Global 24hr news stations, well-resourced and able to bring us in-depth, live coverage of epoch defining moments. Italy, like many other countries, has had its news media shaken ever so slightly over the last couple of years with the introduction of 24hr news channels. Rai 24, the news flag-ship of state broadcaster specialises in developing […]

In yet another attempt to harness widespread dissatisfaction with Prodi’s government, Umberto Bossi – leader of the Lega Nord party, has made calls for a fiscal strike, or to put it another way, tax evasion. The calls for a fiscal strike were augmented by last year’s budget which raised taxes in several areas under the […]

And so, one of the greatest Italian mysteries of the 21st Century is brought to an end. Amateur humorist and sometime Inter defender Marco Materazzi has revealed what he said to Zidane during last year’s world cup final. Apparently Zidane, frustrated at Materazzi’s constant shirt pulling had said sarcastically to the Italian player “If you […]

Shane Barry, in the blog above this monkey, has taken a certain amount of umbrage at the Rough Guide’s suggestion that Ireland (Republic and North of) are amongst the “most backward places when it comes to racism […]”. This monkey can proudly reveal that in Northern Italy innovations previously unthought of are being hatched on […]

There was quite a brooha, here, the other week in relation to an opinion piece written by Adrian Michaels in the Financial Times entitled Naked Ambition (brought to my attention by the eagle-eyed ,Shane Barry – thanks) The article focussed on the obsessive use of the female body in Italian television and advertising, and the […]

This monkey was one of the few viewers of Live Earth here in Italy. On a blisteringly hot day (something that is not particularly unseasonal – for what its worth), I chose to stay indoors and watch bits and pieces of Al Gore’s extravaganza, and after a brief and remarkably unscientific straw poll after the […]

I stumbled upon an interesting dialogue on Bloggingheads.tv between Bruce Feiler and Reza Aslan, author of No God But God (and, apparently, the Brad Pitt of young Muslim commentators…). It’s a lengthy interview, throwing up some interesting points as the two talk about the Iranian community in America, and the political state of play in […]

A press release winged its way to Three Monkeys Italian branch announcing concerts by Sonic Youth, where they will perform their 1988 classic album Daydream Nation. The tour is sponsored by MTV Italia’s Brand New program…

An art exhibit, entitled the Madonna Cries Sperm, is causing political representatives on a local and national level to get hot under the collar. The exhibit, originally organised by the Yurta association as part of the S.Vitale neighbourhood summer festival, has been cancelled after various local and national politicians deemed it ‘unacceptable’ and ‘offensive’. It’s […]