Some of Italy’s top museums and archaeological sites are showing a decline in popularity, reversing the trend for steady growth for the first time in two decades. Moreover, Italian families are spending almost 7% less per capita on the theater and on movie attendance. Few expect 2009 to be better—on the contrary, as the economic slump hurts tourism, it may be worse.
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This past weekend’s vote for representatives to the European Parliament was read beforehand as a chance to show massive personal support for Premier Silvio Berlusconi and to demonstrate the expansive vitality of his rightist Popolo della Liberta’ (PdL), into which Gianfranco Fini’s Alleanza Nazionale merged little more than a year ago. Instead, the vote was a setback for both Premier and party, and shows an increase in protest parties and individual protests.
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The Italian Right's comically frantic attempts to turn back the clock to a time when non-Italians hadn't polluted (or blessed) Italy's shores is guaranteed to fail (as are face-lifts, liposuction, and hair transplants).
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Alan Lomax’s stunning photographs from Italy (1954-1955) are published.
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Italian American politician Nancy Pelosi visits Italy after Obama’s election. The President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini donates to her a copy of the rare and precious book “Michelangelo. La Dotta Mano” by FMF
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Nancy Pelosi, the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives arrived in Italy on Saturday, February 14, for a six-day visit.
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Some of us think this is a year best forgotten. But let us consider the bright moments.
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This essay is the third, and last, in my series alluding to the similarities between Bensonhurst 1989 and Italy 2008.