Laughing is always possible

Humour and irony are never a problem. Don't ask what we laugh about, that's the real issue

Opinion

Can a tragedy be approached by jokes? Some people certainly would say no, that is impossible to do because in front of deaths and casualties there's nothing to laugh about. But listening to other people, or reading newspapers we could hear and see irony as well as black humour. How many times happens to have people using sarcasm in dealing with natural disasters, attacks, or tragedies such as the Holocaust? A large part of the public opinion feel disgust for jokes on Jews or cartoons where the authors make fun of bad events, but is a fact that a lot of people joke around everything, even the most horrible events. There's nothing funny in death, that's for sure. But Groucho Mark used to repeat that «the only real laughter comes from despair». A paradox, but only apparently. Difficulties as well as tragedies, due to their negativity, sometimes need to be played down, because try to minimize a terrible situation can be the only way to carry on. There's no lack of respect in playing down. On the contrary, using black humour and irony help to exit from the desperation. Of course, only irony is not acceptable: in that case it would be offensive. That's why jokes have to be used carefully and with intelligence.

Les belges et le football

«It's time for Europe of families», said Renzi

- Elverdinge (Belgium), 26th of June 2014 - It's time to relaunch growth and employment. So let's stop austerity and help citizens. That was Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi's message launched during the meeting of the Party of European Socialists ahead the European Council meeting «Italy neither wants to get anything in competition with the other partners, nor wants to get anything different compared to the others», he said. «The point is to listent to the very clear message come from the European elections, which is a message that obliges to reflect, understanding that if we care about Europe we must act in favour of growth and to tackle unemployment». Renzi reiterated that «there's any Italian position in opposition to that one of the other countries». On the contrary «there's a position, I believe within the European Socialists, in favour of growth and in favour of Europe of families rather than Europe of bureaucracy». (Emanuele Bonini)

Farage: «I expect parties in ECR not to feel comfortable»

- Brussels, 24th of June 2014 - UKIP leader Nigel Farage hopes his new political grop in the European Parliament can become bigger in the next months, he told reporters during the press conference organised to announce the creation of the EFDD political group. It is actually composed by UKIP (UK), Beppe Grillo's M5S (IT), Party of free citizens (CZ), Order & Justice (LT), Union of Greens and Farmers (LV), Swedish Democrats (SE) and MEP Joëlle Bergeron (FR). The group will have 48 MEPs in total. «The creation of this group was not one of easiest things to do, but we managed», he pointed out referring to the difficulties had during the negotiation. The group was possible because of Joëlle Bergeron, former Front National member who joined Farage's project after having complained with Marine Le Pen. Farage now is ready to host other parties, above all those who decided to join the ECR group (that one of David Cameron's Tories). According to Farage in that group, currently the third one in Parliament for number of MEPs, there are parties without nothing in common with institutional parties composing the European Conservatives and Reformist.
«I think there a lot of inconsistencies and some incoherence in that group, so I would expect, between now and Christmas, for some people who join that group, to perhaps not feel specially comfortable in that group». (Emanuele Bonini)

Farage: «We'll play an active role»

- Brussels, 24th of June 2014 - UKIP leader Nigel Farage during the press conference organised to announce the creation of the political group into the European Parliament.
Former group EFD - Europe of Freedom and Democracy -will be replaced by EFDD (Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy). It will be formed by UKIP (UK), Beppe Grillo's M5S (IT), Party of free citizens (CZ), Order & Justice (LT), Union of Greens and Farmers (LV), Swedish Democrats (SE) and MEP Joëlle Bergeron (FR). The group will have 48 MEPs in total.
«Many of the member of this group will play active roles in committees and act as some vicepresident and coordinators», Farage said promising that «the vast majority of the people will be taking committee work here extremely seriously».(Emanuele Bonini)

