Vol. 28 No. 10
march 18, 2011
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AFN Radiothon happening now By MCSA Cameron Bramham The Signature Staff American Forces Network (AFN) Sigonella is set to cap off the annual Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) fund drive with its premiere fund raising event, the Radiothon. This annual event gives Sailors, Marines and their families the opportunity to give back to the local NMCRS offices that provide them with a variety of services. During the drive, which lasts all month, Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella and its tenant commands will hold various fundraisers, from car washes and sports tournaments to special food sales with all proceeds going to the NMCRS. To assist NMCRS with raising these funds, AFN Sigonella is holding its annual Radiothon on Eagle Radio 106.0 today, Mar. 18. “What AFN is doing is we’re having a 12-hour live call-in show where people can request songs or if they don’t like the song, they can call in and request to change the song and play something else,” MC2 Jeremy Freehling said. “Every song requested will also accompany a donation with it and in turn, all of that money will go to NMCRS.
Weather
top StorieS
Mar. 18 H: 69 update L: 48
Along with AFN we have other organizations such as the First Class Association (FCS), Junior Enlisted Association ( JEA), Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) and the Navy Exchange that will donate and help set up activities for people to help create an atmosphere similar to a carnival.” “I think that the reason the Radiothon is key is because most of the people on base listen to the Eagle and AFN while
they’re in their office and I think that to have that airwave going for 12 hours is a great way to get our message to our service members,” NMCRS Director Esther Scott said. “They will have fun listening to music and participating in the different activities, but more importantly they will gain a better understanding towards the NMCRS and what we can provide for them.” MCCS Michael Martin said the Radiothon basically breaks down into two parts, radio and fundraising.
Mar. 19 H: 66 L: 48
Mar. 20 H: 69 L: 41
Trials and Temptations: James 1:2 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
U.S. Pacific Fleet ships in the Western Pacific were converging on Japan to be in the best position to help those in areas damaged by the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
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“The radio part is where we will be taking donations and song requests throughout the day, and then we’ll have food vendors, car washes, auction items, a security jail and bail and other activities people can participate in,” Martin said. “There’s a lot of coordination involved with an event like the Radiothon putting the event together and making sure we’re ready to go come Friday.” Listeners who make pledges get an added bonus; their name is thrown into a hat for a chance to win one of the wide varieties of goods and services donated by local businesses and organizations in support of the military community living in and around Sigonella. Potential prizes include a stay at a local hotel, dinners at local restaurants, executive parking, free car rentals and much more. The drawings are held around the clock until all the prizes are given away. Winners will be required to pay their pledge to their command keyperson, and bring with them proof of payment prior to picking up their prize. Base leadership and base “celebrities” will be taking the calls and pledges. Martin said that he has been a part of
AFN, continued on page 12
Mar. 21 H: 66 L: 47
Mar. 22 H: 63 L: 42
Photo by MCSA Cameron Bramham, The Signature Staff Runners take off at the start of the Base to Base run on March 12. The Base to Base run is a 7.6 mile course that goes from NAS II to NAS I. Runners were rewarded with refreshments and music following the event.
Sigonella runners participate in Base to Base event By GM2 Kris Carmody The Signature Staff The weather this year on Mar. 12 was calm and sunny with a few clouds here and there as many active duty service members and civilians from the NAS Sigonella community came out to participate in the annual Base 2 Base run; the most popular running event of the year hosted by NAS Sigonella’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR). Participants started the event at the Flight Line Fitness Center Gym on NAS II and ran or walked the entire 7.6 miles of road between NAS I and NAS II. The walkers were given a head start and started the race at 10 a.m., while the runners followed behind at 10:30 a.m. The finish line was located at the NAS Sigonella Midtown Recreation Center on NAS I where participants were greeted with inspirational cheers and applause by the crowd as well as free food, refreshments and music. The first runner across the line was Lt. Thomas Matella of the United States Navy Nurse Corps. When asked how he felt about being first across the line he said, "I'm pretty excited. I ran my first Base 2 Base run back in 2008. Last year, it was terribly rainy Mar. 23 H: 62 L: 42
Bread shouldn’t be ever thrown away. How many times have we heard that from our grandparents? Today, we think that it is normal to buy fresh bread at bakeries, but if we really look back at our history, we realize how important bread has been over the centuries, especially in rural communities.
Take a little tour through the Conderelli factory and learn how they make their famous hollow eggs for Easter.
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and there was a really tough field of Italians last year. The weather was much better this year. That hill, even though this is my third time running, that hill still gets you every time, so it's good to have a crowd of fast runners up front leading the pack that have a good pace to get up to that final stretch and kick in on that straight away. So it was a good run." The second runner to finish was IT3 Colton Leadley who said, "I feel awesome. I feel accomplished, and I just feel really good about it. My time was really good and it was a really fun race. Everybody tried really hard and did really well." Third place was Jason Black who said, "It felt a lot longer than 7 miles but I was really happy that I was able to finish because the last part of the run I just jellied up and I felt like bad, but for 7 miles of running I still made good time." Some participants showed support and teamwork by running alongside their fellow runners and helping them along the way while other participants ran along with their children in strollers. Military members of other services showed their enthusiasm for the run such as, a few Marines who
RUN, continued on page 12
Traffic Numbers
Mar. 24 H: 62 L: 46 Think you have what it takes to make the best burger in Sigonella? If so come to Take 5 on Thursday, March 31. This is the First Ever Burger Cook-Off. We will provide the ingredients and spices and you mix it all up to provide the best tasting burger!
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Accidents
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DUIs
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Traffic Deaths
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please, don’t become a statistic!
