Italian News Snippets: 06.17.07

Some Italian news for your Sunday:

• A Russian ninja who had been terrorizing farmers in the north of Italy has been caught – and it seems we have Robin Hood to thank for his choice of disguises.
• Even if they drive cars down staircases in the movies, it’s probably not a good idea to try it in real life. At least the guy who drove down the Spanish Steps has this excuse – he was drunk.
• Italy’s new art-guarding robot dog might not be able to chase down and catch thieves, but it can tell when the air is too humid for the artwork.
• We’ve been reading all about the water crisis and heatwaves in Italy, but when 13 fountains in Rome were turned off last Firday it was just a symbolic gesture. No need to panic. Yet.
• Now all of you car enthusiasts and chocolate lovers have something to fight over – a chocolate Ferrari will be auctioned off in Maranello this coming Saturday. It’s all part of the Ferrari 60 celebration; another part of the celebration, the “global relay race” marking the car maker’s 60th birthday, will arrive in Rome on Saturday as well.
• If you’re visiting Venice in the next couple of weeks, you’ll want to check out the Biennale (every two years) for some contemporary art.
• The Italian art police have saved an ancient temple from being dug up and discarded by developers in Calabria.
• Italy’s trying to go more and more green, including getting people to recycle more. A new label on biodegradable products should help.
• A new study says that more than half of Italians never use the Internet. I say they don’t know what they’re missing. But I’m probably an addict, so what do I know?
• The pros in the Italian art restoration world are lending a hand to Egypt to try to preserve the wall paintings inside the pyramids and tombs.