Italy's underwater archaeological sites

There are many traces of human existence underwater, which are not protected by the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. This Convention aims at preventing the distruction or loss of historic and cultural information and looting.

The pictures show some underwater archaeological sites dated back to over 20 centuries ago. They are located 70 Km North from Rome. Unfortunately, in the early 1970s some residential houses were built close to those underwater archaeological sites. The problem is that people, who build those houses, weren't prosecuted. If they had been adequately prosecuted in the 1970s, Italy's underwater cultural heritage would be protected. 

 

Cryptocurrencies' value continues to drop

 

With regards to my previous post about cryptocurrencies' regulation, I have just learnt that the American clean energy company based in Palo Alto, Tesla Inc., will no longer accept bitcoin for car purchase.

Many environmentalists and some Tesla's shareholders have been increasingly critical about the way cryptocurrencies are "mined" using vast amount of electricity generated with fossil fuels.

On 27 February, 2021, the British newpaper "The Guardian" wrote: "It's not just the value of bitcoin that has soared in the last year - so has the huge amount of energy it consumes".  In this perspective, a professor of economics at the University of New Mexico recently said that the amount of electricity used to mine bitcoin has been more than the electricity used by entire countries, like Ireland.

On the one hand, Tesla Inc. is accelerating the world transition to sustainable energy with electric cars and integrated renewable energy solutions for home and business. On the other hand, in the first two months of this year bircoin rose in value thanks to an endorsement by Tesla's Elon Musk, who planned to accept the cryptocurrency as payment. This inconsistency is often a major events that affect the markets! The perception of cryptocurrencies' value changes as the market seeks a new equilibrium making price reflect new information and major news. 

The pictures above show how electricity generated with fossil fuels may affect the environment (The power plants in the pictures are located in Italy). 

Another country have just banned cryptocurrencies

After many Asian countries had introduced tougher regulation with regard to all use of cryptocurrencies, last week the Turkish Central Bank banned payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, etc. According to the Central Bank, cryptocurrencies aren't subject to any central regulatory authority, and their market value can be excessively volatile.

In addition to this, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may be used in illegal transactions due to their anonymous structures. I was astonished to hear that the Turkish Central Bank also said that wallets can be stolen or used without the authorization of their holders. The regulation outlaws the use of  cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services. Meanwhile, Bitcoin and Ethereum plunged to their lowest level in nearly two months. 

When we own cryptocurrencies we don't have anything in terms of dividends or profit. Cryptocurrency's value only increases when more people participate, and when fewer people participate the value decreases. This is a structure that creates a great deal of risk. 

Italian food

It seems that many people around the world think Italians are so obsessed with food. Actually, we (Italian people) have a bond with food, as it gives a sense of identity.  

In certain periods of history some foods were created and have become traditional and typical dishes of Italian culture. An article summarizing the relationship between Italians and food, just published in BBC website by Anna Bressanin, explains that in Italy "sharing a meal means daily joys, problems and sometimes our deepest neuroses and issues". It is an act of social conviviality that the author of the article defines as "a collective catharsis through pleasure".

I don't want to get off track, but increasing demand from East Asia, climate change, water shortages and pandemic-hit supply chains are all pushing up food prices.

Growing list of countries to suspend the Anglo-Swedish vaccine

On Tuesday, 30th March, Germany became the latest in a growing list of countries to suspend use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to younger age group. Health Ministry had found 31 cases of a type of rare blood clot among nearly 2.7 million people who received the vaccine in Germany. 

Obviously, the European Medicines Agency said there was not enough evidence to establish a link between the problem and the vaccine.

Meanwhile, trees blooming and flowering announce the beginning of Spring and new life. 

EU digital certificate

In 2020 bosses of the top EU companies had weekly earned the same amount that an average worker in Europe earns in an entire year.  And according to the Economic Policy Institute, despite the spreading of Covid-19 epidemic, chief executives of the 350 largest US companies earned an average of $ 20 million in 2020. In other words, there are evidence that top bosses continue to earn high salaries while coronavirus pandemic is exposing low-income populations to job losses and health risks. 

The executive's price-driven salaries began in the early 1980s, when CEOs pay become connected with share prices (companies' share prices on stock markets). The problem is that sometimes an excellent company has nothing to do with the CEO. Not to mention of companies that operate in an oligopoly, as we can see nowadays in the emerging vaccine industry. 

While people at the top are maintaining their wealth and society is suffering higher levels of inequality, the EU unveils plan for Covid-19 digital pass to allow travel  within member states with the aim of helping entrepreneurs and workers who are involved in travel industry and tourism. 

The digital pass is expected to consist of QR code that can easily be scanned at airports, as it will be in digital or paper format. On the one hand, some EU states say the digital pass discriminates people who didn't receive the injection to prevent Covid-19 illness. On the other hand, EU Commission says the certificate is not discriminatory and would be suspended after pandemic ends. 

The following pictures show some popular tourist destinations in EU ... I hope tourists will come back there in the next months.  

Munich, Marienplatz

Bruges, the inner canals

                                                              Paris, Louvre Museum

Rome, theatre of Marcellus    

Covid-19 cases are still rising

Starting on Monday 15th, in the most populated Italian regions will be required to stay home except for work, health and other essential reasons.

The whole country, which has recordered more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths, will be locked down on Easter weekend for the second year in a row. I am sorry to see that Italy has the second highest coronavirus death toll in Europe after the UK.

Meanwhile, some trees begin to show small leaves on their branches.