About accents and pasta sauces

The one who pays attention to accents is like someone who only eats spaghetti Bolognese.

It's like someone who has never proved, by sheer ignorance or mere hesitation, a carbonara.

Or a putanesca.

Sauces must be the same as whores: always at the customer's taste.

Sauces must be like those who eat them: reflecting their level of civility. Or cosmopolitanism. Or not.

No, not that the Bolognese does not express any nobility. On the contrary. After all, such would be a blasfemy with the dear friends from Bologna.

But what pisses me off are those who just want to eat pasta with sauce of ground meat (although the 'vero bolognese' is made of beef finely chopped, cooked for hours over low heat).

It is the lack of window, the unwillingness to perceive that smell that sounds on the other side, the color of cooked tomatoes for hours, the perfume of the panceta, the basil that gives color to the smell of the cooked, the fresh rosemary that transforms, the oil that lights up.

It is the lack of it all that makes me think and reflect on the lack of vision on the negligence of accommodating the other in the heart, the pre-trial of ideas, cultures, ways of being, anyway, the accents.

I speak as I like. And as the whole world. And I sail the accents as if they did not exist, even though I am aware of their presence, of their carriage, of their origin. But not everything that originates is worthy to exist.

So are the accents, as well as pasta sauces. In fact, I really sauce a pasta. God bless! Cheers!

Coincidence? Dow Jones identical on both September 11 of 2001 and 2009

Dow Jones on September, 2009: 9;605 points (click here to check)

Dow Jones on September 11, 2001: 9.605 pontos (click here to check)

Do you believe in coincidences?

Do things happen by chance or are they guided by the order that is in the chaos of the universe?

I personally do not believe in coincidences. I believe there is a correspondence of facts, an equation of infinite energy exchanges that culminate in the course of things. In terms of the microcosm, it would be, from my point of view, a chain of events that result from thoughts and actions of individuals. In the macrocosm, from thoughts and actions of the collective .

Ramblings aside, coincidence or not, the fact is that the Dow Jones, the main indicator of the New York Stock Exchange, registered the same mark on the fateful September 11 (2001) and, amazingly, on September 11, 2009: 9,605 points.

Regardless of beliefs or theories, whatever it is that you or I think about the existence or not of coincidences (this theme would not only cover a post, but a book, at least), the conclusion of this numerical coincidence in the largest stock exchange in the world is a shivering one.

I think the message that the universe wants to give is very simple: eight years after the disaster in Manhattan, nothing has changed. The greed of the current system of wealth exchange continues. The essence of human being remains the same. Even with such shock of September 11, we continue to make the same mistakes: short-term vision, socio-economic pragmatism, the rule of advantage, and so on.

Perhaps this is the ideal time to, once again, reflect on our actions, from the smallest ones, such as taking care of the trash at home, to greater ones like conscious consumption, respect for others, kindness in relationships with others, the love for life.

When I was a kid, I remember my father giving me a lesson. He told me this: a saddled horse is only once in front of us. And we should not, therefore, miss the opportunity of riding it.

I agree with him. But is our collective consciousness ready for this? Is it ready for the opportunities to make a better world?

Oh boy! I wish I had those answers.

Berlusconi X Freud: is it the mother's fault?

by Rodrigo Marques Barbosa

(Clique aqui para português)

Freud postulated in his works that all figures of authority in our lives are the representation of our own fathers transvested.

We can say that the leader of the nation where we live – being the president, the prime minister, the king, the dictator – is one of those figures of authority. 

A not-well-resolved relationship with our parents and, by inference, with other individuals who exercise authority over us (including bosses and the police) can leave indelible trauma in our lives (citing Freud again). 

Having said that, I wonder how Italians are dealing with their leader’s recent rhetorical abuse. Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has shown the world once again his arrogance during the G20 meeting, which brought together world leaders earlier this month in London.

There were several recent episodes in which Berlusconi broke the protocol, committed gaffes and disrespected the world by mocking on nations’ representatives. What do Italians have to say about their prime minister’s behavior? After all, by analogy to Freud’s theory, it is something like watching your own father being rude and mean to the entire neighborhood. 

Even the queen of England, Elisabeth II lost her temper with Berlusconi. She jumped out of the chair when the Italian prime minister started yelling to greet (by far) the U.S. president, Barack Obama. “What is it? Why does he have to shout?”, she said, shrugging her shoulders.

The next day was not very different. Continuing with the agenda, the world leaders headed to Strasbourg, France. Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel, one of the hosts of the event, was welcoming the VIP guests on a red carpet. When Berlusconi arrived, he got off the car speaking on his mobile. He then ironically waved to Merkel, turned his backs to her and kept his phone conversation for more than 30 minutes. The meeting started without Italy’s representative. I wonder if Berlusconi suffered from maternal rejection and now is trying to compensate this lack by repeating the same pattern of his childhood. 

