Category Archives: italy

Fear and loathing in Empoli

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Charles Lambert

This sign, which forbids entry to all Chinese who don’t speak Italian, can be found* in the window of a clothes shop in Empoli, near Florence. In an Italy that seems to have woken up and found itself racist and … Continue reading →

Posted in italy, politics, racism | 3 Comments

Buzz

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Charles Lambert

In Italian the word ape means ‘bee’, but it’s also the name of the type of vehicle in the photograph above. It’s a 50cc moped engine with the body of a small van or, in this case, truck, grafted on … Continue reading →

Posted in italy | 4 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

Love came down

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Charles Lambert

Are you enjoying the latest cat-fight as much as I am? I’m talking about the one between the Vatican and the Northern League, after Roberto Calderoli, minister for simplification (and they don’t come much simpler than Calderoli) criticised Milan’s Cardinal … Continue reading →

Posted in italy, politics, racism, vatican | Leave a comment

Shock horror: Homophobic obscurantist has top job

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Charles Lambert

I discovered an interesting fact about Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) today, thanks to a letter in Repubblica. The CNR is a state-financed public organization that, according to its website, exists “to carry out, promote, spread, transfer and improve research … Continue reading →

Posted in creationism, homophobia, italy, religion, science, very dark cave | Leave a comment

Troppo sapeva

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Charles Lambert

I’ve just finished my usual round-up of the day’s English language papers, sitting here at my desk in a small provincial Italian town, without even having left the house. I’ve read the Guardian, the New York Times, the Independent. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, italy, mafia, saviano | 3 Comments

Bingo bongo

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Charles Lambert

People in Britain are right to be worried about the BNP, but even Griffin and his mean-spirited cronies might think twice before imitating the Northern League council of Colacchio*, a small town near Brescia. As part of their Yuletide festivities … Continue reading →

Posted in italy, racism | 4 Comments

Sticks, stones, words, lawyers

Posted on November 15, 2009 by Charles Lambert

That Berlusconi and his associates don’t trust certain magistrates hardly needs repeating. But it’s odd how much faith they put in the due process of law when they’re trying to shut up someone inconvenient. SB’s already brought cases against newspapers … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, freedom of speech, italy | Leave a comment