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Category Archives: Italy
The Edited Life: Salvatore Di Vita and the Sacred Image
Father Adelfio sits alone in the empty theater before the town arrives. He holds a small brass bell. He watches the film first, every reel, and at each kiss he rings the bell, and up in the booth Alfredo marks … Continue reading
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The Yves Montand Voice
Yves Montand (1921-1991) sang and spoke with a baritone that carried the weight of a working man. He was born Ivo Livi in Italy and raised poor in Marseille, and the Mediterranean stayed in his throat even after he scrubbed … Continue reading
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Ten Convenient Beliefs For The Leaders Of Italy
Stephen Turner‘s convenient beliefs run at full Mediterranean-strategic speed in Palazzo Chigi right now. They run in the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, and the quiet back-channels with Washington, Brussels, and the Gulf. The U.S.-Israeli campaign enters its second month. … Continue reading
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The Jurisdictional Wars: Alliance Theory and the Battle for Cinema Paradiso Authority
Characters in the world of Cinema Paradiso do not compete for authority by saying they want power. They compete by invoking moral languages that frame their authority as fidelity to the magic of film, loyalty to village tradition, or responsibility … Continue reading
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The Jurisdictional Wars: Alliance Theory and the Battle for Italy’s Master Institutions
Italy’s high-status actors do not compete for power by openly claiming it. They compete by invoking moral languages that frame their authority as necessary for stability, competence, national dignity, or social protection. This is the core insight of David Pinsof‘s … Continue reading
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Why is Cinema Paradiso (1988) my favorite movie?
ChatGPT says: Because Cinema Paradiso flatters your deepest instincts without lying to you. It is about love for art without pretending art fixes life. Movies matter, but they do not save marriages, restore parents, or stop time. They shape you … Continue reading
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Why Did Italy Move From Ally To Enemy Between WWI & WWII?
ChatGPT says: Alliance Theory explains Italy’s shift the same way, but with humiliation rather than containment as the trigger. Italy entered WWI on the Allied side as a late switcher. It did so to trade blood for status. The promise … Continue reading
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A Brief Survey of the Various Foreigners, Their Chief Characteristics, Customs, and Manners by P.J. O’Rourke
P.J. O’Rourke writes in National Lampoon in 1977: AFRICANS Racial Characteristics: Probably not people at all. Probably some kind of monkey. They eat each other and worship bundles of sticks and mud. You can never remember the names of their … Continue reading
America’s Melting Pot
I never ate pizza until the summer of 1980, when I was 14 and we were eating out. I loved it. It was regarded as a naughty dish by my parents because it was too rich. We never had pizza … Continue reading
Southern Italian town world’s ‘only white town’ after ethnic cleansing
Shocking! Some Europeans are standing up for their own identity and for keeping out those who are not a good fit. Wow, some Europeans have a sense of their own self-interest. The Guardian from 2010: Authorities remove all remaining immigrants … Continue reading
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