Category Archives: berlusconi

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Posted on August 7, 2010 by Charles Lambert

According to an article in today’s Independent, Maria Vittoria Brambilla, the Italian minister for tourism (seen here discussing policy with her employer), has announced that the Palio di Siena, the traditional horse races that occupy the city’s main square for … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, italy, mafia | Leave a comment

Strage

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Charles Lambert

Thirty years ago today I was teaching English at a summer school in Malvern. The students, aged between 12 and 16, were mostly from Europe and the largest group came from Italy. They rarely watched the television – I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, italy, terrorism | 1 Comment

But who will protect us from our protectors?

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Charles Lambert

Guido Bertolaso, the head of civil protection in Italy, looks like turning into the gift that keeps on giving. After being flown to Haiti by Berlusconi to offer his expert advice, he upset Hillary Clinton by calling US aid to … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, corruption, italy | 1 Comment

Fuck off, Binetti

Posted on February 14, 2010 by Charles Lambert

Good news for all those people, like me, who know that the best way of getting rid of Berlusconi is to concentrate votes on the Partito Democratico (PD), but just can’t stomach it while Paola Binetti, fundamentalist catholic and – … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, binetti, homophobia, italy, PD, politics, religion | 4 Comments

Saints and charlatans

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Charles Lambert

In religious circles there’s a term – bilocation – that describes the ability of certain extremely holy figures to be in two places at the same time, obviously for miraculous purposes. Padre Pio was reputed to have this extraordinary power, … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi | 3 Comments

The shopkeeper is always right, well, sometimes

Posted on December 22, 2009 by Charles Lambert

I was in my local profumeria last Sunday. This particular profumeria is the size of a large provincial bookshop (in a town that doesn’t have a bookshop), its walls and shelving units lined with exquisitely packaged small bottles containing liquids … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, italy | 1 Comment

No-B Day (two weeks late)

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Charles Lambert

Not hot news, I’m afraid. I wrote the following piece the day after the No-Berlusconi Day march in Rome almost two weeks ago, then put it to one side to settle. Well, it has, and there’s nothing I want to … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, italy | 1 Comment

Man meets small spiky object. Object wins.

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Charles Lambert

Berlusconi’s bloodied nose is already an exquisitely political space, populated on the one hand by those who see the Capo’s body as sanctified ground and therefore untouchable (i.e. his supporters) and on the other hand by those who see his … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, hypocrisy, italy, politics | 4 Comments

Kapow! Biff! Clunk!

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Charles Lambert

Berlusconi and his trained seal, justice minister Alfano, have been crowing about their latest victories against the Mafia – two arrests that just happened to coincide with the anti-Berlusconi march in Rome last Saturday (about which more anon). Proof, they … Continue reading →

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Crossed digits

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Charles Lambert

I’ve spent too much time today trying to get our television in the kitchen to work. Or, to be more precise, trying to get our NEW television in the kitchen to work. Everything was fine until a few months ago. … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, journalism, television, umberto eco | Leave a comment