Thus the Financial Times today. “Venice, ruled by a Council of Ten for five-hundred years, has a long history of secretive government by a cozy nexus of political and business interests,” elaborates the newspaper. “Some Venetians are asking how much has changed after the latest corruption scandal to hit la Serenissima.” The story centers on Giorgio Orsoni, the city’s mayor until a few days ago, and bribery linked to the five-billion-euro Mose flood barrier project. Mose is Italian for Moses. The project was commenced in 1987 and is due for completion in 2016. Close to forty people were arrested recently, and more than a hundred are also under investigation. Many people in Venice believe that corruption extends to all major projects in the city. They have held street protests against the scandals, but there is little optimism about the future. As they say, this is not a case of a rotten apple, but a rotten apple tree. But the article provides a wonderful quote of a certain Maria Pia, and eighty-year old Venetian, who spoke about the scandal on a ferry on the Giudecca canal. “We are all used to the high water, and we all have our boots,” she said. “The only ones who need the Mose are those who want to get fat on public money.” Very well put. But the comment extends to all major projects everywhere around the globe. Corruption is an essential part of every major project, and Italy is not an exception. The larger the project, the more corruption there will be. The best that people can do no matter where they live is stick to their own trusted devices. Mrs. Pia’s wisdom is worthy of collective recollection.