LoveItaly

Hi bellastar, I know we don't always agree on everything but Tiff's comments about terrorist groups getting funds from the sale of knockoff items has been reported from time to time. I don't think any of us want to fund terrorist.

I saw the most beautiful (I still think about it) Ferragamo bag when I was in Atlanta. But I did not buy it because it was $999.00. Well at least it was under a $1,000.00, LOL. The leather was a pleasure to touch. The design was so beautiful. A bag to have forever. I wish I could have bought it but did not feel as though I could. No knockoff could ever duplicate that bag. OWJ loved it to.

Anyway, I merely posted in the hopes of alerting anyone that if they did buy a knockoff in NE Italy they could have a potential financial problem. One woman from Canada did. Didn't mean for this post to get political or to put anyone down that does buy a knockoff item. Just tried to give an alert for those that are interested. Best wishes.

Eloise

There is an interesting thread on this topic at slowtrav:

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a...85/m/281109152

ThinGorjus

Me and the sistas down at the White Marsh Mall in suburban Baltimore get freaky with our fake Louey Vuttons. They go so good, girl, with a pair of hoops and some slides from Victoria Secrets...makes me want to holla! Oprah can keep her Hermeys. She ain't keepin it real.

LoveItaly

Hi Eloise, that was an interesting article. Thanks for sharing. It is too bad that the Italian government does not really crack down on the peddlers, that would more or less put a stop to the problem. Take care.

Sue_xx_yy

That was an interesting article loveitaly/eloise, thanks.

I can't speak to whether these laws are just or not, but my guess is that the police simply find it easier to fine tourists, who are more or less held captive at customs check points, than vendors who are well practiced at evading capture. Also, even though many tourists might have spent some time saving for their trips, they are still likely to have at least a line of credit upon which to draw to pay the fine - whereas the old saw of trying to get blood out of a stone likely applies to the vendors.

I also notice that the Italian authorities took care to release these particulars to the press. One or two well-advertised cases of big fine collections will likely have a big deterrent effect, since tourists tend to be more wary of running afoul of the law in what to them are foreign countries. Vendors, on the other hand, are probably harder to intimidate - if they were as easily scared off as tourists, the problem likely wouldn't have arisen in the first place.

kswl

(At this point I must say I am rather confused about ThinGorjus' gender.)

ThinGorjus

Sweetie, worry about the counter-culture, agit-prop anime/manga periodicals that your children read. Don't worry about my gender. Muffy and I are taking the car out this evening to pelt poor people in Camden with eggs. Oh, what fun.

PS Mimi, my Jackie O has a terrible cough. I have to take her to the vet tomorrow.

Cheers,
John G.

cigalechanta

John, I leave tomorrow for France but I will be wishing Jackie O a clean bill of health. And when I see my friends'dogs will think of her and my .....

bellastar

Loveitaly-
It wasn't Tiff's problem with terrorist groups that I didn't like, It was the way she wrapped me into her sentence.
I didn't like it. It was insulting.

If you are friends, and you feel you must take her side and defend her statement, it's noted, and doesn't surprise me.

Many things have been reported about terrorist groups. I hear them alot, too much really, because of where I live and work.

As of now, I'm on a long break from these earthshaking discussions, They make me feel old.

I'll be traveling for awhile. in my favorite country, don't think I'll miss much, except for Thin's humor.....

I know that White Marsh Mall, hon. I remember going there once with some of my tacky friends one day after we got banned from the SIp and Bite in Fell's Point.

kswl

I greatly fear you have mistaken me for someone else; or, once again you have contrived to assume.

I love anime/manga, particularly the eco-green variety. Japan will do that to you.

I am not at all worried about your gender.

And for your information, Miss Smarty Pants, <i>I</i> am Muffy.

LoveItaly

Bellastar, it seems as though I always annoy you. Why I don't know. I sure am a &quot;live and let live&quot; type of person but I get the impression (correct me if I am wrong) that if one does not agree with you then you really get upset with them.

Regarding Tiff, I have not have the pleasure of meeting her. I wish I could. From her post here on Fodor's I believe she is someone I would truly like to have in my life.

I have noticed that you enjoy making negative comments about other Fodorites that I personally think are people that I would like to meet and know.

So obviously our opinions regarding people and life in general is different.

Regarding &quot;single women&quot; and what they buy...for heaven's sake. A knockoff item is a knockoff item. What difference does it make whether a person is single, married or whatever.

I don't care to buy them. I never SAID that I was putting anyone down that did in my original post. I posted an alert that the authorities in NE Italy were moving in on tourist that did. What part of my post did you not understand?

Oh BTW, guess what? I had a family member at the World Trade Center on 911. I did not know until almost midnight whether he was alive or not. And he has been checked several times by his doctor to make sure his lungs are alright. So don't assume because I live in CA that I didn't have personal worries and fears regarding a love one in NYC on 911.

Lets just agree to disagree, alright? You go your way and I will go mine. And wishes to you for a happy vacation.

sansman

When you stop driving your car, we can all talk about where the terrorist money comes from.

LoveItaly

sansman, true and true! But what do you suggest when people HAVE TO drive their cars to get to work for example. No choice due to lack of public transportation.

