I'm told that all over the mountainous parts of Italy you can find hilltop towns like the one above. Boy, they're beautiful...but you have to wonder: how do people make a living up there? The only good farmland is in the flatland below. Do workers really climb up and down the steep hill every day?
People had no choice. Besides, the lowlands were full of bandits and marauders. At least the mountains were safe.
After a point, though, the nobility moved out and the people who were left didn't see the point in keeping the place up.
Things fell into disrepair. People never liked living up there and when they had a chance they bailed to the flatlands and to America. A few hilltowns on the tourist routes made out alright but most of them became near ghost towns.
Here's (above) a village in Southern Italy that's been completely abandoned. Living there would be kind of spooky but...hey, maybe it's free.
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BTW: I'm going to take a vacation for a week. I'll be back soon!!!!!!!!!
Dear Edward,
ReplyDeleteYou know, I’ve been thinking...
You remember when:
- You worked for Tiny Toon Adventures?
- Paul Dini and Bob Carrou wrote the episode “Prom-ise Her Anything”?
- Paul Dini had the bright idea of making Hamton J. Pig and Fifi Le Fume a couple?
Well, I was thinking that Tom Ruegger, along with the other crew members of the show (including you), barred Paul Dini from writing official cartoons featuring the couple, on the grounds that they did not find the couple funny, and a relationship between them would prevent them from emulating the characteristics of their mentors, which might explain why the relationship only makes four more appearances in the series’ run.
Well here’s what Dini should’ve done. He should’ve been sitting in the Writer’s Room, and one day said, “Great Scott! There must be SOMETHING funny about the two being a couple.” So he writes a 21-minute episode where Hamton asks Fifi out on a date, with Buster as a wingman, with most of the humour based on the relationship, and Hamton and Fifi share their first kiss (which is beautiful and emotional), and date each other from there on.
Next, the episode becomes the most watched episode in the show’s run, with Ruegger and the others (including you) giving in to Dini’s “Hamton & Fifi” idea, the relationship is made permanent, and there are references, more common appearances, and actual cartoons about Hamton & Fifi being a couple. This makes Tiny Toon Adventures so more successful that the show is renewed for a fourth season, and Steven Spielberg has to put production of his next cartoon show, Animaniacs!, on hold. The relationship makes appearances on other WB cartoon shows, as is referred to on other cartoon shows, including The Simpsons. And before you know it, Hamton J. Pig & Fifi Le Fume join the Cartoon Couple Hall of Fame, and become an icon of television animation.
Yup. Dini would have been so happy if he just went through all that, and it would’ve strengthened his writing career.
To get further information, you may have to contact Tom Ruegger, Sherri Stoner, Tom Minton, Ken Boyer and Bob Carrau about the subject.
Now here’s what I want to ask you. Were you a big, focused-on-comedy jerk who hated the idea of Hamton & Fifi being a couple, or did you stand by Paul Dini’s side and defend it?
I've always wondered "Why", when viewing the ramshackle method they're all crammed into the top of the hills. I guessed it was due to waring city-states, since they were easier to defend if grouped at the top... plus, rocks roll down hill!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how these homes do during earthquakes... Yikes!
Anon: What an odd comment. I don't remember any of what you described. If it happened at all then I might have been wrong since the idea doesn't offend me now. If I resisted the idea I might have been afraid that a sit-com approach might arise from it and that part of the series might get bogged down in formula. Even so, it seems like a test cartoon would have been in order. I'm guessing that every name you mentioned on that series, including me, was guilty of making a wrong decision once in a while.
ReplyDeleteZ: I'm sure that Earthquake there would indeed be a catastrophe!