Britain’s Telegraph carries an opinion piece titled If Muslim doctors are intolerant, let them go, according to which a few young Muslim medical trainees have been allowed to refuse to see female bodies or to treat alcohol-related problems, on religious grounds. Sainsbury’s, a UK grocery chain, allows its checkout staff to refuse to scan alcohol… Continue reading Religious Belief vs. Health Care – Tolerating the Intolerable in Italy
Tag: living in Italy
Where Italians Go on Vacation
Someone asked on Frommer’s: “Where do Italians go on vacation?” The majority go to the beach. For at least a century, a seaside vacation has been considered healthful: during the Fascist period, ocean front “colonies” were built, where urban children could be sent to escape the grime of the cities. The month-long summer vacation is… Continue reading Where Italians Go on Vacation
Italian Garden 2007: July
Unintended Consequences Here’s what happens when I leave my garden unattended: I get beautiful wild grains like the above – otherwise known as weeds. A weed I had been assiduously removing (but, obviously, missed one) turns out to have charming puffy purple blossoms. The insalata riccia (curly lettuce) bolted into meter-high stalks with delicate blossoms.… Continue reading Italian Garden 2007: July
Pandecena Milano June ’07 – In Which a Cunning Plot is Hatched
Famed Italian blogger Luca Conti (pictured at top right, showing off his Nokia to Sara Piperita) has pulled off what many bloggers dream of (and quite a few actually do, in other parts of the world): making a living by blogging. Or, at least, managing to get paid for various kinds of consulting (as a… Continue reading Pandecena Milano June ’07 – In Which a Cunning Plot is Hatched
Italian Garden 2007: June
The garden has been largely left to its own devices in the last six weeks, and is thriving. We’ve had monsoon-like rains almost every day for weeks, so it certainly doesn’t need watering, and the vegetables are large enough now that they’re mostly holding their own against the weeds. Only three of the six zucchine… Continue reading Italian Garden 2007: June