2008 - October/November
Current Affairs
Coming soon: the on-line authorization for traveling to the USA
The Department of Homeland Security introduces a new procedure through Internet for traveling to the USA according to the program “Visa-free Travel.”
A new on-line procedure of authorization for traveling to the USA, called ‘Electronic System for Travel Authorization’ (Esta), has been activated by the United Sates’ Department of Homeland Security. The IT system allows the American authorities to assess in advance those who intend to travel to the North American country by using the “Visa-free Travel” program, which affects Italian travelers going to the USA, for example, for tourism or specific appointments such as professional, scientific or educational conferences or conventions, meetings, or medical treatments. Full Story
Dossier
The chance to change
Flexibility and meritocracy, a dream on the way of becoming reality for the Umana agency. By seizing the opportunities of a job market which, in Italy as in the USA, is less and less ‘constrained.’
Temporary labor companies, now called Employment agencies, are since the end of 2003, private companies authorized by the Ministry of Labor to broker manpower in Italy, based on the so called “Legge Biagi”, (“Biaggi Law”). This has completely redrawn the procedure for the authorizations from the ministry for the agencies, which may in this way practice the activity of supplying labor, brokering, searching and selection of personnel and support to professional outplacement. Full Story
Culture
Talking clouds
Paolo Ongaro, master of adventures, first works of an Italian being printed in China, talks about the world of comic strips.
There is a very long bridge connecting New York and Venice to the comic strips. On one hand the American comics have for decades, especially after the War, influenced the Italian culture, literature and cinema. On the other, a group of intellectuals have learned the lesson and ended-up rebuilding the image of “their” America so faithfully to be called by the Americans, ‘masters’. Full Story
Sport
Women’ basket: a dream for victory
Coach Massimo Riga of the Reyer Venezia team shows the way to compete with the American Women’s Basketball.
A hidden world made of passion and will to recover. A world not lit by the spotlights of television contracts, billionaire sponsoring, crowds of screaming fans. It is the world of the so called “minor sports”, those that on Sundays are not mentioned by the television programs or on Mondays on sports papers, but just few lines on pages of teletext or of the few minutes dedicated to them in the newscasts of some small private network. Hockey, handball, track and field, but especially women sports, basketball as well as soccer or as the British call it, ‘football’. Full Story
Culture
When the Great White Fleet came to the aid of Messina
To celebrate the Italians who have made United States of America big: it is the theme of the Columbus Day celebrations. A wek rich of apointments, whose core wil be the remembrance of the Messina’s earthquake in 1908 and climax in the big parade of October 13.
The tragedy that began on December 28, 1908, at approximately 5:20 A.M., was to be certified as Europe’s most powerful earthquake in modern times. Centered in the Messina Strait that separates the island of Sicily from Calabria on the Italian mainland, the quake’s power, estimated at 7.5 on the Richter scale, shook southern Italy to its very foundations with tsunami-like consequences including 40-foot waves that crashed down on dozens of coastal cities spreading thick, viscous, impassable mud in the streets resulting in enormous casualties – perhaps as many as 200,000 perished. Full Story
Culture
Back when we were poor people
““Da Genova a Ellis Island. Il viaggio per mare ai tempi della migrazione italiana”, (“From Genoa to Ellis Island. A sea crossing at the times of the Italian emigration: a large exhibit about Italian emigration at the Galata Museum of the Sea.”) The set-up displays the traveling conditions of the immigrants going to the United States in the period between 1892 and 1914.
Today we are the ones not to understand, watching and being horrified by the large boats on which tens of people at the limit of their strengths try to reach the Italian shores with a luggage made of dreams and illusions, with the hope of leaving behind a reality of poverty and hardships, perhaps because at times it’s easier feeding on a dream than leaving a life made of tears. Our daily papers talk of crisis, invasions, danger, but our memories talk of when we were attached to a cardboard luggage, strong only of our desire, able to express ourselves to those who spoke a different language only by using a dialect or many hand gestures. Years during which we dreamed of “la Merica”, America, New York was called “Nuova Iorche” and Madame Liberty was only “Sciura Libertà” “Miss Liberty.” Full Story
Dossier
Guaranteed or well-connected
From the practice of the recommendation, which is worth less and less in securing the first employment, to an extended test for the candidates, by way of stages and closed-end contracts. Evolution and limitations of the process of personnel selections.
“A recommendation is often the best way to find a job in Italy, where nepotism and partialities are widespread. When looking for a job in Italy, it’s not important what you know, but who you know.” The opinion, truly gratifying, comes from Graeme Chesters, author of the popular guide “Living and Working in Italy”, (publisher Survival Books) targeted for the Anglo-Saxon citizens. The analysis by Chesters is not only based on clichés: in fact, his statements find justification in the history of the Italian job market and are backed by some statistical data. Full Story
Business
Open skies, safe skies
American and European civil aviation authorities strengthen their cooperation. An agreement provides for the recognition of safety certifications, cooperation in investigations and exchange of data on accidents.
An agreement on air transportation, which ratifies the reciprocal trust reached between United States and European Union. Two are the major effects hoped-for by the agreement signed between the USA and EU in the sector of aviation: a greater level of safety and, at the same time, a cut in costs that could reflect positively on the fares. All through the recognition of the respective air safety certificates issued by the American and European authorities, which will make less burdensome the technical and administrative procedures currently necessary. Full Story
New York Itinerary
A ‘Yellow Submarine’ for the Andrea Doria
From the pier of Coney Island surfaces the wreck of the submarine “Quester I.” Standing as proof of the visionary idea of a New York’s shipyard worker: salvage twenty years later the treasure hidden in the sunken wreck of the Andrea Doria.
“We all live in a yellow submarine”, sang the Beatles in 1966. And two years later the Yellow Submarine, symbol of peace and joy, was also the subject of their first animated film: on board the submarine, the comics of John, Paul, George and Ringo, defeated the forces of evil to bring back serenity in Pepperland, a heaven on earth at the bottom of the ocean. While the band from Liverpool consecrated to the world the fame of the Yellow Submarine, in Coney Island a true yellow submarine was being built by Jerry Bianco, to embark another bizarre and crazy adventure. Full Story
Culture
The Lido di Venezia like Hollywood
All the Americans at the 65th International Film Festival of Venice. A festival in grand style, which has brought to the Lagoon, a Hollywood style festive and glittering atmosphere.
The Lido di Venezia, where the oldest film festival of the world was born, is a wonderful island. But the damp heat can be felt so much to induce guests to forego dresses for the ceremony for a lighter and more sporting wear. Because of this ‘unscheduled transgression’ the security officers, during the gala dinner, blocked on the beach of the Hotel Excelsior no less than the Coen Brothers, who just before had inaugurated the grand 65th International Film Festival of Venice with a film dedicated to human stupidity. With “Burn after reading”, Joel and Ethan Coen brought to the Lido di Venezia a Hollywood atmosphere, with actors George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Full Story
