Category: Uncategorized
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Scratch the Surface
Notwithstanding the ludicrous temperatures in my part of Sicily this week, (25 degrees at 6 am, and 50 at 2 pm), the rituals must go on. Now is the time when driving to work you encounter little old men parked appallingly on minor road and blind bends, harvesting capers at dawn, no doubt on the…
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Do but Don’t
Italy’s bravura at making rules which are made to be broken comes to the fore again. You can get your second COVID vaccine while on holiday this summer. Except that you shouldn’t. The idea being that you should arrange your holidays to not be on the beach when your second vaccine is due. If it…
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The sinner and Saint Raphael
There was once a humble multi billionaire who got caught perverting the cause of justice by paying off witnesses in a bunga bunga crime. Fortunately for the sinner he had given large donations and government funds to a hospital during his time as beloved son and leader of his country. Found guilty when the cock…
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Mattiavelli
The great schemer of his age makes Berlusconi look like an amateur. Now we learn that matteo Renzi, he who says that the Saudi Crown Prince wasnt responsible for the killing of Khashoggi (only verifiable if Renzi himself were responsibile), met the 007 Mancini in a car park. Salvini also met Mancini in the same…
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It’s behind you !
One of the major pastimes in Italy is that of the art of dietrologia – roughly translated as the study of what lies behind it. The Italian press is a master of this subject and can draw fantastical conclusions from a simple fact. Given the history of Italian politics and subterfuge over the last 70…
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MayDay
Who would have thought that a concert for May Day would become a real mayday alert for Italy? Centre stage is pop artist, rapper and X factor judge, as well as one half of the Ferragnez couple (think the Beckams), Fedez. Upstage there’s Rai 3, the state tv channel of the political left, and in…
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A father or a Dad
An Italian court has decided that a woman can use a fertilised egg to get pregnant. This, notwithstanding the objections of her ex husband who claimed that he should have a role in the decision. Except that this is Italy. The ruling of the court is that the ex-husband will be the biological father…
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Not even a leaf moves
Draghi has been sworn in and all is well with the world. Apparently. Now there’s talk of new orange zones to battle Covid and not even a whisper of dissent. The last time this happened, a couple of weeks ago, there were calls for all and sundry to resign. In Italy, it doesnt take much.…
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Berlo’s back
As the politicial Freddy Kruger, (every time you think he’s dead, he comes back in a sequel) Silvio Berlusconi made a triumphal entry into Parliament yesterday, complete with photo-op with his plane landing on the tarmac in Rome. Silvio has decided that its time for the country to unite behind Mario Draghi in a last…
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Bubbling Under
Here are three little takeaways to ‘celebrate’ the Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust. On the day itself, in the comune of Cogoleto (Genoa) 3 members of the opposition parties – one Leghista, one from Fratelli d’Italia and an independent, thought it apt to give the Roman salute – banned in Italy. Meanwhile a retiring…