| above: Here where the Archbishop of Milan held court, where with the bitter duel of Ramengo and Lupo amidst the jokes and songs of Tremacoldo, T. Grossi [the author?] gave a life of courtesy and tragic passions to Ottorino and Bice, a faithful portrait of an ungrateful age in which will dominate the figure of Marco Visconti. Here [in] the hundred and first year since the publication of the novel “The Bellanese”, with wishes for a new century of faith, probity, and glory, this memorial [set] on September 8th, 1935 – 13th year of the Fascist era.This plaque on a building in Bellano commemorates a novel we’ve never heard of – evidently the pious hopes of those who set the stone have not come true (but it appears that they themselves forgot to commemorate the book’s 100th year!). Note that there has been some attempt to whitewash that last line about the Fascist era. | ||
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Awareness CampaignI can’t think of a good translation forsensibilizzazione. It means to make someone sensitive to or aware of something. City Government of LeccoComune can refer to the city, the city government, or the town hall building (though the building can also be called the municipio). Want my [parking] place? Take my handicap!Note the use of the English word. A handicapped person is called un portatore di handicap or (less PC)handicappato. The h is usually not pronounced. |
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“In this place where Engineer Edoardo Stoppani accidentally died, His son Eugenio to the eternal memory of his defunct parent, Erected this refuge 1905” – note use of the passato remoto (remote past tense), rarely used in everyday speech anymore, at least in northern Italy. A rifugio is a mountain refuge to give shelter to hikers.
Smoke hurts/is bad for you. sign in a restaurant in Intra (or thereabouts)
^ Committee “Save the Constitution Born from the Resistance” (members of a parade on April 25th, Italy’s Liberation Day)
^ “Rich snobs [who] pretend to be pop artists.” A comment added to wall graffiti, presumably by real pop artists. |
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The Abandoned Animal
This sign sits in a piazza in Lecco. |
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Funny Signs from Around India
^above: Vakil means lawyer in Hindi
above: This sort of motto seems rather retro and naive to advertising-jaded Americans, but still plays well in India.
This advertisement for cellphone services is is almost entirely English words transliterated into Hindi, in some cases interspersed with Hindi grammar.
| From the top: |
| Full roaming North India me (in North India)Balance on screen har call ke bad (after every call).Ess. Em. Ess 1 rupee Ess. Tee. Dee. / Ay. Ess. Dee. (two phone standards used in India, I think) Free voice mail |
Katrina: Effects on the Middle Class
Katrina: 9th Ward
Including a good look at some of the houses Brad Pitt helped build.
Katrina: Don’t Bring Your Kids Here
Had a post-Katrina tour of New Orleans with my cousin Celia. Here she explains why many dispossessed New Orleanians with children will not be returning.
- The New Projects
- Xes
- Effects on the Middle Class
- Don’t Bring Your Kids Here
- Corruption
- The Effects on Communities
- 9th Ward
- Celia’s Story
- What Happened in the Hospitals