Fabrizio Quattrocchi, who was murdered by his kidnappers in Iraq two years ago, has been awarded the medaglia d’oro al valor civile by Italy’s President Ciampi, on the suggestion of Interior Minister Pisanu. Posthumous medals are as much about creating potent symbols for the living, as paying respect to the dead. As such, it’s worth […]
In the previous post I mentioned the punishment by the National Commission for Being a Good Little Boy of a TV station for allowing a guest (Kazimiera Szczuka) on a show to mock the voice of a physically handicapped woman. In an admirable display of solidarity, Gazeta Wyborcza printed a trancript of the relevant part […]
Some random absurdities, all from just one issue of Gazeta Wyborcza. The Belarussian KGB has branded the Lukaszenko opposition terrorists. The newspaper is up in arms. Only GW Bush (if you’re not with us you’re against us) is allowed brand the opposition “terrorist”. Marek Zuber, adviser to Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, has admitted in […]
Boris Johnson, writing in the Spectator, suggests that it would be a shame were Silvio Berlusconi to lose the next election. Focussing primarily on Berlusconi’s legendary gaffes, suggesting “they help to make him fallible and human, and to explain his popularity”, Johnson admits that five years of the Forza Italia government have “been a disappointment, […]
Boris Johnson, writing in the Spectator, suggests that it would be a shame were Silvio Berlusconi to lose the next election. Focussing primarily on Berlusconi’s legendary gaffes, suggesting “they help to make him fallible and human, and to explain his popularity”, Johnson admits that five years of the Forza Italia government have “been a disappointment, […]
…as in “extraordinary outburst”. Today’s Fakt, a Polish tabloid, carries one on the front page from ?ukasz Warzecha. “I am convulsed with anger!” it begins (exclamation marks, in fairness, are commoner in Polish than in English). He is angry that Poland does not kill certain criminals and angry at the “know-alls” who sympathise with the […]
Syriana seems to be sowing confusion right and left. A correspondent to the Irish Times compares the verdicts of Charles Krauthammer and Michael Dwyer (IT’s film critic). For Krauthammer the plot was “near-incomprehensible“. O’Dwyer wrote: “Demanding the attention of its audience, Syriana proves thoroughly satisfying and accessible. . .” The review by the eminent film […]
In my last post I made an oblique (very oblique, it appears) reference to Vladimir Nabakov’s Pale Fire. Incidentally, Nabakov’s book is listed alongside 1000 others in a book telling us what we should read before we shuffle off this mortal coil.Some eager beaver has provided a list of the books recommended here.Many of the […]
Syriana was reviewed by both Gazeta Wyborcza and Rzeczpospolita on March 3rd. But did the reviewers see the same version? Poor Jacek Szczerba in GW seems to be under the impression that it is a documentary: he praises the US for allowing this pack of anti-US lies to be produced and distributed, even though it […]