11 July 2008

you can't hide forever
or
so much for omertá

"Gomorra," the organized-crime tale that won rave reviews at Cannes in May, is helping the Italian police track down real criminals.

According to the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, the film was screened at a Naples prison where inmates in jail for activities related to the Gomorra -- Naples' version of the Mafia -- recognized one of their own among the film's cast.

The actor, credited in the film as Giovanno Venosa, who is reported to be a wanted organized crime figure with a passion for acting, ended up as part of the no-name cast that director Matteo Garrone selected for the film. He tried out in an open audition and won a role.

Police said they easily tracked him down and that he was placed in prison in the northern Italian city of Modena, near Bologna.

"We would have never known Venosa was who we were looking for if he had not been recognized by the inmates who saw the film," a spokesman for the Carabinieri in Naples said in a telephone interview.

In the film, the character played by Venosa killed two teenagers. Police did not say which crime he has been accused of in real life.

Yahoo!/Reuters News

06 July 2008

women. . .can't live with 'em,
can't trade 'em in.

A woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.
One such store has just opened in New York City.

Among the instructions at the store entrance is a description of how the store operates.


You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!
There are six floors.
The attributes of the men increase
as you ascend the flights.
There is, however, a catch. . .
you may not compare men on different floors.
You may choose to go up a floor,
but you may not go back down
except to leave the building!

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:


First Floor
These men have jobs
and love the Lord.

The second floor sign reads:

Second Floor
These men have jobs,
love the Lord, and love kids.

The third floor sign reads:

Third Floor
These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids,
and are extremely good looking.

"Wow," she thinks, but is compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor reads the sign:

Fourth Floor
These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids,
are drop-dead good looking and help with the housework.

"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims. "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes on:

Fifth Floor
These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids,
are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework,
and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she continues to the sixth floor and reads the sign:

Sixth Floor
You are visitor 44,363,012 to this floor.
There are no men on this floor.
This floor exists solely as proof
that women are impossible to please.
Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.
Watch your step as you leave,
and have a nice day!
x
thanks to sudbeck for sending this to me. . .