36% believe heroes exist in real life
17% believe heroes exist only in comic books
36% proclaim Carabinieri their heroes
27% proclaim firemen their heroes
At last, Italy’s Carabinieri get some respect: a poll of 1,024 youngsters between 8 and 18 years old named them ‘heroes,’ beating out comic book legends like Superman, celluloid stars and even firemen. The Carabinieri Corps, created by King Vittorio Emanuele I in 1814, have been the butt of jokes in Italy probably just about as long. Credited with a legendary — though unproved — stupidity, the place of Italy’s paramilitary police in jokes might be likened to that of Irish in English jokes or Poles in American jokes.
"They seek figures from everyday life, young people aren’t interested a imaginary super heroes with unrealistic special powers," said Raffaele Morelli, psychologist. "They’re looking for some one to look up to, perhaps find the heroic spirit within themselves. It’s easier to identify with a Carabinieri." Some 23% of those interviewed by Eta Meta said, in fact, they consider film and comic book heroes "outdated" and "a joke."
www.jokes-online.com/cgibin/joke.cgi?&c=5&s=1
Some 331 jokes featuring Carabinieri–some even submitted by corps members…
City officials in Florence have extended purse-snatch-protection insurance to city residents and visitors. The insurance was previously available only to senior citizens, many of whom became victims after picking up pensions from post offices. “After a young Turkish tourist fractured her leg during a purse snatching, we thought it right to extend the policy to younger people and tourists,” explains Stefano Filucchi head of Florence’s “safe city” initiative. 