bLOGBOOK - The car

The first reaction in seeing this car was surprise. I didn't expect to can find this car in Belgium. Once surprise disappeared nostalgia came out. It was nostalgia for the past, since FIAT Panda has been "my" car for long time. At home my parents bought it in 1989, and in 1996 they changed for another one, a new one. I started driving at the end of 2002, and I used that car. It was red, like that one in the picture above, but compared to the car in the picture mine was simply red. I used it until the summer 2006, when it was stolen. I was on the seaside with friends, and we all remained there asking ourselves how was possible to steal such a car. Now I can say the answer is because FIAT Panda was unbreakable. It could go wherever in the world, and nothing wrong would be happened. That's, in my opinion, what we can define as "made in Italy". My car was found in Rome, one year later. Once again I could keep it for myself. Then, in a couple of years that story was over once and for all. My car, together with all its memories kept in the nearly 200.000 kilometres of roads covered in more a decade, was demolished and replaced with another one totally different. In the meantime FIAT had stopped the production of that model, and an era - personal as well as Italian - was over. Now, in Belgium, just in front of my house, for a while I had the opportunity to come back to the past, my past, and I recalled all those people I grew up with left far far away from here. I miss you folks!

Belgium got crazy for Red Devils

(Brussels, 22th of June 2014, after the FIFA wold cup footbal match Belgium-Russia 1-0)

Ten reasons to love Belgium

Few suggestions to discover a country too often underestimated

Mechelen town hall

(from LonelyPlanetItaly. Translation by Emanuele Bonini)

Quoting Simenon, the beer or Tintin is not enough to can say to have understand Belgium. This complicated country very rich in personality is good to be analysed under several point of view. Some times it recalls the memory of a hard work past, other times it's easier to compare it to a kind of Magritte's surrealist creations. Whatever be your Belgium or the suggestions this country produce in you, here are ten reasons to make deeper the relationship with one of the most particular country in Europe.

1. Ninth art praise
In Belgium comic strips (in Flemish "stripverhalen" in Flemish, in French "bandes dessinées") are considered the ninth art. The most popular character is Tintin, created in 1929 by Hergé. A specific museum has been opened in Louvain-la-Neuve. In Brussels the Belgian centre of comic strip (Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée) has not to be missed. In it are conserved the best creations from the best Belgian cartoonists.

2. Travelling by train with Simenon
In order to keep together the famous Belgian writer with an important piece of European history it has to be read "The train", Simenon's novel that takes place in 1940, when German Nazi Wermacht troops invaded Belgium. In to the stock car of a train travelling slowly to La Rochelle a man meets a Czech woman of Jew origin, constructing with her a world of desperate and ephemeral happiness. "The train" is a great book useful to can understand a crucial moment of both Belgian and European history.

bLOGBOOK

I don't remember last time I brought work at home. Maybe it was some month ago, before loosing my job, before caming back in search for a future. Future. To be honest I've never had the impression to can find it out, but of course compared to the daily uncertainty having the possibility to know a perspective for just one year is a huge step forward. I should work, I know, but I don't feel like. Everything is better than working in the night, even waste time on Facebook. Facebook. Only few months ago I would never had used such a word in any case, but things change - perhaps evolve? - so quickly and there's no time to realise it. In what I was too busy? Let me see... Finding new job opportunities, as still I am, meeting new people, going out, blocking credit cards, studying French, working... Working. It sound ironic for a person who has not a job. Oh yeah, I've been watching movies for free in place Flagey. Because of the nice possibility to stay outside and watching movies in plein-air, a not common business in a country like Belgium. Or simply because I just needed a couple of hours to spend without thinking to anything.
I don't remember last time I switched the alarm clock off and I came back to sleep, but I did no so long time ago. So it's not only the brain to be tired, it's also my body in need of a rest. Rest. Unrest. Dissatisfaction. Uhmmm, should I be concerned for this free association? Having a look to the clock I would say is not the case, it's simply time to go to sleep. Sleep. Deep. I'm deeply concerned. I don't feel good, I don't have the impression things are ok. On the contrary, I have the impression things are going wrong. And I can't do so much in order to change them. Can I? Change. Changeover. Maybe it's time to switch. No, it's just time to finish what I brought with me. Let resume (home)work. Homework sweet homework... 

