In this week's issue of the Signature, we celebrate VP-47's efforts in rescuing 68 people adrift in the Mediterranean Sea, discuss the gas strike and how it is affecting NAS Sigonella and it's members and explain why E-4 financial classes are essential for new petty officers.
Winter discount shopping season in Sicily Page 6 Page 8 Ceramics in Sicily Sicily is known for its ceramics. Caleca and Caltagirone offer a wide variety to select from. Page 13 Marriage isn’t easy Guest writer, Chaplain C. Sco Cauble explains. Read about what to expect and learn some Italian phrases to help you shop. Scan for direct links to NAS Sigonella jANUARY 20, 2012 VOL. 29 NO. 2 cnic.navy.mil/sigonella SIGNATURE THE SIGONELLA, SICILY A s reported by local media and social networks, the regional strike called by Sicilian truck drivers, farmers, and fi- shermen has been paralyzing most of Sicily. "ere are over 100,000 protesters all across the island and this is just the beginning,” protesters told local media earlier this week. “If the gover- nment ignores us, we will continue our strike ac- tion through the weekend." e strike and blockade action started Mon- day, Jan. 16 by the associations representing Si- cilian truck drivers (Associazione Imprese Autotrasportatori Siciliani) whose main con- cern is the price of fuel. ey believe fuel prices have reached “unsustainable levels", as the cost to transport goods is greater than the cost of the actual product. e strike and blockade initially began with 26 roadblocks on all the main island's highways. at number has quadrupled over the course of the week, due in part to beer weather condi- tions and gained support among fishermen, far- mers, builders, unemployed and others. e strike is now being referred to as "Operazione Vespri Siciliani" and is scheduled to end Friday, Jan. 20 at midnight. More strikes involving taxi drivers, truckers and other transport workers are planned for the upcoming weeks. Sicilian truck drivers have been blocking en- trances and exits of the ports in Pozzallo, Pa- lermo, Siracusa and Catania and roads and motorways in Palermo, other groups and citi- zens have occupied railways and started several parades on the island. e main asset blocked is the fuel traffic from the island refineries. Sicily produces 50% of Italian fuel. As a result of the blockades, fuel shortage is spreading, mostly in the islands larger towns. It is important that everyone conserves gas. Carpool when possible. Keep the car as li- ghtweight as possible. Weighing it down with too much packed inside will cause it to use more gas. Check air pressure in the tires. A car will use more gasoline if the tires are not inflated to the recommended pressure for the car. Drive the shortest and most efficient path available. Take the road with the fewest stops and least traffic. Don't drive too fast on the highway. Gas mileage depletes aſter exceeding 60 miles per hour. Coast whenever possible. Let off of the gas pedal when driving downhill. As protest spreads, it is important to re- member to remain calm and avoid confronta- tion. Be sure to keep up with the latest development of this and other strikes by visi- ting the NAS Sigonella facebook page (face- book.com/nassigonella). Strike causes gas shortage in Sicily BY ALBERTO LUNETTA NAS Sigonella Public Affairs QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Amanshouldneverbeashamedtoownthathehasbeeninthewrong, whichisbutsayingthatheiswisertodaythanhewasyesterday.” - Alexander Pope (1688-1744) English Poet A Navy aircrew over the weekend helped rescue 68 people adriſt on a raſt in the Mediterranean Sea, more than 80 miles off the coast of Malta. e sailors, members of Hawaii-based Pa- trol Squadron 47 and working out of Sici- ly’s Naval Air Station Sigonella, received a distress call from Maltese authorities just before sunset on Saturday, according to a Navy release. e sailors, at Sigonella for a six-month rotation, boarded a P-3 Orion aircraſt, scouring a 30-by-60-nautical-mile area. e crew spoed a driſting raſt that was empty and continued the search, said the crew’s commander, Navy Lt. Nicholas Warack. “It was essential for us to get assistance to those people,” Warack said Tuesday. Now flying in darkness, the crew spot- ted a rubber raſt carrying 68 men, women and children of Somali origin, the release said. Warack said the crew dropped water, food and flashlights to the raſt and flagged a civilian vessel, the M/V Verona, 60 miles away. While waiting for the ship to arrive, the P-3 crew stayed in the area to reassure them that help was on the way, Warack said. Just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, the M/V Verona arrived and got the passengers on board, according to the Navy, and they were later transferred to Maltese authori- ties. e P-3 was designed for long- range anti-subma- rine warfare, but its mission has evolved to include bale space surveillance over land or sea, accor- ding to the Navy. “e search-and-rescue mission is al- ways something P-3s have been on the hook for,” Warack said. Bravo Zulu Patrol Squadron 47: Navy Aircrew assists in at-sea rescue e crew of a U.S. Navy P3 maritime patrol aircraſt assigned to Patrol Squadron 47, operating from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, assisted approximately 68 Somali migrants off the Maltese coast. e P-C crew provided a "SAR kit"containing water, food, and flashlights; contacted Maltese Search and Rescue coordinators; and hailed nearby vessels to lend further assistance.e Panamanian-flagged, M/V Verona, rescued the 65 people, and then turned them over to a Maltese Patrol vessel. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) BY GEOFF ZIEZULEWICZ Stars and Stripes “It was essential for us to get assistance to those people ”
Transcript
Winter discountshopping season
in Sicily
Page 6 Page 8
Ceramics in Sicily
Sicily is known for its ceramics.
Caleca and Caltagirone offer a wide variety to
select from.
Page 13
Marriage isn’t easy
Guest writer, Chaplain C. ScottCauble explains.
Read about what toexpect and learn
some Italianphrases to help
you shop.
Scan for direct linksto NAS Sigonella
jANUARY 20, 2012VOL. 29 NO. 2 cnic.navy.mil/sigonella
SIGNATURETHE
SIGONELLA, SICILY
As reported by local media and socialnetworks, the regional strike called bySicilian truck drivers, farmers, and fi-
shermen has been paralyzing most of Sicily."There are over 100,000 protesters all across theisland and this is just the beginning,” protesterstold local media earlier this week. “If the gover-nment ignores us, we will continue our strike ac-tion through the weekend."
The strike and blockade action started Mon-day, Jan. 16 by the associations representing Si-cilian truck drivers (Associazione ImpreseAutotrasportatori Siciliani) whose main con-cern is the price of fuel. They believe fuel priceshave reached “unsustainable levels", as the costto transport goods is greater than the cost of theactual product.
The strike and blockade initially began with26 roadblocks on all the main island's highways.That number has quadrupled over the course ofthe week, due in part to better weather condi-tions and gained support among fishermen, far-mers, builders, unemployed and others. Thestrike is now being referred to as "OperazioneVespri Siciliani" and is scheduled to end Friday,Jan. 20 at midnight. More strikes involving taxidrivers, truckers and other transport workersare planned for the upcoming weeks.
Sicilian truck drivers have been blocking en-trances and exits of the ports in Pozzallo, Pa-lermo, Siracusa and Catania and roads andmotorways in Palermo, other groups and citi-zens have occupied railways and started severalparades on the island. The main asset blocked isthe fuel traffic from the island refineries. Sicilyproduces 50% of Italian fuel. As a result of theblockades, fuel shortage is spreading, mostly inthe islands larger towns.
It is important that everyone conserves gas.Carpool when possible. Keep the car as li-ghtweight as possible. Weighing it down withtoo much packed inside will cause it to use moregas. Check air pressure in the tires. A car will usemore gasoline if the tires are not inflated to therecommended pressure for the car. Drive theshortest and most efficient path available. Takethe road with the fewest stops and least traffic.Don't drive too fast on the highway. Gas mileagedepletes after exceeding 60 miles per hour.Coast whenever possible. Let off of the gaspedal when driving downhill.