Besides all issues we already have to face in our everyday’s lives, we still have to put up with the tyranny of the leader of one of the richest nations on Earth. And as I said, the issue is not about Berlusconi’s individual attitudes, but the collective representation of his acts. After all, it is like Italy was mocking on the rest of the world, isn’t it? Would that be the real desired manifestation of the Italian people? 

My ultimate anger and the motivation to write this article was Berlusconi's express refusal of the aid offered by several countries to the victims of the earthquakes that have shaken Italy in the last two days.

Okay, I agree that if there is no need for help yet, then those who want to help must direct their efforts to the people who really need help. But what did bother me was Berlusconi’s rhetoric speech. Take a look at his recent statements:

"Italy is alone capable of dealing with the demands." (Would this be a remnant of his pre-infancy, when his mother neglected him with attention?) 

"We are a proud people. Thank you, but we are self-sufficient." (Ditto) 

Berlusconi said today that 30 million Euros will be directed to help the earthquake victims. But he said later that he will request several hundred million Euros to the European funds.

So will they need help or not? It beats me.

Clash of Cultures in the Corporate Environment: The Case of Brawn GP F1 Team

(clique aqui para português)

Brawn GP F1 Team gains second life after Honda withdrawal 

Team regains 42% of disputed points

by Rodrigo Marques Barbosa 

The start of the Formula 1 2009 season inspires reflection on the conflict of cultures in the global corporate environment. I explain.

Two pilots leading the way in the early days of this year's championship were considered has-beens last year. After Honda announced its withdrawal in December, Brazilian pilot Rubens Barrichello was assumed to be retired, and his mate, Englishman Jenson Button, unemployed.

Despite both pilots having no major achievements in their F1 careers (apart from being among the best active pilots in the world), Rubens and Jenson have finished the 2008 season at 14th and 18th, respectively, and now are among the favorites for winning the title. How can this be explained?

Is it the car? This is perhaps the first answer that comes to mind, but what about the team’s backstage administration, something not always considered by the motoring press. That is Ground Zero of the culture conflict that makes or breaks an F1 team. 

I experienced the world of F1 in 2005 and 2006, working at Honda’s office in Brazil. I was the bridge between the team and the car manufacturer. In early 2006, I took a group of journalists to Barcelona, Spain, in the world media event to present car and drivers for that season.  There I was able to witness some of this conflict of cultures. 

Even though Honda acquired 100% of the shares of former BAR Honda at the end of 2005, and from thence over the entire management of the team (something Honda hadn’t done since 1968), the English team's DNA was not altered by any means. The change came in the way things were run. The difference now was that the British had to report to the Japanese executives. 

Watching the training and the race of the Malaysian GP last weekend, I heard a comment from Brazilian TV’s commentator Reginaldo Leme that supports my point. The journalist mentioned that team members (whose majority of members came from former Honda) had complaint that there were too many chiefs in the previous team, run by Honda. As goes the popular saying, a dog with two owners dies of thirst. 

Today, the impression I take from watching the team when celebrating and smiling (at least until the conquest of the second consecutive race by Jenson Button) is that the team breathes more relieved. I even noticed a lighter air in Rubens, a brighter aura, if you will. Is it just an impression?

The fact is that there was indeed  a clash of cultures in the decision making process along with the team. I will not make any value judgment on any culture, but what I witnessed is that, on one hand, there was a staff of Japanese engineers and administrators that pointed to one direction, and on the other hand, a same sized - but subordinated to the first - group of Englishmen who saw the picture in different colors. 

Speculation or not, the results are there for everyone to see. After three seasons considered by critics and fans as mediocre, Honda did not support the weight of the investment (with no return) and gave up the team. Surprisingly, since the current design of the Brawn GP car was initially for a Honda engine, and not Mercedes, the result combined as wine and cheese. Although they still await the trial of the controversial issue of the rear diffuser, the combination of the Mercedes engine with the project captained by Ross Brawn, the team's current owner, is a success, having earned Felipe Massa’s comment that the “car is from another planet “. 

I will leave to the reader to take any conclusion on why the Brawn GP team got it all right from the beginning. Anyway, the joy of the pilots and other members of the team is pretty much visible. In the pits, on the podium or in the paddock, they are only smiles. 

For us, fans of the sport, a new F1 team is always welcome, especially when it comes to the arena ignoring favorites, and taking home two consecutive poles and two consecutive victories, besides the expressive mark of 25 points gained so far (or 42% of the total disputed until now). As a Brazilian, I am now cheering for Rubens to find his way and compete with Jenson for the position of first pilot of Brawn GP.