Belgium, a country united by soccer (photostream)

Belgium, a country united by soccer

The people got crazy for the national team winner in the World Cup. For a day everybody met again the idea of unity lost in time

Match final result advertising in the metro station

by Emanuele Bonini

Soccer makes a country more united. It could sound weird, but that's exactly what happened in Belgium after the first match of FIFA World Cup. The national football team won against Algeria causing for a day a great moment of national celebration. All the people started turning out to stay all together with national flags, singing and exulting for the victory. Everywhere - in the metro station, at the bus stop, on the screens put inside the tram - Belgian victory was notified with written messages. "Final result: Belgium 2 - Algeria 1. Congratulations to our red devils for this wonderful victory", has been written at every corner of Brussels. It's something surprising for a country too often divided and where too often "separation" is the word most used both by Flemings and by Wallons. Ok, it's true generally the capital cities are totally different from the rest of the country, there the perception of the country is different compared to the other cities. Take Paris, in France. Every French will say that Paris in not France. And the same can be said for Brussels, under several point of view the less Belgian city of Belgium. But for a day all the Belgians have been proud to be Belgian. They reversed themselves on the streets blaring to underline national football team victory, wearing official jersey or dressing in black-yellow-red, the colours of Belgian flag. People in car shaking hands to other people with the Belgian colours never seen before. For a day Belgians shared their nationality, were not strangers. On the contrary, they were ready to hug each other. It's true that Belgium came back to play the world cup after twelve years, but in time of secession threats a sense of Belgian pride. Suddenly a new country has been shown to the the public: a country crazy for football, a country with a sense of nation. A country united. United by soccer. It sounds weird, but on the Belgian national football team lies huge responsibilities. In a certain way Belgium depends on them. The impression is this.

Pistoletto's "new infinity" at Italy EU presidency

For six months the installation will remain in the main atrium of the European Council

Pistoletto's "new infinity sign"

by Emanuele Bonini

Michelangelo Pistoletto will be the artist who will represent Italy during the six month of the rotating presidency of the EU. The three-looped infinity sign will be placed in the main atrium of Justus Lipsius building. It will remain on the roof for the entire duration of the Italian presidency. The masterpiece, whose title is "New Infinity Sign", will be put in the European Council main building with the aim of representing the integration of the different soul of Europe in a lasting political project.
   Michelangelo Pistoletto was born in Biella the 25th of June 1933. Painter, action artist and sculptor, he is acknowledged as one of the main representatives of the Italian Arte Povera, a modern art movement based on the principle of a return to simple objects and messages. During his career he became a powerful conceptual artist, and in 2003 Pistoletto wrote The Third Paradise manifesto and draws its symbol, the three-looped infinity sign, known as "New infinity sign". The basic idea of the Third Paradise is the overcoming of the current worldwide existing conflict between the two polarities of nature and artifice. The Third Paradise is symbolically represented by a reconfiguration of the mathematical infinity sign. In the “New Infinity Sign” three circles are drawn: the two opposite circles signify nature and artifice; the middle one is the conjunction of the two and represents the generative womb of the Third Paradise. “New Infinity Sign” is a very famous installation: in 2013 it was exhibited at Louvre museum.

Delays in completing EU integration costs 800 billion euro

A study by the European Parliamentary Research Service, with cautious estimates, remarked the aspect. A true Union has a potential efficiency gain amounting to over 1,000 billion Euro.

How much delays cost. Click to enlarge

my article for EuNews

An ‘uncompleted’ Union costs at least 800 billion euro a year. Practically, 6 percent of the GDP is missing in Europe because of the delays in the realisation of a true communitarian project. These are the estimates listed in Mapping the Cost of Non-Europe, 2014 – 2019, a study from the European Parliamentary Research Service realised as a contribute for the next EP term. The document “is intended as a contribution to the growing discussion about the European Union’s policy priorities for the coming five-year institutional cycle,” as explained in the introduction of the document.
   The study highlights the critical points in which the outgoing Parliament, during its term, has already called for improved efforts by both the Commission and the Council in order to strengthen the European economy. A first area of intervention is the digital single market. Here, completing the market could raise the long-run level of the EU GDP to around 520 billion Euro at current prices (by 4 percent) even though “the regulatory complexity of de-compartmentalising the existing markets in this field suggests that such a potential may take a sustained period of time to realise.” In the short-run, the Parliamentary Research Service makes the plausible assumption that, with the right policies in place, around half that gain to the European economy (about 260 billion Euro a year) could be achieved. Unfortunately, “the current situation in the digital field is still largely one of the fragmentation of an incomplete single market into essentially 28 national markets”.

