My friend and Woodstock classmate Yuti Bhatt responds to the articles on sports fans: The section on Sports Fanatics is interesting in light of the fact that more than a billion people at this very moment are engrossed in a series of games being played over a period of 43 days in South Africa. I… Continue reading Cricket Fanatics
Medical Privacy
…One big aspect of Italy’s national health system that I forgot to mention previously: it’s available to EVERYBODY. There’s no nonsense like asking for insurance information while you’re bleeding in the emergency room (they do ask for your national health card, but if you don’t happen to have it on you, no one cares). And… Continue reading Medical Privacy
50 Ways to Flush a Toilet
In the Brussels airport, I saw a new piece of technology that I just had to try out: the Lady P Urinoir (in the ladies’ bathroom, naturally). There were written instructions in four languages: “1. Assume skiing position.” Fortunately, there were also stick-figure illustrations, otherwise I would have had to puzzle about “skiing position,” not… Continue reading 50 Ways to Flush a Toilet
Sports Fanatics
My last two pieces, on fan violence and dyed hair, between them spurred more discussion than anything I’ve yet written in this newsletter. With the permission of the authors, I will quote some of their very thoughtful replies, with further thoughts of my own. American readers are baffled by the need for the safety measures at… Continue reading Sports Fanatics
Out Sick: Being Ill in Italy
You haven’t heard from me in a while (and I may not be very coherent today) because I’ve been seriously ill for two weeks now, with a lung infection that came on during a nasty flu. I’m now doing a course of injected antibiotics (the oral ones didn’t make a dent); let’s hope that works.… Continue reading Out Sick: Being Ill in Italy