version of his ribald anti-Bush play "Embedded/Live" to the Venice film festival, while audiences delighted in Indian director Mira Nair's colourful adaptation of Thackeray's classic novel "Vanity Fair". Robbin's angry satire about the Bush administration's war in Iraq (news - web sites) and the complicity of the mainstream US media in its reporting from the early days of the war is the polar opposite of Nair's sumptuous examination of race and class. "Embedded" was born as a play in a 30-seat theatre in Los Angeles in July 2003 and...

Over the centuries the belief lingered on that here had been a great, wealthy, powerful commercial city that dominated the mouth of the Po and the shores of the Adriatic, a city of luxury and splendor, a kind of ancestor and predecessor of Venice, founded more than a thousand years later. Classical scholars also knew about Spina, for ancient literary sources indicated that there must once have existed a thriving maritime trading settlement of great economic importance, until the Celtic invasion of the Po valley destroyed it... The final key to its ultimate discovery came from aerial photography. Some...

Italy nabs eight new al Qaida suspects By Eric J. Lyman From the International Desk Published 7/13/2002 10:34 AM ROME, July 13 (UPI) -- Italian police said Saturday they had arrested eight men suspected of providing logistical support for Osama bin Laden's al Qaida terrorist network, as local authorities tightened security in Rome, Florence and Venice amid reports of possible additional attacks. The suspects -- all but one of whom are North African Muslims -- were apprehended Thursday after a sting operation in Milan. A ninth suspect eluded police and is being sought. In a statement released Saturday, police said...

Ghost fleet 'shows Pisa was an ancient Venice' By Bruce Johnston in Rome (Filed: 22/11/2003) The chance discovery of a Roman "ghost fleet" buried in mud just outside Pisa has led experts to conclude that the city was built on a lagoon much like an early Venice. Archaeologists believe that traces of a community dating back to a pre-Roman era, a sort of "Etruscan Venice", may lie beneath the ships. The end of the lagoon civilisation may also offer clues to the fate of modern Venice - the waterways were silted up by violent floods over a long period. "The...

Italy Kicks Off Venice Flooding Project VENICE, Italy - Premier Silvio Berlusconi inaugurated an ambitious $4 billion project to ease the flooding that regularly deluges this celebrated canal city. The "Moses" project — named after the Biblical figure who parted the Red Sea — is expected to take about eight years. Hinged barriers will be built on the seabed just off Venice and will be raised when high tides threaten the city. "Venice is magnificent, the pride of all Italy," Berlusconi said on Wednesday as officials prepared to lay the first stone of the project. "Attention to saving this patrimony,...

Our ongoing Venice Rally resumes this Sunday with an exciting addition. I received the following email from the President of the Vietnam Brotherhood: On Sunday we are leading a large group of motorcycles from Biscayne Baptist Church in North Port to Englewood via Venice. We are leaving at 1pm and will be coming through your intersection to show our love & support. I have asked the President of the Vietnam Brotherhood, to invite the Nan Knights Motorcycle Club to join us to show support for our troops. VENICE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS RALLY When: This SUNDAY, APRIL 27 at 1-2:30 PM....

We had the largest turnout and most appreciative response from motorists yesterday! At the peak over 40 people were on the four corners of US 41 Bypass & D. Venice Ave. between 1-3PM. The safe return of seven POWs on Palm Sunday morning added to our feelings of joyful thanksgiving. We brought large yellow bows and tied them to the four traffic light posts on the four corners. We also gave away over 200 yellow ribbons to the drivers stopped for red lights. Some returned later to drive by and show the ribbon tied to their radio antennas. Several people...

The on-going SUPPORT OUR TROOPS RALLY held EVERY SUNDAY in VENICE FL from 1-2:30 PM got a great plug this morning on The DINER SHOW when I called PHIL PALEOLOGOS on WIBQ 1220AM. Phil broadcasts from a diner in New Bedford, MA and is heard in Sarasota and many other cities. A few days ago, I had sent email to Phil asking him to announce our RALLY and got a response saying he'd be happy to do so but would also like me to call him. When I called in about 7:30 AM, Phil was interviewing Ciff May, a Republican...

Many local & seasonal patriots stood with us at 41 Bypass & East Venice Ave. yesterday! This was the largest turnout so far! At the peak time, we had between 7 & 10 Patriots on each corner! The car horns, cheers, thumbs up & smiles demonstrated just how happy the many passing motorists were to see us. We were visited by SNN 6 TV & a Sarasota Herald Tribune reporter. Joe Brower gave an excellent interview which was repeated on their newscasts all day today. This was a successful Rally as Joe noted that we were still getting 'honks' as...