As protest spreads, it is important to re-member to remain calm and avoid confronta-tion. Be sure to keep up with the latestdevelopment of this and other strikes by visi-ting the NAS Sigonella facebook page (face-book.com/nassigonella).
Strike causes gasshortage in SicilyBY ALBERTO LUNETTA
ANavy aircrew over the weekendhelped rescue 68 people adrift ona raft in the Mediterranean Sea,
more than 80 miles off the coast of Malta.The sailors, members of Hawaii-based Pa-trol Squadron 47 and working out of Sici-ly’s Naval Air Station Sigonella, received adistress call from Maltese authorities justbefore sunset on Saturday, according to aNavy release. The sailors, at Sigonella fora six-month rotation, boarded a P-3 Orionaircraft, scouring a 30-by-60-nautical-milearea.
The crew spotted a drifting raft that wasempty and continued the search, said thecrew’s commander, Navy Lt. NicholasWarack.
“It was essential for us to get assistance
to those people,” Warack said Tuesday.Now flying in darkness, the crew spot-
ted a rubber raft carrying 68 men, womenand children of Somali origin, the releasesaid.
Warack said the crew dropped water,
food and flashlights to the raft and flaggeda civilian vessel, the M/V Verona, 60 milesaway.
While waiting for the ship to arrive,the P-3 crew stayed in the area to reassure
them that help was on the way, Waracksaid.
Just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, the M/VVerona arrived and got the passengers onboard, according to the Navy, and theywere later transferred to Maltese authori-
ties.The P-3 was
desi gned for long-range anti-subma-rine warfare, but itsmission has evolvedto include battle
space surveillance over land or sea, accor-ding to the Navy.
“The search-and-rescue mission is al-ways something P-3s have been on thehook for,” Warack said.
Bravo Zulu Patrol Squadron 47:Navy Aircrew assists in at-sea rescue
The crew of a U.S. Navy P3 maritime patrol aircraft assigned to Patrol Squadron 47, operating from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, assistedapproximately 68 Somali migrants off the Maltese coast. The P-C crew provided a "SAR kit"containing water, food, and flashlights; contactedMaltese Search and Rescue coordinators; and hailed nearby vessels to lend further assistance.The Panamanian-flagged, M/V Verona, rescuedthe 65 people, and then turned them over to a Maltese Patrol vessel. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
BY GEOFF ZIEZULEWICZ
Stars and Stripes
“It was essential for us to getassistance to those people”
Jan. 12
Accidents 12
Injuries 2
DUIs 1Traffic Deaths 0
PLease,
DON’T becOme
a sTaTisTic!
jANUARY 20, 2012PAGE 2
The CMC and I have been movingaround the base conducting AllHands calls to members of the Si-
gonella community, and we continue to seekout your ideas on how we can make Sigo-nella better for the next generation. As hel-pful as the All Hands calls are for us, thereare many ways where you can make sure thatyour opinions are heard. As we come aroundto your department, take advantage of theopportunity to get your questions answered.CMC and I want to make sure that we aredoing everything we can to ensure that ourservicemembers, civilians, and their familymembers have the tools they need to suc-ceed at work while enjoying the highest pos-sible quality of life. If there are issues we canimprove on, let us know. If there are thingswe are doing right or something you wouldlike to see more of, let us know. Remember,although we can’t promise to resolve everyissue to everyone’s satisfaction, we can gua-rantee that if we don’t know of an issue at all,we won’t ever get involved.
During the January Feedback Live, therewere several questions we couldn’t get to du-ring the show, but I wanted to address onein particular about motorcycle safety. Pleasekeep the questions coming – they will getanswered!! As a reminder, the next Feed-
back Live show will be held on the Thursday,March 1 from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m. on AFN De-coder Channel 20. To call in live on theshow, please dial 624-4265 or 095-56-4265,or send it live via Facebook. No matter howyou choose to do so, send those questions!
Why is it that there are so many mo-torcycle riders that need to take the
BRC course, yet there are very few coursesscheduled? Many riders need to update theircourse and others would like to purchase abike but cannot without completing thecourse. What can be done so that there is aregular schedule of motorcycle courses herein Sigonella like the other bases?
Although some installations have acontractor in place to support motor-
cycle training, the NASSIG motorcycle sa-fety program is highly-dependent on theability – and availability – of volunteer in-structors to conduct the courses. These in-structors have recently had some issues withgetting released from their command's sche-dule in order to teach the classes. NASSIG’smotorcycle safety coordinator has alreadysent out the schedule to ask our instructorsto volunteer for Basic (BRC), Expert(ERC) and Sport Bike (MSRC) classes in
the coming months (there is already anMSRC class scheduled for Jan. 19) and wewill set up the courses as soon as we havethe instructors identified. Additionally,we’ve had to make recent arrangements toprep an appropriate training area as the pre-vious location is used by the fire departmentfor their training. The new area will be infront of Hangar 407 on NAS II and I am ex-tremely grateful to ET2 Brockway, ABF1Hood, and Mr. Marcus Ochoa who not onlyvolunteer as instructors, but who completedthe marking and painting of the course lastFriday. Remember, completing the appro-priate course is a requirement and, givenroad and riding conditions here in Sicily, it’sone that I feel important that we adhere to!Ride safely!!
The Navy Exchange wants to help itscustomers pay for their children’scollege education through its A-OK
Student Reward Program. Four times perschool year, four students will be the reci-pients of a $5,000, $3,000 $2,000 or $1,000U.S. savings bond, denominations at matu-rity. The next drawing will be held at the endof February 2012.
Any eligible full-time student that has aB-grade point average equivalent or better,as determined by their school system, may
enter the drawing. Eligible students includedependent children of active duty militarymembers, reservists and military retirees en-rolled in first through 12th grade. Depen-dent children without an individualDependent Identification Card must be ac-companied by their sponsor to submit theirentry. Each student may enter only onceeach grading period and must re-enter witheach qualifying report card.
To enter the drawing, stop by any NEXwith a current report card and have a NEX
associate verify the minimum grade average.Then fill out an entry card and obtain an A-OK ID, which entitles the student to di-scount coupons for NEX products andservices.
The Navy Exchange Service Command(NEXCOM) has been offering students achance to win a savings bond through its A-OK Student Reward Program since 1997.Since the program began, NEXCOM hasawarded $504,000 in savings bonds with thehelp of its generous vendor partners.
NEX rewards students with its A-OK Student Reward Program
Be prepared to be on your own forat least three days. Seven is better!
The BASIC FIVE: � Water � Food � Heat � Cash
� Radio
Family Communications Plan: Phone Numbers &Rally Points; Public Protection Strategies:Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place; Web info:Ready.gov; Emergency info: AFN 106.0 FM;Questions Call the EM Office at 624-2630, 8265
emergeNcy
maNagemeNT
Office
NAS Sigonella Commanding Officer, Capt. Scott Butler
Traffic
Numbers
THE SIGNATURE
THE SIGNATUREjANUARY 20, 2012 PAGE 3
Recently enacted Italian legislation requires transactionsof 1,000 euro or more to be paid via electronic transferor bank/postal check, not cash. Enforcement of the new
1,000 euro threshold will take effect February 1, 2012. This willaffect some 400 Sigonella families in property rental alone. Takethe time now to make other arrangements for large sum tran-sactions.
