Last voting in Ticino

Posted on 27 marzo 2006 by Marco

So, on March, 12., we voted about two themes. One was the ban of smoke in bar and restaurants. I already spoke about it, I voted no, that means that I don’t want to forbid smoking in bar and restaurant. Actually, Id’ liked a more moderate solution.

I did not speak yet on the second theme: the state wanted to limit the growth of the public expenses. I voted no. The votation was not successfull: people don’t want to limit the growth of public expenses. The institution where I work will still receive money… but this is not the only reason that let me vote no. I really believe that the state should manage his economics problems with more efficient procedure, without cutting public expenses.

Italian elections

Posted on 14 marzo 2006 by Marco

If you are italian voters and you don’t know what to do next 9 April, check out this site: Voisietequi.it

After 25 questions, it tells you where are you among italian parties. The same thing was done by swiss magazine Cooperazione.

Here my results (I still don’t know how to vote…):

UPDATE: you don’t see anything… ok, this should be my result page (it doesn’t work). I’m far from Unione, I’m far from Polo. The nearest party is La Rosa Nel Pugno (Laici Socialisti Liberali Radicali). Should I really vote this “Documento senza titolo” guy?

No smoking

Posted on 13 marzo 2006 by Marco

Ticinonline (and many others) reports that in Ticino smoking will be forbidden in bars, restaurants and clubs. I wrote about this in a previous post.

Yesterday electors said Yes to the law change. I voted No, because I don’t like this kind of prohibitions. I’d like a moderate solution (*), but it seems that Ticinesi are not enough swiss to appreciate a typical swiss compromise.

Another referendum was in discussion: the government wanted to limit the growth of contribution to some statal and para-statal institutions for next two years. People said No. I said no because I think that the state should spend (in a right way) the money that come from taxes. Since I work for a para-statal institution, my motivation could appear partial.

(*) A moderate solution was:

restaurants: no smoking (unless the restaurant has a separate room)
clubs: owner’s choice
bars: owner’s choice (it should be possible to forbid smoking only at lunch time)

The Yes Men

Posted on 8 marzo 2006 by Marco

Last Monday, on swiss italian television, I saw a documentary on The Yes Men. These guys are going to conferences and talk shows pretending to be members of main world institution (for example: WTO). To simplify, they are no-global and they are trying to show faults of these big organizations.

Ticino: to smoke or not to smoke

Posted on 28 febbraio 2006 by Marco

Still no idea on what to vote the 12th March.

Smoke has to be forbidden in every “esercizio pubblico”(*) of Ticino?

The big question is for bars, restaurants and clubs. The law, today, says that at least 1/3 of the places has to be reserved as no-smoke area. The proposed change will make smoke forbidden, unless there are separate rooms for smokers, with adequate AC.

Under a political point of view, two fanatic team are clashing: Lega dei Ticinesi and Associazione Svizzera dei non fumatori. The Lega asks for freedom (to smoke), the Associazione asks for freedom (to have fresh air). End of political argumentation.

Vote No (to reject the change) will give to Lega a big victory. And it is wrong: you can’t ask for the right of smoking where you want. The right to breathe is stronger than the right to smoke.
Vote Yes (to accept the change) means to accept a big presence of the law in everyday living. I bet most people will vote yes.

I can’t vote for the moderate proposal, that would forbid smoke in restaurants, allow it in disco-clubs and let the choice to bars (a reasonable choice would be to forbid smoke during lunch time).

(*) “Esercizio pubblico” is an interesting tessiner expression. An “esercizio pubblico” is, according to the law (11.3.2.1), a caffÃ¨, bar, restaurant, tea-room, nichtclub, disco-club, every kind of hotel (big, owned by family, b&b, in the mountain,…), rooms etc. The Regolamento for the law specifies the differences. Let me point out differences between bars and restaurant. Actually, I don’t see big differences: bars may serve (warm) things to eat and not only things to drink. You may sit and you’ll find a toilette.
Please note that, even if the name is “esercizio pubblico“, usually this kind of places are owned by people and do not receive any public funds.

Italy denies access to 516 web sites

Posted on 28 febbraio 2006 by Marco

According to Punto Informatico, in the article Italia, traffico internet sotto sequestro Italy denies access to 516 web sites (IP numbers). These are gambling sites, legal in other countries (for example UK).

This italian rule prevents you to gamble without paying italian taxes on your bet. But it forbids you to see the site, even if you won’t bet.
If you are in Italy and you’d like to see these sites, have a look at:

FridayNet

by Marco Faré

Category Archives: politics