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DirecT LiNe
All of us have daily reminders that serve to show us just how fragile life can be. This past week was no exception as the nation of Japan was struck by a threefold disaster that is quickly proving to be one of the worst in history. On Friday, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake occurred which triggered a tsunami, damaged a nuclear power plant, and caused inestimable damage across the island. A single one of these events would be considered a crisis – all three happening at once defies imagination. This recent disaster hit especially close to home for me as my last tour was serving as the Operations Officer for the U.S. SEVENTH Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan. Like many of you, I have many close friends still stationed there, all of whom remain in harm’s way and many of whom are lending a hand in the recovery efforts. My thoughts and prayers go out, not only to our fellow service members stationed in and around
NaS SigoNella CommaNdiNg offiCer, Capt. SCott Butler
Japan, but also to the people of Japan themselves, who have had so much taken from them in such a short time. While this is an ongoing tragedy for our friends in Japan, I think it is important to try and use the lessons, many of which are still being learned, from this crisis to better prepare ourselves for the future. The two big lessons that that stand out to me are communication and preparedness. As always, communication is KEY. As long as we are able to maintain constant communication between us, our ability to deal with any potential problems significantly increases. The NASSIG Community is spread throughout the island of Sicily, and there’s no single way I can ensure that each of you receives critical information you might need in the event of a disaster; however, if disaster strikes, I will use all available methods to communicate and increase our odds of reaching as many of you as possi-
Eight unbeatens lead wrestling champs “We’ve wrestled six or seven times this season. He’s a great wrestler.” Carroll, last year’s 130-pound king, WIESBADEN ARMY AIRFIELD, put the distinction on his 145-pound Germany — The people who put on crown by registering his seventh fall in the DODDS Europe high school wreseven stling chambouts pionships here are fond of when he calling it pinned “The TourHeidelnament of berg’s ChamDaniel pions.” LeJeune When the at the 3 2011 chamminute, pionships 49 sewrapped up cond Saturday mark. that desiCarroll, gnation was Photo by Nicole Vossler 21-0 for no hyperThe Sigonella Jaguars Wrestling Team at the DODDS the seabole. Eight Europe High School championships. son, of the 14 said the individual all-falls tournament run had been in champions completed unbeaten seahis mind all weekend. sons by winning championship bouts. “I’d been to Europeans before,” said Three were 2010 champions back for the junior, who’ll be chasing third title another go — Adam Franz of Ramnext year. “I wanted to do something stein, Adam Carroll of Lakenheath like getting the most pins or someand Calen Fields of Patch — and each thing like that.” seasoned his second title with some Fields, who finished his campaign 24extra mustard. 0, pinned Ramstein’s Christopher Franz, the 2010 champ at 103, claiGrantham at the 2:53 mark of the med the 119-pound title by defeating 160-pound finale, was a big part of a fellow 2010 champion, Adrien Julian Patch’s third straight European Diviof Baumholder, 12-4. sion I title. The Panthers outpointed “I love wrestling him,” said Franz, a juArticle published by Stars & Stripes
nior who finished this season 28-0 for a second-straight unbeaten campaign. Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Butler Public Affairs Officer Lt. Matt Knight Deputy Public Affairs Officer Dott. Alberto Lunetta Editor Tracie Barnthouse Staff Writers/ Photographers MC1 Christopher Delano MC2 Gary Prill GM2 Kris Carmody MCSA Cameron Bramham The Signature editorial office is located at: Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily PSC 812 Box 3020, FPO, AE 09627 Telephone: 095-86-5440: DSN 624-5440
ble. If necessary, I will notify your chain of command, employ AFN Radio and Television, send messages through the Computer Desktop Notification System (CDNS), use All Hands Mass e-mails, put information on our fan page at facebook.com/nassigonella, activate Command Phone Trees and leverage our Command Ombudsmen. The bottom line is that if you are ever unsure what is going on in a given situation, I ask that you actively search for information from one of these sources, in addition to checking with your chain of command. I cannot possibly overemphasize the importance of being properly prepared ahead of any emergency. The time to do that preparation is NOT once the crisis emerges. Part of that preparation is making sure you can provide for your family: you must understand what will be required if an emergency requires that you Shelter in Place. Families
each of you is informed and actively prepared to act on your plans when the need arises. Please, help me help you. Prepare now; know how to find information, and help all of us succeed if/when a crisis does occur here.
NASSIG WORSHIP SERVICES Chapel Offices: NAS I 095-56-3975, NAS II 095-86-9049 ROMAN CATHOLIC Sunday 0900 Catholic Mass (NAS I Chapel) 1200 Catholic Mass (NAS II Chapel) Monday-Thursday 1200 Catholic Mass (NAS II Chapel) JEWISH LAY SERVICES First Friday 1800 Shabbat Service (NAS I Chapel) sigshalom@yahoo.com
PROTESTANT Sunday 1045 Protestant Worship (NAS I) Wednesday 1700 Fellowship Meal 1800 Adult Bible Study Youth Group Children’s Class CHURCH OF CHRIST LAY SERVICE Sunday 1530 NAS I Chapel Call 624-5128 or 338-736-3061
OTHER SERVICES/ACTIVITIES POINTS OF CONTACT Latter-day Saints: Sunday 1300 Catania Chapel, shefchik@hotmail.com; 624-1393 AA Meetings: Monday,Wednesday, Friday – 1900, NAS II Chapel, 346-840-7745
Pursuing Perseverance RP1 Stacey L. Ruthemeyer NAS Sigonella Religious Ministries Department Trials and Temptations: James 1:2 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Over the past couple of years, like any human being, I have been faced with many trials. The question often comes to my mind, like many of you, I’m sure, “God, why me, what did I do to deserve this?” I would like to share a few of the hard life lessons that I have had to endure in my recent years, ones that have helped me grow and what I like to refer
JAGUARS, continued on page 12 This civilian enterprise (CE) newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of The Signature are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the U.S. Navy. The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD or Stampa Generale S.r.l., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. The Signature is published weekly by Stampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno
must know what they need to have in order to survive in an emergency. It is recommended that you keep a five-day emergency supply of food and water, as well as an emergency kit which should include a batterypowered radio, flashlights and other important safety measures available at all times in your homes. If you’re not certain that you’re prepared, check with our world-class Emergency Management team here or consult the Red Cross for more detailed lists of emergency supplies that everyone should maintain. Like Japan, the island of Sicily is full of its own challenges, including an active volcano, several seismically active regions, heavy rains, and very challenging driving conditions, even in good weather. The Navy has invested considerable time and resources to ensure that the NASSIG Community is as prepared as humanly possible for whatever may come; however, all of our planning and preparation will only succeed if
Brandi, Publisher, Naval Support Activity, Capodichino (Naples), Italy - Tel. 081568-7884, Fax 081-568-7887. E-mail: stampagenerale@tin.it. Editorial submissions are welcomed from all Naval Air Station Sigonella departments, divisions and tenant commands. Editorial submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs Office via thesig@eu.navy.mil, guard mail stop #68 or hand-delivered to our office no later than the close of business on the Friday proceeding the expected publication date. All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers. The Signature will not publish any anonymous articles. All advertisements in this publication are the property of Stampa Generale S.r.l. Any reproduction of advertisements in The Signature is unauthorized without the written consent of the publisher.