“NAS Sigonella is focused on ensuring that the Sigonellacommunity is aware of the options available,” explains Lt. TimPage, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs. “On NAS Sigonella, Com-munity Bank is on option that can be used to make ElectronicFunds Transfers (EFTs) or euro checks which can ease the pro-cess.” Local banks and post offices are another resource to useas well.
Ron Dahl, Navy Exchange (NEX) Sigonella General Mangersays, “The NEX is working on setting up a program at our cu-stomer service desk in the main store that will enable the custo-mer to make an Electronic Funds Transfer to the landlord. Therewill be a 2 euro fee for this service and our goal is to have theprogram implemented by the end of January, 2012.”
If you are one of the 400 Sigonella families living on the eco-nomy, contact the Housing Service Center at 624-4311 for gui-dance on making lease payments of 1,000 euro or more permonth. They can also provide letters for your landlord explai-ning this requirement.
As guests of Italy, it is our responsibility to adhere to the lawsof our host nation.
New law for transaction of 1,000 euro or more effective Feb. 1
Italian legislation, effective Feb. 1, makes cash transactions of 1,000 euro or more illegal. (U.S. Navy Photo by MCSN Brian Glunt)
BY JACKIE TREMBATH
NAS Sigonella Navy Public Affairs
After a great week of divi-sional round playoffs and acouple upsets we are in the
NFL playoff conference champi-onships where the grand prizenow is a spot in the Super Bowl.This week’s picks are the AFCChampionship and NFC Cham-pionship games. Let’s see what ourarmchair quarterbacks have to say.
PAGEWell maybe I need to take some
leave and head to Vegas after man-aging to correctly "Guess" whowas going to score more pointslast week. I'd rather be lucky thangood any day! GM2, I remembera conversation we had during aCFC Fundraiser. I do believe I amon top just like I had projected andLt. McHenry is still on bottom! Itsok, you’re a heck of a GM fromwhat I've heard, so there is aplus......Now on to picks.
Baltimore @ New EnglandI actually thought that both of
these teams would be in the AFCChampionship game, so I'll goalong with my projections. TheRavens have a tough defense - nodoubt! However, they have reallyno offense other than Ray Rice.The Pats have a great offense buta mediocre defense. Peyton Man-ning has proved for years that youcan win with a mediocre, at BEST,
defense as long as you can simplyoutscore the opponent. This iswhat happens here, the Pats sim-ply outscore the Ravens defense,because I don't think the Ravensoffense will score much at all andI just really don't like the Ravens.GO PATRIOTS!
NY Giants @ San Francisco No one is playing better than
the Giants right now. They haveall their people healthy at the righttime, especially on the defensiveside of the ball. Eli is the MVP ofthe Manning family this year,there's no arguing that fact and the49ers giving up over 30 pointsagain this week will result in aLOSS. The Giants continue theroll and end up in a rematch of Su-perbowl XLII between the Patri-ots and Giants. Giants by 6.
DEMBINSKIFirst, what a weekend we just
had. Could those games have beenmore intense, and to the lastminute? Which makes these twogames all the more difficult topick.
Baltimore @ New EnglandThe Baltimore Ravens are a
force to be reckoned with. Theirdefense is amazing, and will giveMr. Brady a fight. This will be abattle, no doubt. I think the per-formance of the high-scoring NewEngland Patriots, as such a well-oiled machine, will give Baltimorea run for their money. I don't ex-pect this to be an easy win for ei-ther team. Ultimately, I'm pickingthe New England Patriots superiorpassing game to overcome theRavens mad house defense; mov-ing on to the Super Bowl.
NY Giants @ San Francisco I said earlier this year, that with
Peyton out of the picture, Eli has hischance to step out of big brother's
shadow and shine in the NFL. Andwhat do you know? He led the Gi-ants to a post-season victory overthe defending champs, while atLambeau Field! Their offense isflowing, and their defense brokedown the Aaron Rodger's show noproblem. However, with that beingsaid, I think they have gone as far asthey will go. The 49ers are playingsome serious defense, and cost theSaints 5 turnovers. Smith is risingup the ranks of NFL QBs and hassome great go-to's in Davis andCrabtree. Couple that with theirability to keep the pressure on all 4quarters and you have the makingsof a championship-ready team. Ithink the 49ers are on top of theworld right now, and I look forthem to stay there. Look for the San
Francisco 49ers in the Champi-onship match.
SILVERILadies and Gentlemen, not too
much to say this week, it should bea good round of games.
Baltimore @ New EnglandBaltimore's D is not enough to
stop Tom Brady and the Pats, andthey went home empty handedyet again.
NY Giants @ San FranciscoThis is an extremely tough
pick, but I'm going to have to gowith San Fran based strictly onhome field advantage. The 49'erssend Eli and the boys home withtheir tail between their legs.
Overall Record: 58-50
NFL: 28-23
NCAA: 30-27
Overall Record: 65-43
NFL: 29-22
NCAA: 36-21
Overall Record: 67-41
NFL: 29-22
NCAA: 38-19
Lt. Tim PageNAS Sigonella PAO
Lt. Chris McHenryNAS SigonellaAdmin Officer
GM2 Bryan SilveriCMAA Office
LSSN Nathaniel SquallLSC Sigonella
Ashley DembinskiWIC office admin. assistant
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
NY Giants @ San Francisco 49ers
Overall Record: 70-38
NFL: 37-14
NCAA: 33-24
New England Patriots
NY Giants
Overall Record: 69-39
NFL: 34-17
NCAA: 35-22
New England Patriots
San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore Ravens
San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers
New England Patriots
San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore Ravens
THE SIGNATURE jANUARY 20, 2012PAGE 4
FFSC can be reached at x4291American Red Cross at x4900
Does your command or organization have an event you’d like to see on the Community Calendar? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!
20 21 22
23 24 25 26
27 28 29
30 31 FEB 1 2 3 4 5
C O M M U N I T Y C A L E N D A RFRIDAYFRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
TUESDAY WEDNESDAYMONDAY THURSDAY
JANUARY 2012
NMCRS Birthday
Event at NAS I
Food Court
Free Cake
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Magician Craig Kar-
ges at NAS I Theater
7 p.m.
NMCRS Birthday
Event at NAS I
Food Court
Free Cake
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Magician Craig Kar-
ges at NAS I Theater
7 p.m.
Budget for Baby
Class at NAS I Li-
brary Classroom
11 a.m.
Acoustic Night at
Connections
6 - 10 p.m.
Cooking Class That’s So ‘80’s Party
at Connections
8 p.m.
Call of Duty MW3
Tournament
at Take 5
Acoustic Night at
Connections
6 - 10 p.m.
Math Knight at
Knights Hall
4 - 6 p.m.
Fleet and FamilySupport CenterAdministration Building Bldg. 319 (NAS I)
There's nothing like theNew Year to let you wipethe slate clean, forget
about past mistakes and make anew start. That's how the traditionof New Year's Resolutions gotstarted and people make themevery year.
They resolve to lose weight, eathealthier and treat their lovedones better. Granted, most peopledon't stick to all their resolutionsfor the whole year. But it's still agreat way to achieve self-improve-ment because it focuses yourthoughts on the areas that needhelp. And even if you only achievehalf of what you set out for, you'restill farther along than you wereon December 31.
With that in mind, here aresome New Year's Resolutions foryour personal finances. If you tryto adopt these into your everydaylife, your financial situation will bevastly improved for the new year.
I will consider the differencebetween what I want and what Ineed before every purchase.Too often we base our buying de-cision on emotions instead offacts. Spend money only on whatyou need and you'll significantlyreduce your expenses.