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Even statues can be put into plaster cast

(Quartier St. Boniface, Brussels)

AS Gryffindor, red and yellow magic

Even stronger than devils

Gryffindor is magic basically because of wizards playing in the team, but not only for that. It's what Gryffindor was able to do in time making Gryffindor magic. Victories, trophies, wonders brought Gryffindor to the legend and to the myth. After having beaten teams and teams, defeated all rivals, it's thought nothing can stop the most popular broomsteaks in Hogwarts as shown by this old illustration on the left. In it an allegorical representation of Gryffindor wins over a devil, praying to have his life safe. What quidditch team the devil represents is unclear, of course according to the idea he represent any team. Maybe it just symbolize the nothing and nobody can prevail in dealing with Gryffindor. Well, of course in saying that it has to be clarified He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named doesn't belong to the category of the defeated. Maybe Gryffindor can compete with devils, but you-know-who is more than a devil. And he's not a Gryffindor fan.

FACT SHEET/ The Euro area enlargment

(Chart realised for EuNews)

South Ossetia to be a new Crimea?

Party of United Ossetia in the lead of the parliamentary elections. They called a referendum to became part of Russia, but NATO recognise the region as part of Georgia

by Emanuele Bonini 

NATO didn't recognise «the so-called» political elections held in South Ossetia on Sunday. The elections are supposed to open the path to South Ossetia annexation by Russia, since pro-Russian party Yedinaya Osetiya (United Ossetia) called a referendum on unification with the Russian Federation. The same party is in the lead, with one third of the votes counted in favour. Right now only three of the nine parties participating to the elections were able to reach the 7% threshold required to enter parliament. Together with Yedinaya Osetiya there People’s Unity party (16,4%) and People’s Party (7,5%). But it's too early to can have an idea of the outcome: final results of the parliamentary elections are expected to be announced later in the week. In an official statement NATO immediately said to «don't recognise the election held on 8 June in the Georgian region of South Ossetia». That was a clear political message to Russia.

Brussels in troubles with pigeons

The Belgian city has too much colonies and local authorities are to authorize the use of hawks

by Emanuele Bonini

Stop that pigeon! Who does not remember the popular Hanna&Barbera's cartoon? In it Dick Dastardly and his canine sidekick Muttley made efforts to catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon, a carrier pigeon carrying secret messages. In Brussels there are no secret message to carry, but like in the cartoon pigeons have to be stopped. The city is invaded by these birds, and nobody still has a plan in order to assess the problem. Because it is a problem. Pigeons are traditionally an invasive species, and above all they are disease transmitters. It has been proved this bird can transmit around sixty different kind of diseases, many of them can hit the human being. When pigeon colonies became too big health and sanitary reletead problems can rise. In fact associated to colonies of birds there is always the presence of their ectoparasites, especially fleas, bedbugs, ticks and mites, which cause infestations in the attics of buildings. Furthermore guano and carcasses dangerously contaminate the environment. Salmonella is the main dangerous sickness that a pigeon can transmit to humans: it is an intestinal infection with diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes fever. Salmonella breed in faeces, and generally cities are plenty of pigeons faeces. On the other hand, in dried excrements lies microscopic fungi that attack the respiratory system, causing pneumonia. So pigeons are really a problem.

Obama and the EU: «I get the Commission and Council mixed up»

Gag between Obama and Cameron on the European Union during the joint press conference after the G-7. Obama was asked about his relations with the EU, and he said sometimes he doesn't know who's the person in charge: «I’ve now been present for five and a half years, and I’ve learned a thing or two but…the European Union, the European Commission, the European Council… sometimes I get them mixed up». A smiling Cameron replied «Welcome to the club!»

