I should have done a better job of painting the difference. I was living in New Orleans one of the years it won the World Cup Murder Count award. Make the wrong turn off the bridge going from NOLA proper to the west bank and it's like "oh shit...I need to get out of this hood fast!" followed by "Wow...all these kids are wearing DKNY...huh...whaddya know?" Anyway...

There are plenty of places like this in the states, I know, but if you know where those areas are, you can avoid them (unless you live there, obviously). There's no safe spot here.

As for "another year," well...I have my orders. To try to keep a long story short, it's promotion time again, and this particular promotion in the Navy, from E6-E7 is kind of a big deal. If I make E7, I HAVE to go to Norfolk next for some advanced training. The class I'll be in doesn't convene until Sept 08, and they can't transfer me somewhere for just a year.

I wish I could figure out a way to convey that when I was in the states I thought certain things were pretty terrible, but when I got here, I was like "oh...my bad."

Cool..the posers stopped posing. At least here.

Be careful about generalizing about Italy based on Naples. It is a pretty unique place, even by Italian standards.

Just wondering what you really expected people to do? What did you do about it?

Be careful about generalizing about Italy based on Naples. It is a pretty unique place, even by Italian standards.

Maybe I should have called the article "More Neopolitan Fun Today" instead, but fuck it. It just doesn't have the same ring.

And why should I "be careful?"

Just wondering what you really expected people to do? What did you do about it?

I laughed my ass off. It was a fairly funny scene. I don't speaka da linga, so it wasn't like I could drop a dime to the Carabinieri. But the locals - well, I guess they get what they deserve. A shithole to live in because none of them give a bit of a fuck about where they live or what goes on here. Yeah, Naples does give Italy a bad name, so your point is definitely valid.

There's always gonna be a small handful of petty little haters who, upon discovering that you and I are friendly, will forever more refuse to grace your blog with their numinous presence, lest they award you with those ever valuable points

Darn. Are you telling me that because I like you, idiots aren't going to post here? Haha...you're a cool friend indeed - what a wonderful biproduct!

??



'Cause the mobsters will F you up. Haha.



How long have you lived there?

I'm sure you have probably seen the way the Italian media generalizes about America and it is really annoying. Here you are getting mad at the Foreign Affairs people for generalizing about things they don't know, but you are bordering on doing the same thing.



Actually not speaking Italian isn't a good excuse in Naples. There are so many Americans (and other foreigners) in and out that you can find someone who speaks English anywhere you go.

I feel sorry for you that you haven't been able to discover any of the beauty and uniqueness of Italy.

How long have you lived there?

I've been here just over two years, Ms. T. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the nature of the question is why I don't speaka da linga yet. It's because neopolitans don't speaka da linga, either. When I first got here, I was working hard to learn Italian, but that isn't what they speak. They speak some weird dialect which is the metaphorical equivalent of "r u kewl? Ahsome" It's bastardized Italian.

'Cause the mobsters will F you up. Haha.

Actually, we played this one smart. We rent from the mobsters and live in the "suburb" that's considered to be mafia central. As a result, I am a financial interest to the mob, and they, being astutue businessmen, treat me quite nicely. Long story why...the mob is deep in the housing office, and so they, when helping new military service members find houses, "guide" them here. I don't hate on them for that. My landlord is exceptional, so no complaints in that regard.

Actually not speaking Italian isn't a good excuse in Naples. There are so many Americans (and other foreigners) in and out that you can find someone who speaks English anywhere you go.

Mi dispiacce. I haven't found that to be the case, but what do I know? I just live here.

I feel sorry for you that you haven't been able to discover any of the beauty and uniqueness of Italy.

You may have read by now that I have a GPS. Wanna give me some coords? And there IS a lot of Italy that's very beautiful, but as of right now, none of it is in Naples.




Almost forgot to address this:

I'm sure you have probably seen the way the Italian media generalizes about America and it is really annoying.

Actually, I haven't. because as I stated, I don't speaka da linga, and even if I did...hell, I don't listen to American media - why the hell would I listen to Italian media? I'd just as soon listen to the grunting of a bunch of pigs because at least when the pigs do it, it's legit.

Yup, that was why I was asking.

I'm also military (no, I'm a military "dependent", haha) and we are stationed in Hawaii. The locals do speak English, but there is also some Hawaiian and pidgin thrown in. I have picked up a bit (small bit, but a bit) of pidgin and Hawaiian. I was just curious if you had been living in Italy long enough to pick up some of that.

Some military folks do tend to isolate themselves and don't travel or interact with locals where they are stationed, although I'm sure you know that.



That's disturbing.

I'm sorry. I should have clarified since I'm new here. I don't currently live in Italy, but I have in the past, which is why I have some knowledge on the subject.

As far as finding beauty in Italy, I would just encourage you to take the time to get out of Naples and see a little more. The best way to truly appreciate it is to pick a nice spot and spend a little time, especially in a place that is not particularly touristy; although Florence is amazing if you have a chance to go there. I just hope you can open your mind a little more to the flavor of experiencing another culture.



I'm so glad we can have an intelligent conversation about this.

That's disturbing.

I agree. But it's kind of unavoidable. Because of some agreement we (Navy) made for being here, a certain number of jobs on the bases have to be held by local nationals. And it particularly makes good sense for local nationals to work the housing thing, because when you first get here, you're just plain lost, and driving is scary, so if you're going to live on the economy, you're going to need a local guide to shop for a place to live. The down side of that is that there's no "Are you currently, or have you ever been a part of the Camorra?" on their job apps (a joke, of course).

