The Perpetual BetaMatteo Balzani’s weblog

Sometimes being an Italian abroad is embarrassing. We have the mafia, Berlusconi, corruption (well, of course all these 3 are deeply conencted…); we can’t speak English, we are noisiy ect, ect.
Sometimes this commonplaces are true (unfortunately Berlusconi is true, even if he seems like a cartoon), sometimes they are not.
Sometimes we try to fight these commonplaces, but sometimes we do all to confirm them, like the idiotic (M)TV series “That’s amore!”, where a moron called Domenico does everything he can to enforce every stereotype about Italians.
Please believe me: not all Italians are like Domenico!

Yes, it’s a stupid test, but I know you have nothing better to do :)

“Amsterdam smoking ban doesn’t apply to marijuana…”

Well, it’s not exactly the game that I got to love.
The fact is that outside our office now there’s a booth where every night you can go and see the games together with the colleagues. And you have free beer and food!
Isn’t it amazing?
I just found it out today but if  I  had known I’d have been there every night :)

Tonight was great fun, because Italy was not playing and I could tease my German colleagues, who lost against Croatia.
And Friday I’ll be flying to Italy during the match, so nobody will be able to mock me.

I love football!

That’s a brilliant book!

Funny and clever, extremely well written and with wonderful characters. The father is hilarious and the Ukraenglish language made me crack up several times. I definitely recommend it!

It’s a good book, I liked it and also recognized myself (and some friends) in the situations.

The problem is it reminded me too much Jpod, by Douglas Coupland, which is totally better.

I think it’s worth a read anyway, but don’t expect a masterpiece.

THat’s a scary movie if you are an Italian (as I am).

The director tries to use some Tarantino’s shots and a sometimes exaggerated acting, mainly by the main character (a great actor btw), but at the end the film is absolutely serious and you realize that politicians in Italy are hopless.

If you are an Italian and live abroad go and watch it. If you still live in Italy, well, it’s up to you, but it will be even more difficult than it is now to stay there.

And don’t tell me I didn’t advise you!

The best part of the show is the 45 minutes video-interview to Bacon. He is totally crazy :)
His style is very different in the different stages of his life/career. Personally I prefer the last part, which is less dark and more experimental.

A wealthy old Gentleman decides to go on a hunting safari in Africa, taking his faithful, elderly Jack Russell named Killer, along for the company.

One day the old Jack Russell starts chasing rabbits and before long, discovers that he’s lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.

The old Jack Russell thinks, “Oh, oh! I’m in deep doo-doo now!” Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the leopard is about to leap, the old Jack Russell exclaims loudly, “Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here?”

Hearing this, the young leopard halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees. “Whew!”, says the leopard, “That was close! That old Jack Russell nearly had me!”

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the old Jack Russell sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up.

The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The young leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, “Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what’s going to happen to that conniving canine!

Now, the old Jack Russell sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, “What am I going to do now?”, but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn’t seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old Jack Russell says…

“Where’s that damn monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!

Moral of this story…..

Don’t mess with the old dogs…age and skill will always overcome youth and treachery! BS and brilliance only come with age and experience.