Today I learned that the number one always-included ingredient in pasta sauce (at least in Italy) is NOT tomatoes/tomato paste. It's garlic.

I also learned that the switch to the Euro currency has 'helped' lots of nations' economies by allowing prices for everyday neccesity items to double or triple after the change. Meanwhile luxury items and expensive things, along with salaries, have remained the same. Books, transportation, cheaper medicine have all doubled in their average costs in Italy since the Euro change. The price for clothing and food has almost tripled.