Some military folks do tend to isolate themselves and don't travel or interact with locals where they are stationed, although I'm sure you know that.

I know a little Napolitan (Naples Italian), and have played a few pay gigs out in town for giggles. I haven't found the interactive experience around here to be that appealing - mainly due to what you have to go through just to get in and out of places, and the fact that you're kind of forced to be rude to survive. For example, if you don't cut in a line, you'll never get what you're trying to buy, because they all just walk right in front of you. It's like living in the Old West sometimes.

On the flip side, I go on leave the 15th of August (provided Chief results don't come out before that and I make it, because all thoughts of leave goes right down the toilet at that point due to Navy Chief stuff.) Mari and I are planning a drive up to Venice, a stop in Nice France so she make her own perfume at this make your own perfume place, and then over to Vienna Austria. Should be a good trip if we get to go.

As far as finding beauty in Italy, I would just encourage you to take the time to get out of Naples and see a little more. The best way to truly appreciate it is to pick a nice spot and spend a little time, especially in a place that is not particularly touristy; although Florence is amazing if you have a chance to go there. I just hope you can open your mind a little more to the flavor of experiencing another culture.

I'm so glad we can have an intelligent conversation about this.

Take the time to get out of Naples and see a little more. Does Ghana, Togo, Albania, Bosnia, France, England, Germany, Tunisia, Greece, Angola, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, Turkey, and probably some others I don't recall right off the top of my head count? Or do you mean out of Naples but still in Italy? I've played festas in about 10 different little Italian towns, and most of them were quite nice.

As far as your intelligent conversation comment, which if you'll forgive me, I am reading as sarcastic due to the fact that you're a little preachy on this subject, I don't assume your intelligence. For example, someone wanting an intelligent conversation with me probably won't be sarcastic here until I have gotten to know them better. They probably also wouldn't question my own thinking mechanism until they know ME better which if you're genuinely interested you can begin to do by reading The Zen of Ping Pong Politics, The Doctor and the Musician: A Diologue, Creative Writing For Kicks, or maybe Quantum truth, or one of my oldest works of silliness, The Great Feces Machine.

I picked those because they're the best tools you have available to make a far reaching decision on my potential for intelligent conversation. You don't have to go read them, or try to extract what are often hidden meanings only meant to make the readers think, but if you don't, you will earn the appellation "Punk With An Ax To Grind." Let's hope not

I'm sorry that you haven't had enough good experiences in Italy to outweigh the bad. I love Italy, despite all the difficult things that happened while we were there. That isn't to say that I think Italy is better than America. There are a lot of messed up things about Italy that make me grateful to be American. It is my hope however that everyone who has the opportunity to experience Italy could see its beauty despite what is screwed up about it.

Despite how hard our experience was, I have heard from those on the inside that Napoli is probably the most difficult place for an American to live and understand. I have met both people who have survived and people who haven't. Usually those who were able to delve below the surface were the ones who made friends with locals they could trust.

You are right. The comment I made was uncalled for. I was not trying to make . I was just disappointed that instead of simply saying you didn't know or expressing an opinion about it you felt the need to be insulting and rude. I have no problem taking the time to get to know you. However, is it necessary to automatically shun me just because I am new? Everyone on here was new at some point. However, I am thoroughly chastened and will make sure to limit my comments until I am fully "in the know". Thanks for the warning.

Sorry for the belated reply. I've been in France.

I'll just put this simply - my problem with your statements had nothing to do with you being new (unless you mean to the planet, and I don't believe that) My problem was because you assumed a lot of things. (And were 180 degrees dead wrong about them...but the assuming was bad enough)

You will find, if you stop by here again, that I never banish anyone, nor do I target them for derision. You are welcome to come here and post your opinions all day long and none will ever be deleted (unless they compromise someone else's rights), but when you do, bring your "A" game. I'm old, and I'm grumpy about a lot of things, and I won't even think twice about pulling the trigger. Leave assumptions with the rest of the silly people that believe that just because they "feel" something strongly that it's somehow "right." In short, if you come here without your thinking cap fully functioning, expect a response that may not be touchy feely. You've been warned. And to end on a high note, despite the tone of that last statement, thanks for visiting. It may not seem this way, but all are welcome here.

JFC, Ock. How long has it been since you got laid?

JFC, Ock. How long has it been since you got laid?

I'm guessing the nature of the question is a possible solution to why I have seemed a bit cranky lately. The question that would truly result in the real solution would be: "Ock, how long has it been since you've been in an environment which wasn't continually threatening your happiness? Answer: Way too damn long.

But I'll answer the one you did ask, anyway: About a week, but I've been in France on an aircraft carrier. My berthing was BET Block Party 24/7. Regarding your question, would have been last night, but I was operating on 9-10 hours of half sleep for the past three days total, so I wasn't in prime condition. I'm not one to half-ass it. (Not to mention our freaking power keeps going out, and sex the way we have it without an air conditioner is pretty uncomfortable.

In fact, (@Sabrina) I was in the middle to responding to your last mail when the power blew and sent everything I had written into the ether. Hate when that happens Will attempt again in a while.

(@all) Power has gone out twice already this morning, but obviously it's back on now, so hopefully some sex later today. Candid enough answer?

Better hit that post button before I lose this one too.