May not be available in all areas. For information click on the Main Page, 
far right column, GETaDISH. If you speak or are learning Italian, RAI 
International is a must for you.  In addition to hearing and practicing the 
Italian language you will get many very interesting cultural programs and, as 
a bonus, you’ll enjoy a different slant on the world-wide news. You may say 
news is news is news… Not so, there is definitely a different opinion on 
world events when reported by another country.  To warn you, you’ll also get 
your share of junk programs, after all, it’s TV we are talking about.  In the 
main, it’s well worth the extra $10 a month (You can discontinue HBO and the 
Sopranos for the same amount…)
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(B). NEW COMMERCE SECTION IN OUR PORTAL - On far right column of main Page, 
this new service will link you to businesses offering products or services of
interest to the Italian-American community. [Main Page -> COMMERCE]
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(C). AgenParl, NEW COLUMN ON POLITICAL AND ECONOMICS FROM ITALY - Especially 
for enthusiasts of Italian politics, a blow-by-blow and nothing-held-back 
column on the ins and outs of the Italian political scene, we have made a special
arrangement with AgenParl to publish their column.  Very detailed and in 
Italian only.  [Main Page -> Departments -> AgenParl]
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(D). OLD NEWS WE DIDN’T TALK ABOUT –  This section offers a brief synopsis of
news of the last month or so. Miscellanea [Main Page-> Miscellanea].
Most articles are in Italian.
-------------------
The British Economist is hard on Berlusconi for failing to resolve his 
conflicts of interest but then goes on to say that a good part of all 
Italians are dishonest.
------------------
Trieste, Italy, once called the "Gateway to Zion" will host a fair promoting
Jewish tourism and Italian kosher products.
------------------
Pizza is promoted as a delicacy by Italian book writer Rosario Bonassisi who
downgrades the American version as tasting no better than the take-out
cardboard box it is delivered in.
------------------
Italian wines are heralded as superior to their French cousins by prestigious 
American restaurateurs and Hollywood stars.  To corroborate their preference 
stats show that in 2000 imports in the US were 25.6% from France and 34% form 
Italy.
Even at the French Embassy Italian wine is favored …
------------------
Lidia Bastianich, famous chef, cook book writer, TV personality and owner of 
some 4 or 5 restaurants, one of which is in Kansas City, is heralded as one 
of most outstanding proponents of Italian gastronomy and is interviewed in 
this article.  Lidia is also a cousin of ours…
-------------------
Italidea gets Illinois to earmark $300,000 for public schools to teach 
Italian. Italidea is supported by the Italian Cultural Center in Chicago and 
by the Italian Consulate General.  Dr. Anna Fiore is the Consulate officer on 
education. In January of 2000 we had reported that the Italian language was 
the 4th most popular foreign language taught in the United States The Italian 
language is now 4th in the world and growing.
----------------------------
Can’t stay away from stereotypes and even the closing ceremony of the 
Olympics resorted to the trite practice according to a viewer from Australia 
who wrote to Corriere della Sera’s Severgnini.
----------------------------
Kansas City rolls out the red carpet for the Consul General who issues a 
press release on the local Italian-American activities.
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(E). INFORMAZIONI LETTERARIE
(ANSA) – ROMA - I libri più venduti della settimana:
            = I PRIMI CINQUE IN ASSOLUTO =
(See Web Site for Details)
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(F). CHICAGO INAUGURATES ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTER WEBSITE -
March 22 meeting: at Italian Cultural Center in Stone Park, celebrating the
Center's new website. On Friday, March 22, at 7:00 p.m.Thanks to Dominic 
Tassone, the Italian Cultural Center now has its own website: 
www.mobilito.com/icc. We will celebrate the baptism of our website with an 
appetizing Italian dinner
at 7:00 P.M., followed by a panel discussion of experts, entitled 
Finding ltalian/ltalian American Heritage on the Web.

Members of the panel are:
* Ben Lawton: Professor at Purdue University, Editor for H-ITAM list Serv
* Franco Giannotti: St. Louis, web master of Portale ltaliano per il Midwest
* Dominic Candeloro: Exec. Dir. of the American Italian HistoricalAssociation 
(AIHA)
* Dominic Tassone: President of Mobilito, Net service for Italian ltalophiles,
    and creator of Web Site.
* Jennifer Floro-Khalaf, web master of ItalianAncestry.com

This is an opportunity to promote the work we are doing and help sensitize
Italian Americans to the unlimited potential of the Internet. Even though
you may not be an expert yourself, you will enjoy the evening. 
(See Web Site for details for those in the Chicago area, and interested in 
attending)
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(G). PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL FRANCESCO DE PINEDO ANNIVERSARY
Multi-city celebrations are under way. Mark your 2002 calendars for Wednesday,
March 15, in Chicago and Thursday, March 16, in St. Louis.  We will
celebrate the 75th anniversary of General de Pinedo historic landing in the
USA.  (The first foreign pilot to land in the USA.)  More to come, for
details see [Main Page -> Eroi dell’aria] or http://www.italystl.com/pride/
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(H). NEW!!! – ITALIAN AND ITALIAN-AMERICAN LUMINARIES - We are pleased to offer
you this new series where with every issue of this newsletter you will learn
more about some of our peoples' contribution to the birth, the growth and
the democratic makeup of this great nation of ours: the United States of
America. Print and save this material and put it to good use whenever you
encounter some ignorant soul who only relates mob and pasta to being
Italian. Enjoy!

[ The limitations of AOL Email would not Permit me to include in this Email,
so I will send in a separately, permitting you to print out as the first of a 
series.]

THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ITALIAN AND ITALIAN-AMERICAN LUMINARIES 
TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
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(I). ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES HAVE STARTED IN ST. LOUIS – It’s official -
Sponsored by a grant from the Italian Government and the FIAO (Federation of
Italian-American Organizations) of St. Louis, 4 adult evening classes (2 
beginning and 2 intermediate) begun on March 4, 2002 at the Shaw Community 
Learning Center on the Hill.  We continue to get applications and a 3rd 
beginners class will start on March 12.  Applications for children (K through 
8) are coming in at a slower pace and we hope to have 2 classes start up 
inearly April.  All classes will last 10 weeks.  [Main Page->New in St. Louis]
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(J). NEW IN ST. LOUIS - Don't forget to check regularly the portal feature by the
same name for the latest in the community.  See [Main Page -> New in
St.Louis]  http://www.italystl.com/stlouis/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Newsletter is a free service and an extension of the www.ItalyStl.com 
"Italian portal for the Midwest" internet site.  We highlight new items 
within the Portal
and point out newsworthy events in our town. 
 
Grazie.Con amicizia,
Franco Giannotti, Publisher

franco@ItalyStl.com.  
www.ItalyStl.com
"Il portale italiano per il midwest"
 <A HREF="http://www.italystl.com/">Italy at St. Louis Index Page</A>