I will not let advertising con-trol my purchasing decisions.
By definition, an advertisement isdesigned to benefit the advertiser,by persuading you to purchasetheir product instead of someoneelse's, without consideration foryour best interests.
I will take care of my financestoday by making a spendingplan to map out my income andexpenses. Planning is the key tosuccess in practically all aspects oflife. Personal finance is no excep-tion.
I will take care of my financestomorrow by saving for goals,emergencies, and my future. Ahealthy savings account preventsyou from having to borrowmoney when emergencies hap-pen.
I will meet the credit obliga-tions I have made on time andas agreed. If you've had problemsin this area, you'll be amazed athow much stress you can elimi-nate by getting caught up on yourbills and debt payments. Also,your credit rating will improvedramatically if you stay on top ofyour obligations long term.
I will continue my personaleducation about financialhealth, budgeting, credit, andpersonal debt. As they say,knowledge is power. The moreyou understand your finances, the
more you'll be able to managethem effectively.
I will plan, beginning today,for the next holiday season, andwill not include credit cards inthose plans. By starting early,you'll avoid getting caught up inthe shopping frenzy at Christmastime. And by using cash, you'llavoid digging yourself deeply intodebt.
I will teach my children theimportance of budgeting, sav-ing, and practicing smart credithabits. They depend on you forguidance, and this is one area thatis woefully ignored in our schools.Start by setting a good example.As they get older, let them gradu-ally take on responsibility formaking their own spending deci-sions.
If I am over-obligated, I willseek professional credit coun-seling assistance. There's noshame in getting a little help fromthe experts when you're in overyour head. And you'll be amazedat how much it reduces the stressin your life.
For more information on howto p prepare your own financialspending plan contact you Com-mand Financial Specialist or theFleet and Family Support centerat 624-4291.
The Fleet & Family Support Center offers a series of workshops to help ease your transition:Intercultural Relations (ICR)
Survive & ThriveHistory of Sicily Seminar
Customs and Traditions Seminar
THE SIGNATUREjANUARY 20, 2012 PAGE 5
THE SIGNATURE jANUARY 20, 2012PAGE 6
ROME — The first days of the newyear have heralded a subtle revolu-tion in Italy: the deregulation ofoperating hours for commercial ve-nues like shops, bars and restau-rants. And as revolutions tend to go,the measure has aroused praise insome corners and howls of protestin others.
Introduced in December as partof Prime Minister Mario Monti’scrisis-averting package, known asSave Italy, the measure permitsshopkeepers everywhere to settheir own hours and sharply redu-ces the norms that once regulatedentrepreneurs trying to set up shop.
Although many consumerscheered, thrilled at the prospect ofbuying milk, bread or whateverafter hours, small-enterprise asso-ciations — as well as number of re-gional government leaders — havedenounced the new rules, calling
them the death knell for mom-and-pop stores already struggling in Ita-ly’s recessionary economy.
“People don’t buy in a momentof recession. If your buying poweris limited, that isn’t going to changeif a store stays open later,” said Val-ter Giammaria, president of theRome chapter of Confesercenti, anorganization for small and midsizebusinesses. His organization,he said, is considering shut-ting down stores in protest.
Mr. Giammaria said thatsmall retailers in Italy were al-ready being squeezed bycompetition with supermar-kets, not to mention theslumping economy, and thatin Rome alone 10,000 smallshops had closed in the pastthree years, putting about 35,000people out of work.
“The government has to rethinkthis whole thing. Otherwise it isonly going to help large chain sto-
res,” he said. “We’re on the side ofsmall retailers.”
By that he means people like An-gelo Salis, who operates a tiny barin central Rome with his grownchildren and fears having to worklonger hours — and Sundays — tostay in the game. “It’s fine if youown a large business, with lots ofemployees, but when it’s all in the
family, I just don’t know,” Mr. Salissaid, shaking his head.
Local residents’ groups are alsoon the warpath, fearful that givingbars carte blanche will make for
sleepless nights. Mr. Monti’s fled-
gling governmenthas earmarked seve-ral ways in which toencourage growth inthe Italian economy,which has been at anear standstill for thepast decade. Theseinclude opening upclosed occupationsand measures to pro-mote competition.
But judging bythe protests againstderegulation of busi-ness hours thesedays and the failedattempts last monthto loosen up accessto professions liketaxi operators andpharmacists, Mr.Monti is facing anuphill battle.
Presidents of se-veral Italian regions, which havetraditionally overseen laws regula-ting some aspects of retail com-merce, complain that thelegislation is encroaching on theirterritory and have pledged to fightthe changes in court. “Consume-rism is not the right response to thecrisis,” Enrico Rossi, president ofthe Tuscany region, told ANSA, anews agency. “It is an insult to ourcultural identity, out traditions andour history.”
“We expect the church will makeits voice known,” he added. The Va-
tican has so far kept quiet onthe issue.
Some economists whostudy the retail sector ackno-wledge that keeping storesopen longer is unlikely to in-crease spending, especially ata time when Italians are pa-ying higher taxes and tighte-ning their belts. But the effortto encourage competition is a
welcome signal in a country with acorporate mentality that dates tothe guilds of the Middle Ages and isaverse to change.
“Economically, this won’tchange anything,” predicted Ro-berto Ravazzoni at the Center for
Research on Marketing and Servi-ces at Bocconi University in Milan.What counts is the spirit of the re-form, he said, “because it is movingtowards greater competition. Thegovernment’s just started with so-mething easy.”
The issue has “made a lot ofnoise,” he added, “because it tou-ches on so many aspects of society,like work, labor, family, as well as re-ligion. It’s way beyond economics.”Still, though the economic impactmight be limited, the social conse-quences will not be, Mr. Ravazzonipredicted, “giving options to peoplecrushed by time.”
As salaries are unlikely to grow inthe current climate, “giving themthe option of when to buy, we canat least simplify the life of consu-mers,” he said.
The new opening hours couldalso be a challenge to entrepreneu-rial creativity, which is also expectedto benefit from the loosening of re-gulations in opening a business. Mr.Ravazzoni said the development ofblock or neighborhood associationsto create a nucleus of commercialactivity had been successful in othercountries.
Many retailers complain thattheir sector has been unfairly sin-gled out. Giuseppe Roscioli, presi-dent of the Rome chapter ofConfcommercio, another retailers’association fighting the new hours,said that opening up competition“might not be so bad,” but, headded, “it should apply to every-thing,” including taxis and pharma-cies.
Many people agree and are ur-ging the government to open otherprotected sectors, like banking andinsurance, as well as public utilitiesand gasoline stations. “That’s whereItaly can really recover money andefficiency and offer lower prices ofconsumers,” Mr. Ravazzoni said.
There is no Europe-wide legisla-tion regulating commerce, and ope-ning hours can vary vastly amongcountries and among cities withinthose countries. According to Re-gioData, a research institute inVienna, Germany and Austria areamong the most regulated countriesin terms of opening hours, while
Imagine a “Black Friday” week-end that would last threemonths! A dream? No, it’s real-
ity. Italy’s winter “stagione di saldi”or discount season has recentlykicked off. This is the first of thetwo yearly government-regulatedperiods for such a special sale and itlasts until the beginning of March.The other discount season starts atthe end of the summer.
Since this is the third week ofdiscounts, you won’t find anymorelong lines at checkout counters andexcited shoppers pushing and shov-ing their way into stores like it usu-ally happens during the first days ofthe post-holiday season sale. So getready to buy high quality Italianstylish items at bargain prices, butwatch out for retailers who trumpetbig discounts. Here are some goodrules of thumb provided by ItalyConsumer Associations.
