Has Neil Armstrong ever been to the Moon?

the flag waving

To the Moon and back. But has he really been there or did we witness the biggest lie ever?

There are many secrets that regard the famous Area 51, cituated in the state of Nevada (USA). Some people believe that alien spaceships land there, others believe in a secret military project against Russia. What seems more frigtnening to you: aliens or the 3rd world war?

American giornalist of the Los Angeles Times, Annie Jacobsen, reveals some of the secrets in her book Area 51. I've read a review on the book in il Venerdi di Repubblica of 20 jan. 2012. It made me think of all the secrets that have been kept from us for decades. There are certain things we all have a right to know. Things that could probably change our history, our culture and science. If we knew what happens there, we would not be so scared.

shadows not matching

One of the most popular myths associated with Area 51 is that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin never went to the Moon. It was a part of the Cold War game where Americans had to upstage the Soviet Union that has already sent the first man in space (Yuri Gagarin). There is a version that the video was filmed at the Nevada's Area 51. If you look closely at the photographs, you can see that some of the shadows do not match up.
The flags wave when there is no air. There are no blast craters under the lunar landers. It is believed that Stanley Kubrick, a master filmmaker, created this "make-believe" film.

In 2002, with the cooperation of Kubrick's surviving family, the French film maker William Karel (after initially planning a straight documentary on Stanley Kubrick) directed a hoax mockumentary about Kubrick and the NASA moon landing entitled Dark Side of the Moon. The film purported to demonstrate that the NASA moon landings had been faked and that the moon landing footage had been directed by Stanley Kubrick during the production of 2001: A Space Odyssey. In spite of clues that the film is a news parody, some test audiences believed the film to be sincere, including at least one believer in the moon landing conspiracy.

The first mission to the Moon was not an easy challenge for NASA. They knew already in 1961 that going to the Moon would be impossible, also because of the Van Allen radiation, that would simply kill them.  But there was too much money involved and so they had to fake it...

Things you must know when you plan your trip to Italy

Colosseo, Rome

A lot of my friends have been asking me about Italy and places they could visit. They made me lots of questions about best places to visit and climate and people.  I will try to sum up all the most interesting facts here.

First of all, when going to Italy, you have to have a clear idea of why you are going: sightseeing, beach time or shopping. Trust me you won't have time to do all these three things in only a couple of weeks. You'll be exhausted and your memories will be blurred.

Capri

Then I would never suggest going sightseeing in summer: too humid and too hot, which is not the best combination for most of the people. Summer is excellent for some great beach time, renting a yacht and late night dinners with your Italian friends.

If you have not been feeling well and have been having heart issues, I would suggest taking advice from your practician before you leave.  My mother has been having high blood pressure and heat never makes her feel better. So, go to your doctor and don't forget your pills. And if you don't feel well, you should know that all Italian drugstores offer their free help in measuring your pressure at any time.

Best places for the beach time: 

• Capri
• Sorrento
• Amalfi/Positano
• north of Sadregna
• Isle of Elba
• Sicily
• Toscana
• Calabria

The most remarkable places for sightseeing:

Naples

• Rome, again Rome and the Vatican. I can never get enough of this city. It's so filled with culture and history, one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in the world.
• Venice. Even if I'm not such a big fan of Venice, I would still recommend you to go there, even for a day. Actually, one-two day trip will be more than enough.
• Naples. Now I know what you've probably heard about it... Naples is magic. You must see it and feel the envy for those who live there and can see this magic scenery every morning. Do you have your window overlooking the Vesuvio, Capri, Ischia and Sorrento at the same time? If you do go to Naples, don't forget to visit the Statue of Veiled Christ (see my post: the most beautiful statue in the world)
• Pompei. Let's just say it: you go to Italy and don't see Pompei? Ridiculous!
• Florence and Vinci. Because we all love and admire Leonardo da Vinci! See more about Leonardo da Vinci at www.ilgeniodavinci.com
• Verona. Go to see the Juilette's house and an opera in Arena. It is magic and you will always refer to Verona as the most romantic city in Italy.
• Small cities make you the impression of the real Italy, so do not miss that chance. Rent a car and drive on! 

So, if you need to go shopping and bring yourself some made-in-italy clothes, go straight to Milano or Rome. Both cities are ideal for luxe shopping. You'll surely have a wonderful time sitting in their fancy restaurants, showing off your fancy clothes.

You should keep in your mind one very important thing: supermarkets and shops close at 12.30 - 1 p.m. and they do not open until 4 - 4.30 pm. We have our own siesta. You should also remember that restaurants do not open until 7 p.m. for dinner. A lot of Russians complain about that, as in Russia we can normally have lunch and dinner at any time you want. 

Venice

Stay away from people talking you into something. Especially if it's a big city, like Rome, Venice or Naples. They can steal your purse, your watch, etc. Well, that happens in all the countries, but still, be prepared.

When I first travelled to Rome I had a very unpleasant accident with my credit card. It was cloned and someone left me without one thousand euro. Unpleasant, but now I can teach you. Remember this one: if you need to get some cash do NOT use an ATM that's in the street. If you find one inside of the bank it's much safer and you won't have to repeat my mistakes.

Taxies are really expensive. Find a way to rent a car. This way you'll be your own master. But be careful when you're driving - Italians are crazy drivers!

I hope this was a helpful information. Contact me if there is something I could help you with. Have a great time in Italy!

Laws of Attraction

Have you ever asked yourself why you're in love with this particular person? 
An anthropologist and writer, Helen Fisher,  says that there's all kinds of reasons that you fall in love with one person rather than another. Timing is important. Proximity is important. Mystery is important. You fall in love with somebody who's somewhat mysterious, in part because mystery elevates dopamine in the brain, probably pushes you over that threshold to fall in love. You fall in love with somebody who fits within what I call your "love map," an unconscious list of traits that you build in childhood as you grow up. And I also think that you gravitate to certain people, actually, with somewhat complementary brain systems. And that's what I'm now contributing to this.

It's true, we fall in love with people who resemble us. We have to have the same tastes and views, same interests and goals. However, the laws of attraction between men and women are not so easy. Only few couples live happily every after. Those who felt mutual attraction and love. These couples are stable and experience deep emotional attachment throughout the whole life.

As for the others? The majority of people do not end up with the right person. They feel attracted to someone unattainable, someone who doesn't respond to their feelings. It is very common, indeed, to see couples where one is trying to reach out for the other.

We all have experienced this feeling. We all had a school sweetheart who never looked our way and still we felt madly in love with him. Some of us still experience this feeling to a partner, even a spouse.
The reason for this unreasonable attraction may be our brain, that sees this person as a perfect partner.

There is no good explanation to why you choose a person who doesn't love you back. This person can be undeserving and below your own level. This person can humiliate you in public and laugh at you, but this will not stop you from loving him.

But in the years I have developed my personal idea on the subject. If you love someone and he doesn't love you back, he is not worth your time and energy. You probably like the idea of possessing this person, so unattainable and yet undeserving. Probably it is your ego, your primitive nature trying to conquer a new territory. Try not to rush. Stop and wait. Wait for the right one to come.