to as “Perseverance!” In the summer of 2007, I became a victim of drunk driving, yes, you heard me a “Victim!” The rental car that I was driving while on TAD/Government orders was completely totaled. I managed to get out of the car and quickly realized, while shocked in amazement looking at the totaled car, that I was still “ALIVE!” I live in physical pain everyday, some days worse than others, this is something that I have really had to fight to come to grips with and at times can be very mentally draining. This being said, I’ll repeat the saying we all get tired of hearing, “DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!” You may never know the life-long damage you could cause to someone else’s life and if you don’t know now, come see me, I’ll tell you all about it! In the summer of 2008, my mom’s older sister, one of my favorite aunts, my Aunt Bonnie died of cancer at the age of 61. She was the healthiest person in our entire family, taken from us, just like that. I share this with you because we have all lost someone we have loved dearly. I remember my last visit to see her in
May, before she died in July, having just graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree at the time, she had given me a hand-written congratulations card, that read, “Stacey, you have always managed to persevere!” My aunt had a very good point, but if it wasn’t without the help of God and his grace, I wouldn’t be anywhere! My Aunt Bonnie went on to suffer in pain everyday until the day she died, I was truly amazed by her display of perseverance throughout her cancer period and it has taught me a lifelong lesson about the pain that I endure daily, I’m still here, and I get to enjoy the most out of my life, so I might as well live it! On my “Bucket List,” I have always wanted to finish a Triathlon, now having physical challenges makes it more difficult, but I know I can do it. As God would have it, my friend just transferred here from South Korea, where we were both stationed prior to this duty station. He competes in Ironman competitions, and is bound and determined to help me reach my goal. I’m truly blessed for his motivation, patience, and daily encouragement On a positive note, we have successfully completed week one DUI, continued on page 12
CNE-CNA-C6F/CNREURAFSEA IG Hotline It’s everyone’s responsibility to report fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in Navy activities to: Office of the Inspector General, Naples, Italy Leave a recorded message 24/7: DSN 626-2983, Comm: 081-5682983 Speak to the Investigator: DSN 626-2964, Comm: 081-568-2964 Email: ighotline@eu.navy.mil Website: www.cnic.navy.mil/europe/index.htm You can choose to remain anonymous or confidential.
marCh 18, 2011
Navy units prepare to support tsunami-damaged areas From U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -U.S. Pacific Fleet ships in the Western Pacific were converging on Japan to be in the best position to help those in areas damaged by the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami. They include the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which departed Southern California waters on March 5 for a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Reagan is the flagship of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, which includes USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and USS Preble (DDG 88). All three ships were headed to Honshu's east coast. It is too early to say what they will be tasked with once they arrive. USS Essex (LHD 2), also forward deployed to Sasebo, had just arrived in Malaysia, but is getting ready to return to Japan to rendezvous with USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) off Tokyo to prepare for any humanitarian assistance/disaster relief duties. USS Tortuga (LSD 46), a dock landing ship that carries helicopters and landing craft to support amphibious operations, left its forward deployed port of Sasebo in Southern Japan last evening to embark MH-53 heavy lift helicopters. USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), the U.S. Seventh Fleet command ship, had arrived in Singapore yesterday for a port visit, but immediately changed its focus to loading humanitarian assistance/disaster relief equipment and preparing to return to Japan to provide support as directed. "We obviously have huge sympathy for the people of Japan, and we are prepared to help them in any way we possibly can," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a statement. "It's obviously a very sophisticated country, but this is a huge disaster and we will do all, anything we are asked to do to help out."
Bravo Zulu - Top 5 Large Commands leading in Individual Medical Readiness: AIMD: 92.4% Naval Hospital: 90.9% NAVCOMTELSTA: 87.2% NASSIG Security: 87.0% Public Works: 85.4% Percent of Staff Fully Medically Ready (Commands >100 personnel) Brought to you by your Flight Line Clinic, Medical Home Port
What is the most challenging thing you have done in the Navy? Sailors and Marines aboard the U.S 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) watch an SH-60F Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Warlords of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light (HSL) 51 as it conducts a vertical replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204), not pictured. Blue Ridge is taking on humanitarian assistance supplies to ensure the crew is ready support earthquake and tsunami relief operations in Japan as directed. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron M. Pineda/Released)
Who: NAS Sigonella Pack 53 Boy Scouts What: Pine Wood Derby and Cake Auction When: April 30, 12 p.m. Where: Midtown Complex
ITSR Alyssa Vient “Not having a car.”
ITSR Cody Harner
MA2 Brandon
“Boot Camp, because I Sharman was not prepared at all “When I had to work 11 for Great Lakes.” straight days working six on six off.”
LSSA Brandon Thrasher
PSSR Alicia Walters
“Living overseas.” “Saying goodbye to my dog.”
New Hope Picciolo
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Dott. Stella
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Babysitter Training Class 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. N M C R S Th r i ft Shop Open 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
ADFD Fashion Show
FFSC can be reached at x4291 American Red Cross at x4900 Does your command or organization have an event you’d like to see on the Community Calendar? Email us at thesig@eu.navy.mil and let us know!
Pantellaro
Chiechio
Oxidiana
Gelso Bianco
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Fleet and Family Support Center Administration Building Bldg. 319 (NAS I) Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. DSN 624-4291 Commercial 095-56-4291
New Place
Empower. Enrich. EDUCATE. First Impressions, Lasting Impact! Adapted from National Career Fairs
Career Fairs are the best opportunity you can find to make connections face to face with recruiters who make hiring decisions. In order to make the most of those connections your first impressions needs to make a memorable impact on the recruiter. You want to stand out in positive ways when recruiters review all of the people they met during the event. Below are some important things to remember as you prepare for the event and any meeting you have during your job search process. Look Your Best Your polished resume and solid skills will shine if you dress professionally for the career fair. Recruiters will quickly recognize that you have taken the time to dress appropriately and will then put the focus on listening to you and understanding your potential with the company. No last minute outfitsplan in advance what you will wear the day of the event. Take out your
Motta
Marchi
Palermo
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clothing and make sure it is cleaned and pressed and your shoes are polished. The position you are seeking or the company may not require business attire, but you are showing respect by dressing professionally. • Your general appearance will be the first thing noticed- make it professional and you will quickly turn the employer towards a discussion of your skills and qualifications. • Looking professional does not need to cost a lot of money. If you do not have a suit or coordinating skirt and blouse there are many reasonable discount stores and second-hand clothing stores that carry gently worn professional clothing. • If you need to choose one new suit then focus on conservative colors like navy, black, grey and brown or tan in warmer climates • Keep the accessories minimal and not distracting- you want the recruiter focused on your resume and what you have to say not on large jewelry or a distracting tie. • Make sure your shoes are polished and wear socks or stockings.