1Try to listen to these tips soyou will avoid rip-offs anddisputes with merchants that
are difficult to handle if you don’tspeak Italian.
2First of all, do not trust dis-counts higher than 50 percent from the initial price. A
“sensational” 80 or 90 per cent dis-count sounds like a tempting offerbut it is probably a rip-off.
3Remember that, during thediscount season, defectivemerchandise can be ex-
changed or returned as usual. Thereis no “special return policy” whenyou shop at sales. Therefore, alwayskeep your scontrino or receipt anddistrust the shops that display signssaying: “la merce venduta non sicambia “ (purchased merchandisecannot be returned) or “all sales arefinal.” By, law, you have the right tochange any defective clothing orshoe that is not up to sample withintwo months. Retailers can either re-fund you or give you a coupon thatshould be spent in the same shop.But always remember to doublecheck with them about that. Make
sure they know who you are andwhat you bought. Some storeown-ers are sometimes reluctant alreadyafter a week, to change defectivemerchandise.
4Be sure to look an item overcarefully before you buy it.Check different shops to
compare prices. If you have alreadyvisited a store you might be able toevaluate if a product was over-priced and then marked down.Stores must display on the tags theinitial prezzo (price) and the re-duced price, both in ciphers and inpercentage.
5Finally, remember that youcan use any way of payment.Mistrust shop owners who
display signs saying “non si ac-cettano carte di credito e bancomat”(credit cards and ATM cards are notaccepted). If you don’t see any signsaround and the sales clerk tells youabout it upon paying, tell them youknow they have to accept yourcredit card.
Winter discount shopping season provides great deals
This year’s winter clearance sales season has begun in Italy. Sigonella shoppers, get ready to bargain hunt!
More time to buy in Italy, but is that a good thing?
THE SIGNATUREjANUARY 20, 2012 PAGE 7
Attention Shoppers!Take advantage of the sales' season
In Italy, state, regional and muni-cipal legislation have coexisted fordecades, and the current changesfurther muddle the issue. “It is a bitperplexing to have regional laws thatgo against federal legislation,” saidDavide Bordoni, municipal counse-lor for commerce in Rome, one ofthe first cities to adhere to the newlaw. “Thirty percent of Rome resi-dents live off commerce, so wedidn’t want to be unprepared,” hesaid. Like other tourist cities in Italy,Rome already enjoyed more flexiblehours under a previous law.
Regional governments have 90days to adopt the national legisla-tion.
Some retailers are skepticalabout whether the new regulationswill make much difference. “Romeisn’t New York City,” said MarinaMoltedo, who works at Edo City, aclothing shop in Rome founded bythe designer Alessandra Giannetti.“Italians don’t have the right menta-lity” to shop after hours.
Ms. Moltedo said that on the fewoccasions when City Hall permittedstores to stay open late at night, peo-ple browsed more than bought.
“If you’re going to stay open justto be a museum, then why not justopen up galleries instead,” she said.
But amid all the grumbling,consumer groups have welcomedthe change. “A more open market isgood for consumers, offering awider variety of products at lowerprices,” said Carlo Pileri, the presi-dent of Adoc, an Italian consu-mers’ rights group. “Italiancommerce has too long been runby a lobby averse to moderniza-tion.” And in any case, the newrules are an option, “not an obliga-tion,” he said.
After dismal pre-Christmas ac-tivity, anticipation was high for Ita-ly’s traditional winter sale period,which started Thursday. Whetherthe new hours will make a diffe-rence remains to be seen, but somemerchants were optimistic.
“We’re in the center of Romesurrounded by bars,” and businesshas been good said Noemi Verzilli,a salesclerk at Taba, an ethnic clo-thing and knickknack store in Ro-me’s Campo de’ Fiori that hadtaken advantage of past legislationto stretch opening hours. “We’re socentral, it would be stupid to stayclosed.”
Israeli born mezzo-sopranoRinat Shaham sings the title role ofCarmen of Bizet's opera whichmade its debut Sunday, Jan 15 at theCatania Opera in Catania before alarge and enthusiastic audience.
This new production from Bel-lini Opera is directed by Sicilianactor and theatre director VincenzoPirrotta. Catania Opera Music Di-rector Will Humburg conducts theBellini Opera Orchestra. Chorus isdirected by Tiziana Carlini.
Georges Bizet's opera Carmenpremiered in Paris on March 3,1875, three months before the com-poser's death. The libretto, writtenby Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Ha-levy, was based on a novella by Pro-sper Merimee.
Sung in French with Italiansupertitles, Carmen performancescontinue through Wednesday,Jan. 25. For further information andtickets visit http://www.teatromas-simobellini.it/
Carmen shows at Bellini Opera until Jan. 25Rinat Shaham sings the title role of Carmen. (Photo by http://www.stageclick.com )
Monti cracks down on tax evaders: Cash transactions of more than 1,000 euro illegald'Andrea said. Italy loses more than120 billion euros in unpaid taxesevery year, according to the Equita-lia tax collection agency. The coun-try spends another 10 billion eurosannually on security and labor forprocessing cash transactions, accor-ding to banking association ABI.Debt Crisis
Monti is focusing on curtailingevasion as one way to reduce Italy's1.9 trillion-euro debt, which is big-ger than Spain, Greece, Ireland andPortugal's combined. Investor con-cern that Italy remains at risk ofbeing overwhelmed by the region'sdebt crisis pushed the country's bor-rowing costs to euro-era records lastmonth. Italian consumer confidencefell in December to the lowest in 16years as the crisis forced austeritymeasures and intensified house-holds' concerns about a probable re-cession. The sentiment indexdeclined to 91.6, the lowest since Ja-nuary 1996, from a revised 96.1 inNovember, national statistics officeIstat said in Rome today.
"Tracking cash payments won'tautomatically ensure lower evasion,which often involves transactionssmaller than 1,000 euros," said LucaMezzomo, head of economic rese-arch at Intesa Sanpaolo SpA inMilan. The new measures "could,however, be a good instrument forthe tax authorities to identify peoplewho spend more than they've offi-cially earned."Wedding Receptions, Renova-tions
The reform pits the governmentagainst some Italians who prefer topay for everything from wedding re-ceptions to home renovations withcash, allowing merchants to under-report or not declare the revenue,and gaining a discount in exchange.
Many small companies pay salariesin cash, allowing employees to re-port less income, the Finance Mini-stry said last year.
"Businesses make us accompli-ces, because nobody wants to payextra on a large transaction," saidAdele Costantini, a professor of me-dicine in the southern region ofAbruzzo, who had to argue to get areceipt from a house painter. "I wantthem to pay the tax, not unload it onme."
Italians are the euro region's least-indebted consumers and among itsbiggest savers, according to datafrom the European Union's statisticsoffice, Eurostat. Their frugality maybe at least partly linked to a distrustof paying with anything other thancash. Italian credit-card holders usetheir cards on average only 26 timesper year, or five times less than in theU.K., according to the Bank of Italy.'Culture of Cash'
"The culture of cash is stronglyingrained in Italians, even those thatdon't evade," Deputy Finance Mini-ster Vittorio Grilli said at a Dec. 5press conference in Rome. The go-vernment initially wanted to set a300-euro or 500-euro cash limit butdecided against it, Grilli said, reaso-ning that citizens needed time toadapt to new rules. Italian banks,which charge businesses up to 2 per-cent for credit-card transactions,could end up being the main bene-ficiaries of the new rules, accordingto Rome-based consumer groupAdusbef. "Unless banks cut fees oncredit cards and current accounts,they'll just make more money fromthe new law," said Mauro Novelli,the general secretary of the organi-zation, which represents bankingand insurance customers.