Obama’s "faux pas" recalled everyone a famous thing Kissinger said. Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of State in the ‘70s, once said «Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?» – after decades, Obama made everyone understand Americans are still uncertain on the matter. (my article for EuNews)

FACT SHEET/ China foreign direct investment (FDI)

EU endangered by Chinese investments, said EP

The European Parliament warned of the risks for an excessive presence in the single market

by Emanuele Bonini

Rather than a strategic partner China is a dangerous economic player because of the risks that the country poses for Europe. This the European Parliament opinion, as underlined in the report "Chinese investment in the EU" issued by the Research service of the institution. The document showed both positive and negative effects of Chinese investors' activities in Europe. On one hand these activities stimulate employment (it has been calculated that Chinese are source of job for 45.000 Europeans) and «help to expand European access to China», but on the other hand a greater Chinese investment «could expose Europe to macro-economic volatility» as the volume of Chinese foreign direct investment would depend on economic conditions in China. The European Parliament expressed concern for the possibility that Chinese investors could transfer the economic activity from the EU to China: foreign firms could eventually move high-value activities acquired in the EU to China, which would entail a loss of jobs and tax revenue in the European Union.

If a Spanish king can be a problem for... Belgians

Juan Carlos' abdication relaunched the debate over the king in Belgium

by Emanuele Bonini

In Spain time changes: Juan Carlos' reign ends and Felipe's starts. After thirty nine years at the head of the Spanish monarchy Juan Carlos announced his abdication opening the path to his son. «I abdicate in order to open a new stage of hope where experience acquired meet with new generation impulse», he said. Pleasant surprise, simple curiosity, irony and even a bit of malice: Belgians reacted in very different way to the announcement made by Juan Carlos of Spain and, of course, as usual they split up. «Finally», posted a Flemish reader on the website of one the most popular in-French newspapers. «Abdications it's not a shame, there's nothing wrong in saying "I'm old and tired" opening to younger generations», replied Marie. In her opinion «Albert II of Belgium and Beatrix of the Netherlands had the intelligence to do so». These different points of view as well as this exchange of opinions are typically Belgian. They reflect a reality of a country divided on everything, monarchy included. Like one year ago, when king Albert II abdicated leaving the throne to Philippe, Belgians come back to their traditional divisions. As usual Flemings are against the crown. Ordinary life for people traditionally accustomed to dislike the king, maybe even for the Francophone nature of the royal house. «One king leaves, long live to the king», wrote ironically a reader from Leuven, Flemish town of Belgium. Even more caustic was B.C. «I'm going to tell it to my horse. It will be really happy to receive such a new», he wrote about Juan Carlos' abdication. P. Fressen, other Flemish name, stated that Juan Carlos' «was the right choice for the future of the Spanish monarchy... The republic?».
   So Spanish royal family's affairs inflamed the debate in Belgium, a country where Flemish party Vlaams Belang asks for independence from the north. Nearly one year ago, the 21st of July, Flemings remained indifferent to Albert II's abdication with French speakers happy for the new monarch. Now Belgium lies again to the same situation. «In criticising Juan Carlos certain people forget how Spain owe to its king», posted another Belgian reader. Well, maybe Juan Carlos' abdication will help Spain, but certainly is not helping Belgians.

Senselessland (chapter 6)

Impressions and images from Belpaese

Be up-to-date, get prepared. What a credible and powerful slogan. Unfortunately it doesn't exist, it has just been created on this web page to recall how Italy decided to do to boost economy: refresher courses. We already talked about (see chapter 4 of this section), underlining how a good idea will risk to produce harmful effects just because of new rules nonsense application. Journalists offers a clear example of what Italy is about. Obliged to follow refresher courses they are not free to choose. Let clarify that's something comprehensible before going on. Of course, in order to avoid people presenting every kind of activity to be certificated as updating it has been specified no any activity will be considered valid. So, just certain courses will be considered valid. The point is there still no clear evidence on what these certain courses are. The only thing certified are points, or credit points, to be collected with refresher courses. Every course has a variable number of credit points, and journalists have to reach a fixed amount of credit points within three years. Ok. How? Paying to follow courses. Here we are. Welcome to the dark side of professional orders reform.