Ho Votato “No”
A week after I voted in the U.S. presidential election, I sent in my ballot for the Italian Constitutional Referendum, which is taking place on December 4th.
I voted “no.”
The referendum is a rather complex beast which I suspect a lot of Italians who live in Italy don’t altogether understand, let alone those of us Italians by blood who live elsewhere. It is billed by its proponents as a series of reforms intended to …
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Double-neck Guitar Project, Part 1 – Will It Work?
Here is a little toy/project I picked up on eBay last week. I’ve been wanting to try one of these for a long time, and I finally found one at a bargain-basement price.
Actually, I’ve sold this guy to pay for most of it. So it’s going to turn out to be an even better bargain. I’m trading a guitar that sort of duplicates what I already have for something unique and different.
I’ve never …
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I Can Now Vote in Italian Elections
An additional privilege of the recognition of my Italian citizenship is that I now have the right to vote in Italian national elections. I can vote for representatives to the Italian Parliament, and I can also vote in national referenda. This is sort of like absentee voting in the U.S., but with a major twist.
A U.S. citizen living out of the country can vote for federal-level officials — president, vice-president, U.S. senator, and U.S. …
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A Mystical Experience at Delphi
Some places just have a vibe about them. You can feel it when you go there. It’s in the air — or something. There’s just something special about the place, something perhaps a little other-wordly, something….
This is how “sacred places” become sacred.
Last month during our trip to Greece, we visited Delphi, site of the famous Oracle. Delphi has a vibe to it. It’s been a sacred site since as far back as …
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Delphi and the Oracle of Apollo
Almost everyone has heard at least a little bit about the Oracle of Delphi. This ancient priestess who prophesied in the name of the Greek god Apollo is mentioned at least briefly in most history books. But the mentions in the history books don’t do justice to the magnificent, sprawling temple complex, situated high on the side of a mountain, where the Oracle made her cryptic pronouncements. You simply have to be there to grasp …
Read MoreE’ ufficiale: Sono cittadino d’Italia!
Earlier this afternoon, I received the following email:
Houston – Cittadinanza
To: Ed Perrone
Subject: Italian Citizenship confirmation.
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 15:49:59 -0500
Dear Sir,
This is to inform you that your application for the Italian Citizenship has been accepted and processed.
Your documents have been sent to the Comune di Giusvalla (SV) for their official registration.
Please, be advised that any change in your status or address must