Consumer advocates say the new
law also discriminates against olderItalians, many of whom don't usecredit cards. As many as 7.5 millionItalians have never had a bank ac-count, according to Adusbef. "Thelaw cannot force old people to useplastic or open bank accounts," No-velli said.Bank Fees
The government is negotiatingwith the banks to get them to cutfees on credit cards and lower costsfor bank accounts to encourage themove away from cash, Grilli saidDec. 5.
Banks are willing to considerzero-cost current accounts for low-income retirees and discuss credit-card costs "in light of thegovernment's new measures," Giu-seppe Mussari, head of Rome-basedABI, said Dec. 11. However, lenderswon't "give away" services that carrya cost for them, he said. Italy's tradi-tion of saving won't be at risk fromthe new measures, said Nicola Borri,an economics professor at Rome'sLUISS University. "Italians mainlyuse debit or credit cards with strin-gent limits," he said. "Financial in-struments that allow you to pile updebt are very limited in this coun-try."
Politicians have seized on thecash issue as a way to build supportamong a public reluctant to change."There's a real danger of crossingover into a fiscal police state," formerPrime Minister Silvio Berlusconisaid at a political convention onNov. 27 in Verona, about two weeksafter the debt crisis toppled his go-vernment.
"What we need is a revolution inItalians' thinking and that takestime," Monti told reporters on Dec.5. "This is meant to be a first step."
Floriana d'Andrea, a Naples mu-sician, carries rolls of euro noteswhen she buys instruments andaudio gear, a practice she'll have tochange as Italy sets new limits oncash payments in a bid to curb taxevasion.
"I bought some expensive soundequipment and the shop owner jac-ked up the price when I asked for areceipt," said d'Andrea, 41, who paid1,600 euros ($2,093) in cash in thetransaction. She has a credit card,but rarely uses it, she said.
Prime Minister Mario Monti, in
office just over a month, wants lan-dlords, plumbers, electricians andsmall businesses to stop conductinglarge transactions in cash, which cri-tics say helps them evade taxes. Thegovernment on Dec. 4 reduced themaximum allowed cash payment to1,000 euros from 2,500 euros.
"If they force us to use creditcards, prices will go up," said d'An-drea, noting that many retailers offerdiscounts to customers who pay incash and don't demand a receipt, ineffect splitting with them the savingsfrom evading the country's 21 per-cent sales tax. She may curtail futurepurchases if she's unable to use cash,
(Story by Bloomberg)
THE SIGNATURE jANUARY 20, 2012
If there were a club for dishware fana-tics, I would be president. Limitedcabinet space prevents me from
buying even more plates and cups than Ialready own. My husband thinks I amcrazy. Me? I think food looks better anddrinks taste better when presented in be-autiful dishware. If youare like me, you too maywant to drop a few platesso you can replace themwith some of the lovelyceramics available in Si-cily.
There are many placesto acquire ceramics in Si-cily. One only has to go as far as the NEXon NAS I. But if you want to get out intown, you may want to add Patti andCaltagirone to your list of dishware see-king destinations.
On a recent ITT tour I was able totake advantage of the wholesale pricesoffered at the Caleca outlet store in Patti,Sicily. About a two hour drive from Si-gonella, the Caleca warehouse producesbeautiful hand-painted ceramics. Wal-king into the Caleca outlet warehousewas like arriving in shopper’s heaven.Shelves lined with beckoning plates,
mugs, sugar bowls, pitchers, etc., almostcaused sensory overload. There were somany colors and patterns to choosefrom.
Our ITT tour group got a behind-the-scenes look at how the dishware is made.We even got to see the artists at work as
they meticulously painted the ceramicsby hand.
After items are painted and fired andready for display they are taken out tothe show room or shipped out to otherretail locations. In the outlet warehouse,the most perfect pieces are offered in the“1st Quality” section. Items that mayhave a minor blemish or a slip of a brushstroke are placed in the “2nd Quality”section and are marked at a discount. Ei-ther section you select from offers greatgift items for yourself of others.
If you prefer the more “mom-and-
pop” shopping experience, travel to thesmall town of Caltagirone (KAHL-tuh-gee-RO-nee), the most famous "city ofceramics" in Sicily. It is about 45 minutesfrom Sigonella and ITT also offers toursthere. In Caltagirone there are hundredsof little studios and shops. All the cera-
mics there are also hand-painted and all are veryunique. You will find eve-rything from tiles, figuri-nes, pots, plates, lamps,mirrors, jewelry and somuch more. You mayeven get to watch artistsat work, often in the back
room of their tiny shops.I could have spent a whole day in Cal-
tagirone just appreciating the town itself,meandering around at all it has to offer.The Baroque architecture is divine as arethe amazing views of the surroundingcountryside and Etna. Caltagirone is alsohome to the famous 142-step monu-ment known as the Staircase of SantaMaria del Monte, built in 1608. Eachriser of the 142 steps is decorated withhand-painted ceramics by artists of thetown, both old and new. That alone isworth a visit.
BY JACKIE TREMBATH
NAS Sigonella Navy Public Affairs
Siciliy is known for its ceramics. The Caleca outlet warehouse (left) in Patti, Sicily offers shoppers discount prices. Small towns like Caltagirone are home to hundreds of tiny shops, like the onepictured at right, where shoppers can select from unique items like key chain holders and lamps. (U.S. Navy Photos by Jackie Trembath)
Ceramics in SicilyPAGE 8
THE SIGNATUREjANUARY 20, 2012 PAGE 9
Ceramics await to be painted by the skillful hands of artists. At the Caleca outlet warehouse there are thousands of ceramics to select from. Pictured above, the behind-the-scenes view of the outlet warehouse.
In Caltagirone there are hundreds of little ceramic shops. An artists work studio is often in the back room of their tiny shops as pictured above.Caltagirone is the most famous "city of ceramics" in Sicily.
Friday, 20 JAN 12 *Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Sausage Links, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Asstd Doughnuts, Cinnamon Rolls.*Lunch: Cream of Mushroom Soup, Lasagna, Tempura Fish, Baked Fish, Steamed Rice, Calico Cabbage,Herbed Broccoli, Strawberry Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, Fruit Gelatin.Speed line: Grilled Cheese/Hamburger, Baked Beans, French Fried Potatoes.*Dinner: Egg Drop Soup, Chicken Cacciatore, Rice Pilaf, Southern Green Beans, Savory Squash, Strawberry Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, Fruit Gelatin.
