Turning Round La Brutta Figura
Italy is a very image conscious country - just wander down any Italian street and you will see beautiful shops and elegantly dressed passers by. The places and people are examples of ‘la bella figura’ - which means ‘creating the right impression’. The opposite of the ‘bella’ version is ‘la brutta figura’, which is similar in concept to the French ‘faux pas’, only in Italian culture ‘la brutta figura’ is somewhat worse than its French equivalent. In the eyes of the world Italy is one making big brutta figura at the moment, thanks in no small part to recent articles in internationally read newspapers.
While some dismiss these articles as foreign interference, many of the people I know, would not disagree that things are not going all too well in the land of pizza and Ferrari. These people are aware of Italy’s brutta figura, and it is embarrassing. However, there is the possibility that the embarrassment that these mischievous articles have generated may actually help reverse the downward slide which is occurring in the Living Museum. Two changes would make a noticeable difference. First, the electoral laws need to be properly reformed, and second all that is needed is quite simply a few new faces in Italian politics, and, possibly, the forthcoming collapse of the Prodi government may just provoke someone who can bring about such change into Italian politics.
That someone is the present head of Ferrari and the Italian employers’ federation chairman Luca di Montezemolo, and there are rumours that once his presidency at the federation ends he will enter politics. Heck, I really hope so. He would be something of a breath of fresh air in Italy, and he certainly has the management skills necessary to put together the right team and thus get down to sorting things out. Whether he will be able to navigate the veritable ocean of vested interests is another question, but seems to have done OK at Ferrari and Fiat, both of which are quintessentially Italian companies, warts, vested interests, and all. So it sounds as though he may stand a sporting chance.
The slight fly in the ointment, or so it would seem, is that Prodi’s band of brothers has collapsed a short time before Montezemolo managed to enter the scene . However, all may not be lost, because you see, the next elections will result in the same old unloved but familiar faces gaining power, and this will further lower the Italian populace’s esteem in those who purport to lead them. Enter stage right Montezemolo and, with a little luck some electoral reform will be carried out, he will sweep the field, and his mere presence may well give the majority of Italians the impression that there is still a ray of hope shining through what has been becoming an ever more overcast sky.
And, never fear, if Montezemolo really does manage to get the Italian ball rolling once more, there are more than enough talented Italians to keep it rolling in the right direction. This I know, I am lucky enough to teach plenty of them. And the frustration that has built up in such people is, at the same time, serving to stoke the fires of ambition, and, in the not too distant future the flames emitted by these people will reduce the old and ineffective to mere ashes.
La brutta figura will lead to la bella figura, or, as we say in English ‘every cloud has a silver lining’. Just you wait and see.
The Thread Finally Snaps
It’s a laugh a minute in this politically challenged country which is Italy. Clemente Mastella, the former justice minister who is now facing allegations of corruption, is not at all happy. It looks as though the man he was probably trying to protect, one Romano Prodi, has not returned the favour, thus leaving Mastella with one major magistrate-inspired headache. So in his death throes, Clemente is doing his level best to bring down Prodi’s fragile house of cards government.
It looks as though Mastella will succeed too, seeing as Prodi has a thinner than wafer majority. This means that the traditional revolving door style of Italian politics will continue its revolving tradition. Italians, of whom only around 14 percent actually have any faith in the current bunch of politicians, according to an article in today’s Financial Times, must be getting a little worried (or, more likely, very bored), seeing as there is no viable alternative to Prodi at present. That is not to say that Prodi was a viable alternative, more accurately, he was the only alternative - viable or not.
Thus, while the poor Italians attempt to decide who the best alternative may be, the elections will be rather half hearted. As usual here, a new fragile coalition will emerge, full of old faces, and attempt to (one hesitates to use the word ‘govern’, so we’ll go for,) hold onto power until the next scandal besets one or more of the groups that are in power at the time. Berlusco, who could see this coming , is jumping up and down in glee, and probably thinks he stands a sporting chance of entering government once again, even if the right wing groups who may form the next government are, possibly, a wee bit tired of the tanned one.
Interesting Times here in Italy (And no, the capital ‘T’ is not a typo… think New York, Financial and the other one…).
442 Pub Milan - New Banner
Down at my favourite watering hole there is a curious new flag with ‘Four Four Two, Milan’ on it. Although this flag, which can been seen on Facebook, appears to be English - red cross on a white background, not the Union Jack, interestingly enough, it is the flag of Milan.
I have no idea why the England and Milan flags are exactly the same, but I have to say that it is very appropriate for a sport pub in Milan. If anyone out there knows anything about the origins of the Milan flag, then please let me know.
I have used said flag as the basis of the new banner ad on this blog, and you will see it down on the left hand side. If you click on said banner, you will be taken to the official 442 pub site, but much better than a virtual visit is a real one. And shortly all you rugby fans will be able to see all the rugby down at the pub - but get there before the matches start, otherwise you will find it is standing room only. The atmosphere will be great though, sitting or standing.
Oh, and the ‘two beers for the price of one’ offer is still on. Yet another excuse for checking the place out.
No Winner of the BFI Hunt, Search, and the Presumed Hack Attack
My little competition attracted quite a few people, but nobody posted the winning response. Anyway, the contest is over now. Thanks to anyone who had a go.
I think I’ll run something similar in the future, most probably when the Google search system is fully up and running. Google has not finished indexing Blog from Italy yet, so the search results are still incomplete, I know. This is why there are two search systems at the moment.
The Wordpress search system will disappear once Google is up to speed.
Back to the contest, if anyone did have problems of any kind, then please let me know. At least so I can streamline things in the future.
As for the hack attack I thought I had, my hosting service tells me that there was no attempt to hack attack Blog from Italy, although I remain not 100% convinced. Someone from Australia was doing something odd, and odd things started happening. Oh the joys of running your own site.
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