Your belt should be black, or match the color of your shoes. • Pay attention to little details such as removing lint or strings and buttoning collars • What about a necktie? Although conservative and not worn as much as in the past you should have a tie as part of your suit for the career fair. Wear subtle patterns or stripes and avoid flashy designs and colors. For a more conservative look match your suit with deep colors, such as reds, navy blue, or black. • If you have a beard or mustache, make sure it is neat and trimmed. • Avoid wearing any strong scents as some people may be allergic or find them distracting. • Make-up should be natural, not overdone- less is more. • Make sure your nails are clean and not too long. Women who wear nail polish should stick to clear coats or a very soft color. • Bring along mints to enIMPRESSIONS, continued on page 12
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marCh 18, 2011 Alberto Lunetta The Signature Staff
Ashton Grand Soirée Ballet brings magic to Catania Opera Tickets are on sale for Frederick Ashton's choreographed "Ashton Grand Soirée," an enchanting ballet featuring prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili's company, the State Ballet of Georgia, which will make its Catania debut on Tuesday March 22 as part of the highprofile Catania Bellini Opera season. Frederick Ashton was one of neoclassical ballet's choreographic masters. Ananiashvili, who is a former principal of the Bolshoi Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, directs and dances with her homeland's national company. The program features "Marguerite et Armand" (music by Franz Liszt), "Sylvia: Pas de Deux" (Music by Léo Delibes), “Thais Pas de Deux" (music by Jules Massenet), "La Chatte" (music by Jacques Offenbach), "Voices of Spring" (music by Johann Strauss) and "Birthday Offering" (Music by Alexander Glazunov). The company will give seven performances on the following days: Tuesday, March 22 (8:30 p.m.), Wednesday, March 23 (5:30 p.m.), Thursday, March 24 (5:30 p.m.), Friday, March 25 ( 4 p.m./ 8:30 p.m.), Saturday, March 26 (5:30 p.m.) and Sunday, March 27 (5:30 p.m.). As the New York Times reports, the State Ballet of Georgia tracks its beginnings back to the 1850s, to a small ballet company from St. Petersburg, Russia, headed by the choreographer Manokhin. In 1935, dancer and choreographer Vakhtang Cha-
bukiani, composer Andrey Balanchivadze (George Balanchine's brother), and designer Simon Virsaladze established the State Ballet of Georgia as the resident
company of the Tiblisi Opera and Ballet Theatre. The company fell into disarray during the 1992 Soviet civil war and in 2004, the president of Georgia (which became an independent state in 1991) extended a request to Ananiashvili to return to her home country and become artistic director of its national ballet company. As news of her appointment spread, former State Ballet of Georgia dancers who had gone abroad to perform with other ensembles returned to rejoin the company. Ananiashvili has added more than 20 new ballets to the repertoire, restaged classics such as Swan Lake and Don Quixote, works by fellow Georgia native Balanchine, and contemporary ballets by Trey McIntyre and Kylián. Alastair Macaulay
Wild West
has praised the company’s dancers for their “clean, unshowy style with none of the flamboyance or exaggerations that have characterized many Kirov and Bolshoi dancers,and plenty of technical strength” (The New York Times). According to Epoch Times, Ananiashvili started her impressive career in 1981 with the Bolshoi Ballet and then soon became a world renowned Bolshoi prima ballerina and an American Ballet Theater principal dancer. She has since been invited to dance with prestigious companies around the world. Her elegant and fluid form, exceptional technique, and dramatic expression distinguished her from all others. And even today when she sweeps her languid arm, she is the definition of grace. In 2004, Mikhail Saakashvili, president of the newly independent Republic of Georgia, invited Ananiashvili to build a ballet company, and in doing so, built the national pride of Georgia—a country that had suffered civil war, economic strife, and social unrest since its secession from the Soviet Union in 1991. In four years, Ananiashvili has established a reputable company of 100 dancers. For more information and tickets visit www.teatromassimobellini.it
Photo by http://vittcaltabiano.wordpress.com The breathtaking Salemi St. Joseph’s votive altars are the highlight of the annual festival - to be held this Sunday, March 19 – that will pay homage to the adoptive father of Jesus and the patron of families, carpenters and workers.
Salemi honors St. Joseph through Votive Bread Festival this Sunday “U pani non si ietta mai!” (Bread shouldn’t be ever thrown away). How many times have we heard that from our grandparents? Maybe, thousands! Today, we think that it is normal to buy fresh bread at bakeries, but if we really look back at our history, we realize how important bread has been over the centuries, especially in rural communities. Bread has been the most traditional of staple foods since ancient times. In Sicily’s countryside, at the beginning of the 20th century, pane or bread was considered to be holy. Peasants worked hard in the fields during the day and bread was their “reward.” Bread as “holy food” is also linked to the devotion towards San Giuseppe (St. Joseph) who has been celebrated for centuries throughout the region. Today, these rituals are still kept alive. One of the most fascinating traditions is the Salemi one. Salemi is an ancient medieval town located in the province of Trapani. Devotion to San Giuseppe takes the form of altars decorated with local food that is symbolically offered to the poor and needy. According to tradition, the number of foodstuffs on the altar can’t be less than 19 or more than 101. In Salemi, decorated
Magnolia
“bread altars” are an important part of that celebration. Since the 19th century, the “Cene di San Giuseppe” (St. Joseph Dinners) also called the “St. Joseph's Altars” are prepared for the festival that is held on March 19. These special “dinners,” which actually take place at midday at the San Giuseppe main church and at several venues throughout the town’s historic center, consist of a banquet offered by devotees to a group of children (three) who symbolize the Holy Family. It includes “101courses”, all of them meatless and cereal-based, because of Lenten obligations. Spaghetti mixed with olive oil, breadcrumbs, sugar, cinnamon and parsley, different kinds of cakes and vegetarian omelets are also among the food offered to the young guests. The devotee, who prepares the meal with the help of the entire family, could be someone who just expresses devotion to St. Joseph or someone showing gratitude and reverence to him for “grazia ricevuta” (for a grace received), meaning that the saint has helped with recovering from a deadly sickness or surviving a bad car crash. The preparation of
FESTIVAL, continued on page 12
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USAA
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marCh 18, 2011
By Tracie Barnthouse The Signature Editor
Chocolate making is some super secret stuff, and stealers lurk in the sweet shadows - hello, Mr. Slugworth, Wonka’s biggest foe. So when a group of excited and hungry chocolate lovers from NAS Sigonella went to visit the Condorelli factory in Belpasso, an ITT tour offered only once a year, we were all pretty bummed that we couldn’t take pictures. Because of that, I thought I’d “stick it to the man,” and make it my mission to precisely jot down everything that goes on, but unfortunately, I’m afraid that someone will come track me down and not be too pleased, so instead I’ll give you a brief, vague rundown of the happenings in the Condorelli factory. And no, there were no Oompa Loompa’s in sight. Strike two.