Tuesday, 24 JAN 12*Breakfast: Farina, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes,French Toast, Biscuits and Gravy, Asstd Doughnuts, Blueberry Muffins.*Lunch: Egg Drop Soup, Sweet & Sour Pork, Chicken Chop suey , Egg Foo Young, Chinese Fried Rice,Chow Mein Noodles, Oriental Fried Cabbage, Corn Kernel, Fruit Cocktail Upside Down Cake, Blueberry Pie.*Speed line: Frankfurter on rolls, Onion Rings.Dinner: Cream of Broccoli Soup, Beef Stew, Seasoned Boiled Pasta, Spanish Style Beans, Carrots Slices,Fruit Cocktail Upside Down Cake, Blueberry Pie.Wednesday, 25 JAN 12*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Creamed Ground Beef, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Blueberry Pancakes, Biscuits, Asstd Doughnuts, Bear Claw.*Lunch: Beef Noodle Soup, Lasagna, Fish w/ Cherry Tomato Sauce, Steamed Rice, Franconia Potatoes,Cream Style Corn, Mix Vegetable, Almond Cookies, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Pudding.*Speed line: Grilled Cheese/Hamburger, Baked Beans, French Fried Potatoes.*Dinner: French Onion Soup, Baked Chicken, Steamed Rice, Potatoes Au Gratin, Club Spinach, SteamedPeas & Carrots, Almond Cookies, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Pudding.Thursday, 26 JAN 12*Breakfast: Hominy Grits, Corned Beef Hash, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, RoastedPotatoes, French Toast, Asstd Doughnuts, Raisin Muffin.*Lunch: Vegetable Supreme Soup, Roast Pork loin, Baked Chicken, Steamed Rice, Roasted GarlicPotatoes, Seasoned Mix Vegetables, Club Spinach, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Cherry Cobbler.Speedline: Italian Sausage w/ Onion and Pepper.*Dinner: Tomato Bouillon Soup, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Rice Pilaf, Natural Pan Gravy, Green Beans,Corn Kernel, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Cherry Cobbler.Friday, 27 JAN 12*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Sausage Patties, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Asstd Doughnuts, Cinnamon Rolls.*Lunch: Chicken Corn Chowder, Baked Fish, Meat Loaf, Paprika Buttered Potatoes, Glazed Carrots,Fried Okra, Spiced Cake w/ Frosting, Crisp Drop Cookies.Speed line: Grilled Cheese/Hamburger, Baked Beans, French Fried Potatoes.*Dinner: Chicken Noodle Soup, Baked Fish W. Cherry Tomato Sauce, Tossed Green Rice, Corn O’Brien,Lima Beans, Spiced Cake w/ Frosting, Crisp Drop Cookies.
BY MCSN Brian Glunt
NPSE-East Detachment Europe
Fred Cole (right), personal finance manager for Fleet and Family Service Center (FFSC) Sigonella, teaches E-4 Sailors stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS)Sigonella during a command financial specialist E-4 program here, Jan. 10, on NAS Sigonella's support base. This FFSC program is geared to selected E-4swho have done exceptionally well with their personal finances and teaches them to assist their peers by sharing financial experiences. (U.S. Navy Photo by MCSN Brian Glunt)
E-4 service members stationedat Naval Air Station (NAS)Sigonella attended the Fleet
and Family Service Center (FFSC)Sigonella’s command financial spe-cialist E-4 program here, Jan. 10, onNAS Sigonella’s support base.
This FFSC E-4 program is gearedtoward E-4s who have done excep-tionally well with their personal fi-
nances. These E-4s are selected toassist their command financial spe-cialists by sharing their experiencesand setbacks with their peers.
“I think this is a great opportunityto identify those Sailors who havehad some success developing their fi-nances at an early age and they get totell others how they did it,” said FredCole, personal financial manager forFFSC Sigonella. “Those Sailors whohave experienced some difficulty andwere able to resolve that difficulty,
they get to share those experienceswith their peers and maybe thosepeers won’t have to go through thesame problems.”
The command financial specia-list E-4 course also offers tips onhome-buying, car-buying and stra-tegies on saving and investingmoney.
“This program is a great oppor-tunity for people to learn that theydo need to be saving money,” saidCole. “You’re not going to always
be that young Sailor. There is goingto come a time when you are loo-king at retirement. You want tohave it set up so you can retire com-fortably and live within the stan-dards that you are accustomed to.”
The second command financialspecialist E-4 course is tentativelyscheduled for Feb. 2.
For more information on Fleetand Family Service Center-Sigo-nella, visit NAS Sigonella’s websiteat www.cnic.navy.mil/sigonella.
FFSC conducts E-4 financial classesTHE SIGNATURE jANUARY 20, 2012PAGE 10
Friday, January 20 th 5:00 PM Arthur Christmas PG 5:30 PM Twilight: BD PG-13 7:30 PM J. Edgar R8:00 PM The Rum Diary R
Saturday, January 21th 2:00 PM The Muppets PG 2:30 PM We Bought A Zoo PG4:30 PM Joyful Noise PG-13 5:00 PM MI: Ghost Protocol PG-137:30 PM J. Edgar R
Sunday, January 22th 2:00 PM Happy Feet 2 PG2:30 PM Jack & Jill PG4:30 PM Joyful Noise PG-135:00 PM War Horse PG-13 7:30 PM Immortal R
Monday, January 23rd – Special Performance!7:00 PM Craig Karges Live FREE
Tuesday, January 24th – Last Shows5:00 PM MI: Ghost Protocol PG-135:30 PM Adventures of Tintin PG7:30 PM Girl Dragon Tattoo R 8:00 PM Rum Diary, The R
Wednesday, January 25th 5:00 PM Muppets, The PG 5:30 PM Joyful Noise PG-137:30 PM J. Edgar R8:00 PM Immortals R
Thursday, January 26th 5:00 PM We Bought A Zoo PG5:30 PM Muppets, The PG7:30 PM War Horse PG-138:00 PM Immortals R
Friday, January 27th 2:00 PM Water Horse PG 5:00 PM Arthur Christmas PG 5:30 PM Twilight: BD PG-13 7:30 PM J. Edgar R8:00 PM Sitter R
Movie schedule is subject to change. Please call to confirm.
Movie Hotline: 624-4248
Midtown Movie theaterSSchedule & deScriptionS
THE SIGNATUREjANUARY 20, 2012 PAGE 11
ITT Gear N Go Extended Trips
Do you ever feel like youneed a vacation after yourvacation? MWR has the
solution! Travel is fun and exciting,especially in Europe! Many want tosee as much as possible while statio-ned in Italy, but let’s face it, planning
a vacation can be a lot of work. Fa-milies often return worn out, notready to get back to work. Go onone of ITT’s extended trips and letthem do all the work! ITT has gotsome great extended trips comingup in 2012, and they’re starting the
year right with two inFebruary! Don’t worryabout transportationor where you will stay.ITT has it covered!Sign up now for one ofthese amazing trips:
Valentine’s SpaWeekendFebruary 10th – 12th Treat someone spe-cial to an enchantingspa weekend at theGrand Hotel delleTerme near Palermo.Price includes fullboard, Turkish bath,30-minute massagebody peel and more.Additional treat-ments can be bookedthrough ITT.
Calabria Ski TripFebruary 17th – 20th Price includes 4nights hotel stay, 4breakfasts and din-
ners, round trip transportation,and an ITT escort for the entiretrip.
For prices or more information,call ITT at 624-4777. Keep an eyeout for more upcoming extendedtrips the new February Preview co-ming soon!
WE BOUGHT A ZOO……………………PG STARRING: Matt Damon, Colin Ford, Thomas Haden Church
Based on a true story, Benjamin Mee is a recently-widowed father who moveshis family to a beautiful estate miles outside the city. The only catch is that theestate is also a dilapidated zoo replete with 200 animals, and the purchase ofthe home is conditional on the new owner keeping the zoo and its entire staff.The Mee family subsequently sets out to rebuild and refurbish the zoo to itsformer glory, making new friends along the way (126 m.)
SITTER…………………….………….…….R STARRING: Jonah Hill, Ari Graynor, Sam Rockwell
A comedy about a college student on suspension who is coaxed into babysit-ting the kids next door, though he is fully unprepared for the wild night aheadof him (81 m.)
