Sciopero!! (Strike!!)

Well, well, well. I could quite likely get a taste of a long-standing Italian tradition after all. But this is not a case of striking postal workers or garbage collectors or bus drivers. Oh no. Milan's MODELS and other fashion professionals staged a three-hour strike today over the issue of foreign competition - specifically, American companies which set up shop in Milan just before big runway events, siphon off the work, then close shop and then vanish. They're also unhappy with the shadowy agencies which lure girls into what they think is a modeling job, except it turns out to be quite something else.

No pickets signs and sandwich boards in this protest. Agenzia Giornalistica Italia reports the models will cross their legs for three hours.

I'm tickled by that image, but I'm not sure why. The models have arranged for further work stoppages if they don't get satisfaction. Since I arrive Friday night, they could well be in the second day of leg-crossing protest.

How do you say "charley horse" in Italian?