Moroboshi
As soon as you enter the factory, you are greeted with an overwhelming smell of chocolate. I imagine you get accustomed to it after a while, but it’s like guilt-free indulgence and no calories. I could just go there every day for a little sniff and be well on my way, no harm, no foul. After you come out of the chocolate haze, you’ll see that the happy Condorelli employees are busily working on Easter treats that are sold to the masses and exported all over the world. The Condorelli factory sends 40 percent of their goodies to countries outside of Italy, including the United States, Australia, and Canada, among others. Now, I don’t know if you’re like me, but when you think of a factory, you probably think of lines of people working on one particular element of the item they are
producing. Not so at the Condorelli factory. There are a total of three people working on packaging Easter cakes and each person is assembling a different flavor: traditional, pistachio, and citrus. These three people will over the course of the Easter holiday, package over 100 of these cakes a day. The cakes are called Colomba Pasquale, and are similar to the Panettone you see around the Christmas holiday, but they are shaped like doves. Cute! The next room in the factory is devoted to the hollow Easter eggs that are popular amongst Italians and especially children. I think this is what the owners really didn’t want to be photographed, because the process is pretty amazing. First some melted chocolate is poured into an egg mold. The mold then folds in half and enters what I’ll call a vibrating spinning device, which
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shakes the chocolate into shape. After both sides are fully coated, the chocolate egg comes out and an employee quickly opens it and throws in a gift. From there, it is cooled and gets ready for packaging. Some eggs are set aside to be coated by hand with a nut and chocolate mixture. Condorelli offers chocolate eggs in a variety of sizes, and the factory makes 600-700 large-sized eggs a day and 800 small eggs a day. They even offer a chocolate egg so big that five employees have to coat the mold by hand and will put whatever gift you’d like inside of the egg. This would be an awesome way for a guy to propose. (hint, hint, gentlemen!) Condorelli imports all of their chocolate from Belgium, so you know you’re getting the good stuff. The chocolate is placed into containers that can hold up to
10,000 kilos (22,000 pounds) and is separated based on if it’s milk chocolate (latte) or dark chocolate (fondente). The containers have special chambers in them that hold water. The temperature of the water must be maintained at 36 degrees Celsius or else the chocolate will not be tempered correctly. The Easter eggs are on the shelves now, and can be found in the local supermarkets. If you’re looking to visit the Condorelli bar, there is one down the hill from the factory in Belpasso. It’s right across the street from the main church. The bar gets the freshest chocolates every day, and the men who work behind the counter speak English, which is pretty amazing! For more information about Condorelli, visit www.condorelli.it.
Angela
marCh 18, 2011
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*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Sausage Patties, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Asstd Doughnuts, Cinnamon Rolls. *Lunch: Chicken Corn Chowder, Baked Fish, Meat Loaf, Paprika Buttered Potatoes, Glazed Carrots, Fried Okra, Spiced Cake w/ Frosting, Crisp Drop Cookies. Speed line: Grilled Cheese/Hamburger, Baked Beans, French Fried Potatoes. *Dinner: Chicken Noodle Soup, Baked Fish W. Cherry Tomato Sauce, Tossed Green Rice, Corn O’Brien, Lima Beans, Spiced Cake w/ Frosting, Crisp Drop Cookies. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order. *Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast Puff, Asstd Doughnuts, Italian Croissant. *Brunch: Breakfast Items, Puree Mongole Soup, Cheddar Chicken Broccoli, Onion Rings, Eggplant Ratatouille, Southwestern Rice, Club Spinach, Almond Cake, Crisp Toffee Bars. *Dinner: Chicken Vegetable Soup, Sauerbraten, Spring Garden Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Natural Pan Gravy, Steamed Cut Green Beans, Seasoned Carrots, Almond Cake, Crisp Toffee Bars. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order. *Breakfast: Hot Farina, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Grilled Sausage Patties, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Biscuits and Gravy, Asstd Doughnuts, Blueberry Muffins. * Lunch: Chicken Vegetable Soup, Roast Turkey, Pasta al Forno, Steamed Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Carrots and Orange Amandine, Club Spinach, Fruit Cocktail Upside Down Cake, Oatmeal Cookies. *Speed Line: Roast Beef Sandwich, French Fried Potatoes. Dinner: Zesty Bean Soup, Chicken Quartered, Orange Rice, Southern Greens, Seasoned Mixed Vegetables, Fruit Cocktail Upside Down Cake, Oatmeal Cookies. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order. *Breakfast: Hominy Grits, Corned Beef Hash, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast, Asstd Doughnuts, Raisin Muffins. *Lunch: Corn Chowder Soup, Roast Pork, Chinese Five Spice Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy, Steamed Rice, Seasoned Carrots, Asparagus, Peanut Butter Cookies, Cherry Pie. *Speed Line: Hot dogs,Chili Macaroni. *Dinner: Minestrone Soup, Salisbury Steak, Ginger Rice, Mexican Corn, Steamed Broccoli, Cherry Pie, Peanut Butter Cookies. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
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*Breakfast: Farina, Grilled Ham Slices, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Asstd Doughnuts, Crumb Cake. *Brunch: Breakfast Items, Creole Soup, Teriyaki Chicken, Fried Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Calico Corn, Cherry Pie, Abracadabra Bars. *Dinner: Vegetable Soup, Baked Lasagna, Steamed Rice, Seasoned Asparagus, Steamed Cauliflower, Garlic Bread, Cherry Pie, and Abracadabra Bars. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
*Breakfast: Hot Hominy Grits, Minced Beef on Toast, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast, Asstd Doughnuts, Streusel Coffee Cake. *Lunch: Creamed of Broccoli Soup, Roast Beef, Lemon Baked Fish, Steamed Rice, Mixed Vegetables, Squash, Brownies, Yellow Cake w/ Icing, Fruit Ambrosia. *Speed line: Turkey/Ham & Cheese Sandwich. *Dinner: Vegetable Supreme Soup, Cajun Meatloaf, Rice Pilaf, Brown Gravy, Peas & Onions, Corn on the Cob, Brownies, Yellow Cake w/ Icing, Fruit Ambrosia. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Creamed Ground Beef, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Blueberry Pancakes, Asstd Doughnuts, Bear Claws. *Lunch: Beef Rice Soup, Baked Fish w/ Cherry Tomato Sauce, Honey Ginger Chicken, Garlic Cheese Potatoes, Rice Pilaf, Eggplant Parmesan, Brussels Sprouts Polonaise, Cheese Cake, Chocolate Pudding. *Speed Line: Grilled Cheese/Hamburger, Baked Beans, French Fried Potatoes. *Dinner: Cream of Chicken Soup, St. Louis BBQ Pork Ribs, Steamed Rice, Greens Beans Nicoise, Steamed Peas, Cheese Cake, Chocolate Pudding. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
Hours of Operation Mon-Fri: 6 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. (Breakfast), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Lunch), 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Dinner) Sat, Sun, Holidays: 7 a.m. - 9 a.m. (Breakfast), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Brunch), 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Dinner)
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Sumo Bowling Looking for something exciting to do on a Monday? Come to Take 5! Ever wanted to know what it is like to be a sumo wrestler and a professional bowler all at the same time? Now is your opportunity. You will be dressed in Sumo suits and will be bowling. The extra large fun takes place on Monday, March 21, at 5:30 p.m. There is no pre-registration required. Prizes will be awarded. For more information call 624-5602.
