Tag Archives: italy

Rebutting Radical Chic…nella Cucina Italiana

Posted on March 24, 2023 by hnbjr

In a fit of radical chic, the Financial Times published Marianna Giusti’s interview with Marxist academic Alberto Grandi, in which the latter “debunks” (a popular activity these days) Italian food traditions, most of which are admittedly as new as Italy’s … Continue reading →

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Why — or How — Italy Works, and Why No One Wants to Leave

Posted on September 13, 2011 by hnbjr

The motorist tries to run you over and you get into a yelling match on the street. The phone company is billing you for your old and new internet, although neither work. You’re getting laid off, you lose your private … Continue reading →

Posted in italy | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Raiding the Ratings Agencies

Posted on August 6, 2011 by hnbjr

The financial news has been so intense this week that I’ve all but given up on trying to blog it. Twitter‘s where you’ll find most of my comments on the tumult in Europe and the US. Amid markets falling and … Continue reading →

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Enoch Powell

Posted on June 2, 2011 by hnbjr

Apropos of the histrionic tone towards immigration that Italy’s runoff elections took recently, it’s interesting to take a look at how the issue was approached in Britain 43 years ago by Enoch Powell, the conservative firebrand best remembered for his … Continue reading →

Posted in BBC, Bossi, decline of empire, immigration, italy, lega nord, the italian right, the right in europe | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Militarism on Italy’s Day of the Republic

Posted on June 2, 2011 by hnbjr

Italy rarely has national holidays that anyone cares about. Milan My building is pleasantly empty at the moment, with most denizens having gone away for a long weekend. Militarism is rarely on display for secular holidays here, although this year … Continue reading →

Posted in afghanistan, america, Balkans, the italian right, the right in europe, war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Magdi Allam’s Politics of Fear

Posted on May 9, 2011 by hnbjr

Some readers have criticized my use of the word “nutjob” to describe Magdi Allam. That is admittedly an imprecise description of a journalist-turned-demagogue whose views are nativist at best and racist at worst. Like Oriana Fallaci before him, Allam has … Continue reading →

Posted in Bossi, Chinese, gypsies, human rights, il cav, immigration, italy, lega nord, roma, the italian left, the italian right, the right in europe, Via Sarpi | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

So you want to write a book?

Posted on April 16, 2011 by hnbjr

Tim Parks stands out from most expatriate writers on Italy by choosing to write about the daily realities of a life lived among regular people. Lesser writers are enchanted into irrelevance by the cultural, gastronomic and sartorial consumption opportunities afforded … Continue reading →

Posted in italy, literature, tim parks, veneto | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Italy and Refugees

Posted on March 28, 2011 by hnbjr

As Italy struggles to accept massive flows of refugees from the Arab Spring, one hopes that the G7 country has learned something in last 20 years.  As Berlusconi’s channel report that the refugees are complaining about the quality of food … Continue reading →

Posted in decline of empire, human rights, il cav, immigration, international development, international justice, italy, lega nord, libya, maroni, the italian left, the italian right | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

In Need of a Beer Summit

Posted on March 22, 2011 by hnbjr

My impression is that, despite every news media outlet on earth coming out and saying that that Italy really had nothing to celebrate, most non-leghisti Italians actually did feel like celebrating, and Turin’s packed squares, riverbank, and streets were a … Continue reading →

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Human Rights Watch Condemns Italy

Posted on March 22, 2011 by hnbjr

Human Rights Watch released a report on the state of racism and xenophobia in Italy yesterday.  The results are not cheerful reading. I wrote about this two years ago for the American, and it’s not heartening to see that things … Continue reading →

Posted in immigration, italy, lega nord, libya, maroni, the italian right, the right in europe | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment