Columns

The power of movies has proven itself time and time again throughout history. Cinema often mirrors the plights of society or recounts life-changing events. Such is the case with Peter Miller’s documentary film, “Projections of America.” My first encounter with Miller happened in 2006 when I reviewed his stunning, heartfelt documentary, “Sacco and Vanzetti.” Since then, I have remained in contact with Miller on social media and followed his projects. One of them is Miller’s 2015 documentary, “Projections of America” in which he focuses on the years immediately following World War II when Hollywood was called upon by the U.S. …

Every day, we all compare the characteristics of one person, place or thing to another — and many times these characteristics are similar or the same. For instance, there are so many places in Italy that are beautiful, and one may be as beautiful as another! Or one place in Italy may have as many important sites of interest as another. In these cases, to make a comparison we must use the Italian adverbs come and tanto… quanto to relay the meanings “as,” “as well as,” and “as much as.” When comparing two different nouns — people, places, or things …

Among the best in the rarified and highly dangerous world of speed skiing, Ivan and Simone Origone risk life and limb to hurtle down slopes at close to 160 miles per hour. Two Italian brothers are trailblazers in speed skiing, often described as the fastest non-motorized sport on Earth. Simone Origone, 43, is the most decorated speed skier of all time, with a resume that encompasses 13 World Cup wins, including the last one in 2022. His brother, Ivan, 35, holds the speed skiing world record, which he set in 2016 at 158.424 miles per hour. Speed skiing takes place …

As mortgage rates cross the 6-percent threshold, home sales are cooling down significantly. And with fears of a recession looming across the national economic landscape, the real estate market appears to be firmly in what experts refer to as “correction” stage. Many professionals are emphasizing that the market is readjusting to stabilize itself from the prior madness. Bear in mind that activity tends to naturally decelerate in the fourth quarter, making it the slowest three-month stretch of the year. With schools in session and the holidays approaching, most people will push back the selling and moving processes until the spring …

Last month, I told the story of a young man named Paolo who died so long ago that nobody remains who can tell anything about him. There are a few impersonal government documents and a grave monument that acknowledge his presence on the earth, but today there is simply no way to ask anyone anything about him. Today, I want to put a sense of urgency on talking to your living relatives who are old enough to remember people who died long ago. I have lost several relatives in the past couple of months. They lived far away and they …

Christmas is a time for celebration, but how we celebrate has changed over the centuries. How do you celebrate Christmas? Do you embrace the more secular version embodied by Santa Claus with his big bag of presents, or the more religious one in which gifts are given in recognition of God’s gift to us of His Son Jesus Christ? One tradition I embrace is the Christmas story told by Mario Avignone who is the originator of this column. Fr. Pierini asked him decades ago to start writing Petals as a way of keeping Roseland alive in our hearts. In my …

“The olive is the land’s most precious fruit but it cannot be harvested without effort. The harvesters work for 7 to 8 hours a day, and in the colder seasons, the effort is tremendous because the job needs to be done quickly. There are direct orders from the owner who urges them because the fruit cannot stay on the ground. Otherwise, it will rot.” In his 1967 documentary “Tempo di raccolta,” Luigi Di Gianni follows Calabrians as they work in the groves collecting olives for the annual harvest. The majestic beauty of the trees, the equal majesty of generations of …

Most U.S. markets are seeing increases in sales prices. In some cases, homes will sell in as little as a few hours. That’s not the case everywhere. though, as homes in some areas are going for lower than asking price. For the most part, were seeing an increase in prices in suburban areas and a drop in cities. Because of COVID, people value their space and with an increase in remote jobs, many people don’t need to go into the office more than once or twice a week. People don’t know what the future holds so they want to be …

I am reminded every day at work that my memory isn’t what it used to be. When I was a kid, I could remember which baseball card numbers I needed to complete the set of 660 Topps cards. I didn’t need a written list. I guess they would call that a photographic memory. Now, I leave my house without remembering to comb my hair! Or I get in my car and try to start it only to discover that I left my keys on the table! There’s a term for the status of my current memory, but I can’t remember …

This year’s Labor Day weekend celebrations were looked forward to with great anticipation and, though the weather wasn’t exactly as we had hoped, all events were successful. For me, the eventful weekend began on Sunday when the first Sunday of the month walking tour took place. More than 50 individuals participated. The group was so large that it was split into three, each with their own tour guide, proving Pullman’s emergence as a “must see” Chicago sight. What made this tour group special for me was that my friends Diane De Re and Sonia Carli, along with their four friends …