Burger Cook-off
midtoWN moVie theaterS SChedule & deSCriptioNS
HALL PASS- Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate, Nicky Whelan
Friday, March 18 5:00pm Rango PG 5:30pm Country Song PG-13 7:30pm The Dilemma PG-13 8:00pm The Mechanic R PREMIERE
Rick and Fred are best friends who have a lot in common, including the fact that they have each been married for many years. But when the two men begin to show signs of restlessness at home, their wives take a bold approach to revitalizing their marriages: granting them a "hall pass," one week of freedom to do whatever they want... no questions asked. At first, it sounds like a dream come true for Rick and Fred. But it isn't long before they discover that their expectations of the single life--and themselves-are completely, and hilariously, out of sync with reality. (105 min.) THE ROOMMATE- Frances Fisher, Ryan Doom, Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Alyson Michalka
Think you have what it takes to make the best burger in Sigonella? If so come to Take 5 on Thursday, March 31 for the First Ever Burger Cook-Off. We will provide the ingredients and spices and you mix it all up to provide the best tasting burger! Preparation starts at 3:30 p.m. and the flames will be ready at 5 p.m. Bring your best cooking abilities as you will want to take sole bragging rights to the best burger! For more information or to pre-register call x5602. Pre-registration is required as space is limited!
Community Flea Market Do you have a little too much junk in the trunk? Looking to find that specific something? Either sell your treasures or snag a deal at the Sigonella Community Flea Market Sunday, March 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Marinai Community Center parking lot. To sell your goods contact the ITT office, the small fee includes one eight-foot table and 2 chairs. Slightly used treasures, arts, crafts, and delicious treats are welcome! For more information call x4777.
A deranged college freshman becomes obsessed with her new roommate. (92 min.) Saturday, March 19 2:00pm Rango PG 2:30pm Megamind PG 5:00pm Country Strong PG-13 5:30pm The Rite PG-13 PREMIERE 7:30pm No Strings Attached R 8:00pm The Mechanic R Sunday, March 20 2:00pm Rango PG 2:30pm Battle: Los Angeles PG-13 PREMIERE 4:30pm The Rite PG-13 5:00pm The Mechanic R 7:00pm Hall Pass R Tuesday, March 22 5:00pm Battle: Los Angeles PG-13 7:30pm Hall Pass R Wednesday, March 23 5:00pm The Rite PG-13 7:30pm No Strings Attached R Thursday, March 24 5:00pm Country Strong PG-13 7:30pm The Dilemma PG-13 Friday, March 25 5:00pm The Roommate PG-13 PREMIERE 7:30pm The Mechanic R
THE RITE- Ciaran Hinds, Anthony Hopkins, Colon O’Donoghue, Alice Braga, Toby Jones
An American seminary student who attends exorcism school at the Vatican finds faith through encounters with demonic forces. (109 min.) COUNTRY STRONG- Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester, Marshall Chapman
Soon after a rising young singer-songwriter gets involved with a fallen, emotionally unstable country star, the pair embarks on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager and featuring a beauty-queen-turned-singer. Between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all. (117 min.) NO STRINGS ATTACHED- Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Gretta Gerwig, Kevin Kline, Ophelia Lovibond
Emma and Adam are life-long friends who almost ruin everything by having sex one morning. In order to protect their friendship, they make a pact to keep their relationship strictly "no strings attached." "No strings" means no jealousy, no expectations, no fighting, no flowers, no baby voices. It means they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, in whatever public place they want, as long as they don't fall in love. The question becomes -- who's going to fall first? And can their friendship survive? (110 min.)
Sigonella All Officer's Spouse's Club would like to support the wonderful organizations that contribute to our community. AOSC is now accepting written requests for funds from any NASSIG sanctioned group or DODDS organization. Written requests outlining the need for funds must be received no later than March 31st, 2011. The requests will then be reviewed by the AOSC Board and funds will be earmarked by April 15th, 2011.
THE MECHANIC- Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, Tony Goldwyn, Mini Anden
Arthur Bishop is a 'mechanic' - an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It's a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed - he wants those responsible dead. His mission grows complicated when Harry's son Steve approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop's trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can't turn his back on Harry's son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves. (100 min.) Movie schedule is subject to change. Please call to confirm. Movie Hotline: 624-4248
Please send requests to: Sigonella All Officer's Spouse's Club c/o Lisa McEwen PSC 812 Box 3320 FPO, AE 09627 If you have any questions or if you would like more information, please contact AOSC at the following email address: aoscsigonella@yahoo.com
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DUI, continued from page 2 of training. I would like to share a quote with you that we could all use and apply in our lives: “In general any form of exercise if pursued continuously, will help train us in perseverance. Long distance running is particularly good training in perseverance.” ~Mao Tse-Tung~ I would like to thank my Chaps as well who encouraged me to write this. I’ll leave you with this, no matter what pain, trials, or hardships you will endure in your life, you must keep preserving, “keep going the long distance,” you might just be amazed at what God has in store for you next. AFN, continued from page 1 many Radiothon’s and is hoping that Radiothon 2011 will bring more interest to Sigonella than it has in past years. “This year we’re trying to get more people involved so we can bring in more money for the fund drive,” Martin said. “Everything that gets donated is for us and the Marines so the more people we can get to participate in these events, the better off our Sailors and Marines will be.” “I think it’s a good thing for this base, the NMCRS does a lot for Sailors and this is a way for us to help give back to them for providing a great service for us,” Freehling said. “It should be a lot of fun because it also gives us at AFN a chance to interact with people on the base.” “I would say that the Radiothon is critical and essential for the Active Duty Fund Drive because it’s the time where people get to hear about it, and learn about it in a fun way,” Scott said.
IMPRESSIONS, continued from page 5 sure you have fresh breath during your discussions. • If you have tattoos, cover them up if possible and remove any facial piercing. Nothing could turn a recruiter off faster than an attendee walking up with a ring in his lip or nose. • Take along a briefcase or portfolio with everything you’ll need for the long day ahead. It can also be used for all the handouts you’ll receive at the career fair. Be Confident and Positive One you are set with an outfit that is professional and gives you confidence it is time to focus on how to introduce yourself with impact. As you approach the recruiter smile, look the person in the eye, offer a firm handshake and introduce yourself confidently- “Hello, my name is Janet Brown, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Practice introducing yourself to friends and family- it will help you build confidence in your approach and get your handshake right. First Impression Made- Well Done! You did it- you made it through the first impression with flying colors if you followed the advice above. Now you can turn your attention to having a meaningful conversation with the recruiter about the company, open positions, and why you are the right person for the job. For information on how to prepare for those conversations and to develop your personal marketing pitch, check out the articles below.