What would happen if everyone stopped driving their cars for a month? What, in your opinion, would happen to our country, our economy etc.

I would be interested in your thoughts.

Driving a car to get to work (as there is no other way to get to work) versus buying knockoff items is not exactly comparing apples to oranges IMO.

sansman

I am not knocking you driving your car, I am just saying, that I find your strange facts about terrorists finding funding through these knock off ludicrous. There are reasons not buy knocks offs but I find this a silly reason. Terrorists main source of funding is oil money and we will never get to the bottom of this until we break our relationship with the Saudis but we can't do this due to oil. Let's get back to travel talk.

LoveItaly

Sansman, I think you are confused. I did not state that I KNOW that the selling off knockoffs are supporting terrorist. Articles have said that.
I posted, once again I will explain or you can read my post of 8-19-05, that some tourist have been fined by the Italian government due to their buying knockoffs. I merely posted this information to alert people.

Good heavens, I don't know what else to say. But again, for anyone that didn't get my original post....please read it. Best wishes to all.

bellastar

Loveitaly, thank you.

I now consider myself properly lectured.

And your lecture certainly has succeeded in taking the fun out of things here for awhile, so hope I don't darken your internet door again. Glad you were so direct.

True, I sometimes don't agree with the old-timers here, including you, but don't think that's any particular sin.

You asked what part of your post i did not understand.

Here the part:
I was upset with TIFF's remarks, and was addressing her, not you. SO I did not understand why you needed to jump into it!

The 9/11 reference, as well as my response, was from tiff, not you, so that statement is a little off center. Ditto for the slur about &quot;these single ladies&quot; (Tiff''s remark)

You brought your family member into the discussion, which I can't respond to, because I won't take the step of bringing 9/11 personal losses onto this board just to argue a silly point.

As far as your OP, it was clear enough, but really this was information already widely available in USA Today.

Knockoffs? I also have read that there is a mass movement in coupon clipping and rebates that channels money to terorists.

Do I think that either crushing streetvendors or cracking down on coupon clippers will change things and have any effect on terrorists groups? Absolutely not.

Sansman is so right. There are many major sources of money for these groups, And oil money (Bush connection) not least of them by far. If you pay federal taxes, in fact, some portion of your money is probably going on pathways that would scare you.

Just came back here to say that something interesting happened to me last night. I had to work yesterday until 10 pm and left my midtown office to take the subway home.

I was tired. The long week work, and then your speech, which I read while working, just wiped me out. I got on the late night subway, and at the next stop, the doors opened and in came one of those &quot;scary gents&quot; that Tiff mentioned. An African streetseller.

He was struggling with all his wares wrapped up in a huge cloth and had a wheely thing behind him. i decided to greet him, and asked how did the day go. He shook his head and said not so good. He looked so exhausted, but he smiled and apologized for being in the way. You know, at that moment, my heart went out to him and other fellows like him. I hope he had a safe trip home, if he has one.

Yes, I'm going to Italy.

Funny thing, but this time, I have been offered several places to stay with Italian friends, so thankfully not everyone views me the way you seem to. I can't wait for that ray of sun to strike my face.

kswl

&quot;As of now, I'm on a long break from these earthshaking discussions, . . .&quot;


If only you had followed through on your statement.

LoveItaly, you just can't help the contentious. Your original post was as clear as a bell, I can't imagine anyone thinking you were either panning or praising knockoffs. Sometimes it seems that an innocent attempt to be helpful brings the weirdest things out of the closet.

Bellastar I find your assumption that those among us who are married automatically look to our husbands to buy us genuine designer bags to be at least as offensive as your umbrage at Tiff's remark about single women buying knockoffs.


The problem with sterotypes is that they are just too easy---like &quot;single-and-bitter,&quot; &quot;old-and-disillusioned,&quot; ---and rarely, if ever, accurately depict a living, breathing person.

Dick

Clearly, many of us disagree on how the Italian authorities are handling this problem.

Somehow we should all be agreeing that Loveitaly's post notifying us of potential fines is helpful to all of us.

Tiff

Wow. I am truly sorry if I offended anyone with my remarks.

I do believe that LoveItaly was only trying to explain, because she knows it is not in my nature to intentionally insult or hurt anyone. No, we have never met, but she has been a part of many a thread that I have been on, and she knows my heart. And for that I thank you, LI.

I don't want to elaborate on my opinion any further, because I really don't want to stir all this up again, I only want to say that I never meant to insult anyone personally, I was just trying to say that I don't want to be a part of illegal purchasing of knockoff bags in Venice or here in the US, because I don't like what it stands for. In retrospect, perhaps I was a little rude with my 'single ladies' comment and for that I apologize.

LoveItaly, I am honored by your kind opinion of me. Grazie.

Best wishes, Tiff

ThinGorjus

Have a good trip Mimi. Jackie O is on medication. I have to put it in her evening caviar so she won't see it. She is laying on the sofa with a fur hotwater bottle. She looks sooooo cute.

Sorry, kwsl, you are not my Muffy. She would NEVER come here and talk to budget travellers.