Well, it’s that time of year when the fruiti vendolo becomes the most important person in your culinary life. This is why, for a non-Italian, it is important to find one that doesn’t talk too much. For this estimable quality, our fruiti vendolo, affectionately known to us as Beelzebub, gets the prize of Best Fruiti …
Author archives: HM
A day on the Litoranea
As people come from all over Italy to spend their summer in traffic around Salerno, it is comforting to know that even if sometimes they can’t quite get to a beach, there’s still always something to eat. It is glorious summer again, a fact confirmed by the presence of a corn on the cob vendor …
Early Morning in Southern Italy
This article focuses on recent “socio-sanitary developments” in the south of Italy that are “improving” the lives of residents. At about 5.30 am each morning, the city council where we live sends out a trained team of employees to wake everyone up, just in case we can’t manage it ourselves. As an extra service they sometimes …
The Italian Connections: Why Italy Never Ruled the World
This article exposes the shocking truth about Italian electric fittings. There are three distinct periods in Italian history. First, there is the engineering, economic and military brilliance of the Romans. Next, the cultural and scientific genius of the Renaissance. And last, and certainly the least, we have the Great and Unfathomable Age of Mindless Incompetence and Pointless …
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Patriotism and Bullshit
These days one is very frequently tempted into giving one’s opinion – generously, without solicitation and for free – to anyone who is unable to avoid hearing it. One of the most common deliveries of this nature concerns Italy and Italians, and usually starts with “Italy is a beautiful country; the food is great…” and so on. But …
Silvio and the 500,000 theives
It is useless to claim, for a person of depth, that one avoids politics because it leads nowhere. But, alas, it must be said. Because, after a brief period in the wilderness, Silvio Berlusconi is back. This recent victory, at the head of the Party of Liberty, prompted a question: how is it possible that …
Motherfakers
Dealing ruthlessly with nuisance fraudsters. Read article, or try our experimental click-blog If you’ve ever been bothered by a street peddler, then chances are you’ve bought something you didn’t want just so they’ll go away. What most hustlers count on, in fact, is your wish to get rid of them as quickly as possible. But if …
Road and Traffic Insanity
This piece deals with the insane road and traffic planning to be found in Salerno (as just one example of an Italian city). There is the ingenious fly-over system at Fratte; a particular set of traffic lights in Cava brilliantly designed to kill pedestrians; and the many autostrada entrances that make it impossible to enter the …