RUN, continued from page 1 ran the entire race while wearing their body armor, while another service member wore a shirt with the phrase, "I am an Ordie, if you see me running, try and keep up" written on the back aimed at encouraging all those behind him to keep pace. The Annual Base 2 Base run is a community event hosted by the MWR Fitness Staff. This year’s event was a way for the community to get involved in an event that caters to all fitness levels. For anyone who wishes to enhance their fitness levels that have missed the Base 2 Base run can check out MWR Sigonella's Fitness Schedule by calling DSN 624-4483.
Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholic Anonymous meeting will be held on Monday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the NASII Chapel. If additional meetings are needed or for more information please call x3267
U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella Job Vacancy "Contracting Office, FISC Sigonella, is soliciting for the following personalized healthcare contract positions at the US Naval Hospital, Sigonella: two full time "Certified Medical Assistants" and one full time "Registered Nurse". Sources must be eligible for US employment. For further information please contact Mr. LaColla (DSN 624-5727) or Ms. Randazzo (DSN 624-3792)."
Effective immediately, the NAS Sigonella Commissary will be closed on Mondays.
JAGUARS, continued from page 2 Ramstein 242.5-219. Lakenheath, last year’s D-I runner-up, was third at 173.5 despite crowning individual champions in Carroll and 140-pounder Austin Morrow. Morrow credited his wrestling-room battles against Carroll and his Lancer teammates and coaches for this year’s success. Carroll said it was a two-way street for the two. “I’m stronger than he is,” Carroll said, “and his opponents are usually stronger than he is. He’s better technically than I am, so he helps me with the technicalities.” So talented was this year’s field that the first five champions crowned completed unbeaten campaigns. Ross Wilson (28-0) of Patch started the run by pinning Ryan Goins of Ramstein at the 3:31 mark of the 103pound finale. Freshman Dane Robbins (23-0) of Bitburg finally tamed Patch’s Isaac McIlvene 15-7 at 112 after the two had traded early five-point takedownto-near-fall moves. “I love wrestling,” Robbins said after his roller-coaster start. “It’s the best feeling in the world to win a match.” After Franz finished his perfect season, SHAPE’s Matthew Lengyel (220) slapped a 17-8 major decision on Rota sophomore Keaton Regenor at 125 pounds. Lengyel, who countered Regenor’s favorite figure-four moves throughout, credited his focus on attacking for his domination of the Virginia transfer student. “I try to work my offense as much as possible,” he said. “I do what I want to do, not what he wants to do.” Nikolas Weiser of Aviano, who improved to 31-0 by downing Heidelberg’s Jaron Henninger 4-2 at 130, actually allowed his opponent to escape to tie the match at 2 in the final period. “My coaches had confidence in my takedown moves,” Weiser said after taking Henninger to the mat for the decisive points with 1:38 left, then riding the Lion out the rest of the way. Patch’s Marshall Haas (22-0) completed the bravest unbeaten season posted by anyone here by dominating Bitburg’s Austin Schmidt 7-1 at 189. Haas underwent reconstructive knee surgery for a displaced kneecap he suffered in October while playing football, and spent his last four months rehabbing. “I just had to push through it,” he said. “There were a lot of doubts going through my mind, but I knew I had to be mentally strong.” Haas said the prospect of opposing Schmidt, who had pinned every opponent here en route to the final, kept him at it. “I knew Schmidt would be busting his butt to beat me,” Haas said, “so every day I’d do an extra run or have an extra workout.” In the 171 final, Ramstein’s Ryan Gernert denied Patch’s Jason Pinnow an unbeaten season with a reverse into a fall. “I’ve wrestled him three times in the past two years,” said Gernert, “and this is the first time I’ve beaten him.” Heidelberg sophomore Jimmie McBride topped Kevin Andrus of Patch 9-4 at 152, and Lakenheath’s Morrow downed another Panther, Thomas Trevino, 5-3, for the 140 title. Morrow-Trevino was one of seven title matches pitting wrestlers who’d already faced each other earlier in the tournament. The only one of those with a different outcome came in the 215-pound finale, where Erik Stouter of Wiesbaden avenged a loss to Shae Emerton of Lakenheath. “He pinned me yesterday,” Stouter said. “I wanted revenge.” He got it by stopping the match at the 5:10 mark by posting a 19-3 technical
fall. “He rolled a lot on me yesterday,” Stouter said. “Today, I caught him when he rolled.” The day’s longest match came at 285, where Vilseck’s Noah Hartley finally found the opening he was looking for and body slammed AFNORTH’s Jonathan Garcia into a fall 38 seconds into overtime. Regulation was 1-1, but Hartley was patient. “I’m a defensive wrestler,” he said. “I wait for a mistake and try to take advantage of it.” Although neither school had an individual champ, Baumholder’s five-man squad and Sigonella repeated their 2010 team titles. Baumholder outscored Bitburg 96-80 for the D-II championship, while Sigonella retained the D-III crown 51.5 to 43.5 over runnerup Brussels. FESTIVAL, continued from page 6 the dinner begins a couple of weeks before the festival. Three children (in the past they came only from needy families) refereed to as “Santi” (saints) or “Virgineddi” (virgins) who depict the Holy Family, are invited to the meal to celebrate the holiday. St. Joseph is worshipped as the saint of Providence and the patron and protector of the family and of the poor, both embodied in the invited guests. Chapel-like structures made of wood or iron, containing devotional altars is another feature of the celebration. Within a typical “chapel” there is a three or five-tiered altar surrounded by an ornamental roof-like projections framed in myrtle and laurel, “murtidda” (boxwood), le-
mons, oranges, and hundreds of small homemade breads shaped as flowers and vegetables. The altars also contain candles, crosses and other religious objects, flowers, select foods, a jar of wine and three large, intricately ornate breads (“Cudduri” which are divided into three categories: the “Cucciddatu,” the “Vastuni” or “Bastone di San Giuseppe” or St. Joseph’s cane and the “Palma” or Palm). Those breads, which represent the Holy Family, are set on the first tier. On the second one, a monstrance surrounded by two breadshaped angels is placed and above it, on the third level a chalice is displayed right below a large framed print of St. Joseph or of the Holy Family. At the end of the banquet, believers recite monologues and prayers named “Parti” in honor of Saint Joseph. While eating, the three kids offer food to the visitors. The meal concludes with pasta with breadcrumbs and “blessed” bread that are given to the visitors by landlords who host the dinners. “This is an unique decorative bread-baking tradition. I invite all Sigonellans to come to our town and enjoy our religious celebrations as well as our artistic beauties,” said Enrico Spisso, the president of the Salemi Tourist Office. Every year, this ancient festival attracts thousands of tourists. Festival events will also include art and exhibitions and antique fairs. Salemi, which is about four hours drive from Sigonella, is located on a hill in the heart of the Trapani province. It can be easily reached through the Catania -Palermo highway. Once in Palermo take the Palermo-Mazara del Vallo highway and exit Salemi. For more information on Salemi, call 0924 -991111.