RUM DIARY……………………..………..R STARRING: Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli, Amber Heard
Tiring of the noise and madness of New York, journalist Paul Kemp travels tothe pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper. Adopting therum-soaked life of the island, Paul soon becomes obsessed with Chenault, thewildly attractive Connecticut-born fiancé of a businessman involved in shadyproperty deals that Kemp is writing about (122 m.)
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL……………….…PG-13STARRING: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton
Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Huntmust clear his agency's name and prevent another attack (133 m)
Saturday, January 28th 2:00 PM We Bought A Zoo PG 2:30 PM Jack & Jill PG4:30 PM Red Tails PG-13 5:00 PM Joyful Noise PG-137:30 PM Extremely Loud PG-13
Sunday, January 29th 2:00 PM Happy Feet 2 PG2:30 PM Jack & Jill PG4:30 PM Joyful Noise PG-135:00 PM War Horse PG-13 7:30 PM Sitter R
continued ...
THE SIGNATURE jANUARY 20, 2012PAGE 12
Being in a foreign country, it’s easy to feel intimidated bythe unknown. One might not want to go out because heor she doesn’t speak the language or know the way
around. Just remember, friendship is a universal language.Since October, SPMAGTF 12 is on temporary assignment
to Sigonella. We are going to be here until the spring. When wecame here we didn’t know what to expect. We were putting to-gether something brand new in a place where we had no directsupport from the outset. We had no knowledge of the commu-nity, the culture, or even the local culture of the Americans sta-tioned here. But Sigonella has welcomed us with open arms.Everyone, from PSD to the Seabees to the Hospital, has beenexceptionally helpful, providing us with everything we haveasked for and more. Upon our arrival, we were given a “Wel-come to Italy” package which included information that wouldhave taken us months to learn on our own. And the Italian na-
tionals on base have been ever so gracious in making us feel wel-come in their country.
Since we don’t “live” here and are just visiting, we don’t haveour own transportation like the majority of Americans stationedat Sigonella. Learning the mass transit schedule is paramount ingetting between the bases and housing. We have had to learn thetime the buses come, then schedule ourselves accordingly.
We have also had the opportunity to travel and meet new peo-ple. Mass transit goes to and from Catania which is ideal for tripsout on the town. A ticket costs only a dollar - far cheaper than ataxi fare. Once in Catania, we literally have access to all of Europe.Other great options for travel are the MWR trips and ITT tripsoffered on base. They have allowed us to go to places that we neverwould have gone to, or thought of, during our time here. Thesetrips are also great for making new friends. The MWR also hostsgreat events on base to help everyone feel engaged.
I have really enjoyed my time in Sicily. The Sicilian peopleare incredibly hospitable. As an example of Sicilian hospitality,let me share an experience. Not too long ago, I injured my legand have been getting around on crutches. Recently, I wastrying to take a train. I had already purchased my ticket, butfound out the train was cancelled. It had been replaced by abus. A very nice attendant told me exactly where the bus wouldbe, and so I waited. The attendant realized he had given methe wrong location, so he came to find me to point me in theright direction. He then proceeded to call the bus driver tohold the bus. The attendant even stopped traffic to help mecross the street and then assisted me with getting on the busand making sure the bus driver accepted my train ticket. I amfrom the South of the United States and we often talk aboutSouthern Hospitality. Let me tell you, Sicilian Hospitality issomething I will write home about.
BY HM2 IAN ANDERSON
SPMAGTF 12
SPMAGTF 12 is on temporary assignment in Sicily until spring 2012. They arrived in Sigonella in October. (U.S. Navy Photo by MCSN Cameron Bramham)
THE SIGNATURETHE SIGNATUREjANUARY 20, 2012 PAGE 13
Whether you said “I do” last week orthree decades ago, there was enthu-siasm for that fantastic person you
married. That magical day is now history and younow live in the sphere called “real life” wherethere are no tuxedoes, white dresses, or honey-moons. Instead, there are deployments, disap-pointments, frustrations, financial problems,crying children, and arguments thrown into themix. The easy relationship you once enjoyed isnow hard work. If you don’t want your relation-ship to last, here are ten easy ways to ruin yourmarriage.
Have an escape route. When yougot married, you always expected that if itdidn’t work out you could just get a di-
vorce. Couples who stay married deliberately re-fuse to consider divorce. Once you get married– stay married. Marriage is a commitment to staytogether no matter what. Don’t give yourself anyescape route. Marriages work out because the hu-sband and wife do not give up when the goinggets tough. This is also the reason you should notget married in a hurry. Never threaten to divorceyour mate. Don’t even say the “D” word.
Create a Facebook account soyour spouse cannot see your secret rela-tionships. Marriage is a “members only”
club designed for one man with one woman. Nointruders are welcome. You once promised to“forsake all others.” That means stop talking toothers except in open conversations in publicplaces when your spouse is right beside you.
Have the intention of flirtingwith the opposite sex when you go out.Regardless of whether “everyone else is
doing it” it does not make it right for you. Saveyour affection for the one you say you love. Be aone-woman-man, or vice versa.
Complain to your motherabout your spouse. Yes, every husband andwife has complaints and disappointments
with the one they married, but you solve those
10 ways to ruin a marriageBY LCDR C. SCOTT CAUBLE
NAS Sigonella Command Chaplain
by talking to each other – not by telling it toothers who will take your side of the argument.
Ask your unmarried peers foradvice about how to get your spouse tostop being angry with you. Going to your
unmarried friends is certainly not the best placeto solicit advice since a typical response is, “Justget rid of her (or him).” Please refer to #1 aboveif you are not clear on this.
Fail to act like a grown up.Spending all your off-duty time playing XBox and computer games when you come
home from work is akin to ignoring the personto whom you are committed. Spend less time infront of the “tube” and more time together tal-king and getting to know one another.
Spend too much time with yourhobbies, your old buddies, and yoursports. Now that you are married, and
especially after you have children, you cannotspend as much time on your personal pleasuresand recreation. Find a way to recreate with yourfamily.
Watch porn. Yes, gentlemen, there isa problem with this. Just ask your wife.
Pout because your spouse does notagree with everything you want to do. Youmarried a human being with a mind and
will of their own. All husbands and wives have tolearn how to cooperate. They do not automati-cally agree on everything. Just because you havedifferent opinions and preferences does notmean that you married the wrong person.
Think marriage is easy. Mar-riage is work! When two individuals getmarried they have to learn how to become
one. Remember lighting that unity candle atyour wedding service? Two can become one.Don’t give up. It’s worth it!
The NASSIG Religious Ministry Department provides marriagecounseling and training through individual counseling sessions andenrichment seminars. Several significant marriage enrichmentevents are scheduled in February. On Feb. 11 there is a Valentine'sCelebration Concert and Dinner at the NAS 1 Chapel. Later inthe month a Marriage Enrichment Weekend is scheduled at an off-site location. Please contact the chapel at 624-3975 for additionalinformation or to schedule an appointment.
The rock cover group Supernova, made up of five local nationals from Cataniaperformed at Jox Pub on NAS II, January 13. Supernova bassist Fabio Pugliasaid that they fuse Italian interpretations into the American and Internationalsongs they play. The group played classic rock songs such as “The Final Coun-tdown" by Europe, “Otherside” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Summer of 69” byBryan Adams, “We are the Champions” by Queen and “Jump” by Van Halen.Supernova began playing at 10:00 p.m. and played until Jox closed. “We enjo-yed playing for the American’s tonight,” Puglia said. “I hope they enjoyed ittoo.” (U.S. Navy Photo by MCSN Cameron Bramham)
