We have only just discovered VPNs (which I don't really understand!) to enable watching UK TV including Sky Go in Italy and had mixed experiences with the one we signed up to for 1 month as a trial. In the mornings we had no problems accessing iplayer for BBC and ITV but in the evening it was more problematic until we were given a 2nd web address to use and then it worked fine. Also they did answer my email queries almost by return which was good. Has anyone got any recommendations for 90% to 100% reliable VPNs please?

Not sure how relevant this is at this late stage ?

Italy

Italian General strike 6 September, 2011

Update 1 September Italian airport operational personnel, technical maintenance personnel will also strike this day from 8am to 4pm utc. This is not ENAV (air traffic controllers) employees.

Italian unions call for an 8 hour general strike Tuesday, September 6.

Italian airlines:- Alitalia, Meridiana Fly to strike 8 hours from 10am to 6pm, includes pilots, flight attendants, ground personnel at all Italian airports.

Thanks to all who chipped in on the sweet potatoe chat a few months ago. You inspired me to plant one and now there is a 1m square of verdant bush in the orto and still spreading. It is weathering the drought really well too. Does the team think it is time to harvest a crop, and how do they survive the winter?

Valle San Giovanni Luncheon – 2011
The eighth annual Valle San Giovanni luncheon takes place at noon on Saturday 1 October 2011 at DiPaolo’s Italian Ristorante in Penns Grove, NJ. Everyone (especially “Vallaroli” - people from Valle San Giovanni) welcome. No need for reservations, just show up! Average attendance about 120 so come alone (you will not be lonely) or bring the family, significant other, and/or ? The price remains just $20 for fantastic food and a buona festa. Che bello!!

Has anyone else experienced an infestation of elm leaf beetles this year? We normally have a few finding their way into the house towards the end of the August but this year there were literally thousands and nothng we tried prevented them from getting into the house. Have resorted to cutting down a number of elm trees on our land and neighbours are considering tree banding to limit the problem next season. Any thoughts, advice, sympathies appreciated.

We have just completed the eleventh year of renting out our house for the summer. As I think I said before in previous posts, in all this time we have only had two vacant weeks. We have always used the same Italian agent (established for forty years) and apart from very basic enquires have never seen any real interest from the UK. Its pretty much all been Italian families throughout this time. That said, the big difference this year (and to a lesser extent last year) has been that free broadband Internet access is now being seen as the norm.

Could someone please tell me if I am entitled to have a reduction in my rubbish tax, and if I am, how do I go about it? We have a house outside a village which we use in the summer and an apartment which we use for the winter. We are 6 months in each, but at the moment, I am paying full rubbish tax on both properties. Can I get a discount from each comune for the 6 months I am not there? If I can, is there some magic phrase or modello that I need to fill in? I know there is someone out there who can give me this info - I would really appreciate it!