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marCh 18, 2011
By MCSA Cameron Bramham The Signature Staff Editor’s Note: MCSA Bramham is the PAO shop’s resident sports guru. These are his picks for this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournmanet. The 2011 NCAA March Madness Tournament is set and along with it, many questions to be answered over the upcoming weeks. Will Duke repeat as champs? Can Butler make another miracle run to the finals? Which double-digit seeded team will be this years ‘Giant Killer’? All year long we’ve heard the talk from players, coaches and analysts, but the time for talk is over. Time to lace up the shoes and leave it all out on the court for the most exciting sports time of the year! EAST Region Breakdown – Number One overall Ohio State leads this side which includes three of the hottest teams in the country in North Carolina, Kentucky and Washington. I look towards watching George Mason against Villanova and in a potential third round matchup against the Buckeyes. Winner – (OHIO STATE) The Buckeyes will have some problems against teams like UK and either Syracuse or North Carolina, but having a player like Jared Sullinger will give any team an automatic advantage. The lack of depth on the bench and even a little inexperience doesn’t scare me in taking Ohio State to make it out of this bracket and go on to Houston Upset Special – (Marquette over Xavier) This one isn’t really so much of an upset in my books but both teams play very similar styles of ball and they both love to run, should be a great game but Marquette has played better teams this year and has beating the likes of Notre Dame,
Syracuse and UCONN. WEST Region Breakdown – Defending Champ Duke is the one seed and has potentially a rough match in the Sweet 16 looming against Texas. With that being said Texas has an extremely difficult match-up in the Second Round against Oakland which averages over 85 points a game. Bottom half has San Diego State in a potential Sweet 16 collision against Kemba Walker and UCONN, and we all know what’s happened this year when the Aztecs went up against a player (cough, cough Jimmer) who can change the game in a blink of an eye. Winner – (UCONN) I really like this side of the bracket and a lot of good match-ups can take place, but the one I’m looking forward to see would be the rematch between UCONN and Texas for the Final Four spot. When they played on Jan. 8, the stars aligned and the fireworks were popping during a thrilling overtime victory by the Huskies. I say Kemba takes over and history repeats itself as UCONN moves on. Upset Special – (Northern Colorado over San Diego State) – I know what you’re already thinking and believe me I’m not extremely confident in this pick myself, but I do think the Bears can give the Aztecs a scare in the Second Round match-up. San Diego State does have size and athleticism to run away early, but the Bears have one of the best scorers in the country in Devon Beitzel who averages over 21 points a game and has a very similar style of play to Jimmer Fredette. SOUTHWEST Region Breakdown – This one looks pretty one sided as Kansas should have no trouble getting through to Houston. However, I said that last year and the Jayhawks lost
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early to Northern Iowa. Notre Dame and Purdue should meet in the Sweet 16 which would be a terrific match-up against teams separated by 100 miles. Surprise teams Louisville and Vandy would be an excellent Third round match and Georgetown is getting star guard Chris Wright back from hand surgery just in time for John Thompson’s III team to make a run. Winner – (KANSAS) I will admit, being a Jayhawk fan I am biased picking them to win the region, but honestly they are the better well-rounded team in the Southwest bracket and should have no issues playing in Tulsa and in San Antonio
where they won it all back in 2008. Size, ability and experience always make Kansas a tough out and that will be the case this year as well. Upset Special – (Morehead State over Louisville) I come from the great city of Louisville, so this one absolutely tears me up, but Louisville is not a very good rebounding team and the Eagles have a player who will dominate the boards this game. If you haven’t heard of Kenneth Faried yet, (averages just under 15 rebounds a game) you will very soon. Projected to go in the top 15 of the NBA draft, Faried dominated the Ohio Valley Conference this year and will make it very rough on the Cards who play four guards almost the entire game. SOUTHEAST Region Breakdown – How Florida got a two seed is clearly beyond me because I frankly don’t understand that one, but with that being said…Every year one region gets an early upset which in turn produces a series of wide-open and unpredictable games. The Southeast bracket is the most balanced bracket out of the four and should serve up some interesting recipes of disaster against top teams Florida, BYU, Wisconsin, and Kansas St. On a side not Michigan State is back in the tournament once again and it should surprise no one if they are able to catch fire and once again make a deep run through the tournament field. Winner – (PITTSBURG) This one took me a second to really process what teams could really challenge Pitt, and while I do believe Steve Lavin and St. John’s will make a run to the Elite 8, Pittsburg will have too much experience for them this time around where it will be Ashton Gibbs hitting the clutch shot this time, not Dwight Hardy. Upset Special – (Utah State over Kansas State AND Belmont over Wisconsin) That’s right, I doubled up for this one, both Belmont and Utah State have 30 wins this year and both teams are playing against higher seeds who are not playing their best ball of the year right now. I understand that the Badgers and Wildcats both beat number one teams this year, but since then all Kansas State did was lose to Colorado in the first game of the Big 12 tournament and Wisconsin has since been destroyed by Ohio State and put up only 33 points in
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their second round match-up in the Big Ten Tournament against Penn State. FINAL FOUR So we went through each corner of the bracket and have come up with Ohio State vs. UCONN, and Kansas vs. Pittsburg which would be really intriguing games. A match-up pinning Pittsburg and Kansas together for a shot at the title would legend, wait for it…DARY!!! Yes, legendary, both teams are about as similar as you can get with Pitt having an edge down-low and the Jayhawks having the edge on the perimeter, I think Josh Selby finally breaks out of his shell, just in time to knock down a game winner late to trip up the Panthers. Ohio State shouldn’t have too much trouble against any Huskie not named Kemba Walker but the Buckeyes have one of the peskiest defenders in the country in a little guard named Aaron Craft who won’t be able to stop Walker completely but could contain him enough for Ohio State to hold off the Huskies late. TITLE GAME Ohio State vs. Kansas – These have been the two teams this year who have been clear-cut above the rest, this game would be a very exciting match-up with a lot of future NBA players in it led by Jared Sullinger. As we know in the past, freshmen who make it to the title game have the ability to take over at any point in the game (Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose). Keeping this in mind, Rose had the chance to ice Kansas in 2008 and missed two key freethrows right before Mario Chalmers hit the tying three pointer with two seconds left and Memphis went on to lose to the Jayhawks in overtime. The point from all this, is that while talent is a huge factor in tournament games, experience is the key element to nearly every past NCAA Champion (Duke, North Carolina, Florida). That is why I’m going with the Morris twins to double up on Sullinger and Kansas’ prominent perimeter defense to contain John Deibler and William Bufort on the wings. Kansas wins a surprisingly low scoring title game 72-67 over The Buckeyes and gives head coach Bill Self his second National Title at the school.