A Risorgimento Of Sorts

Italy experienced an "economic miracle" of its own (much like Germany and Japan. And thanks in part to the Marshall Plan) during the post WWII era spurred on by a reinvigorated entrepreneurial class as well as the steel industry and technological advances (hydrocarbons found in the Po Valley) centered around the Genoa-Turin-Milan triangle. Growth rates hovered around 6% for a few years.

It is here names like Olivetti and Lamborghini founds its stride with it Italy became an industrialized powerhouse.

You can a full detail here.

Comments Update

Trying to get to the bottom of why you have to hover to leave a comment.

Euro Bike

A nice collection of Italian bikes from Euro Bike 2009.

Notice the triangle gear on the Wilier.

More here at Flickr.

Image is a shot of cyclist Alessandro Ballan's Wilier bike.

Helicopter In The Sky

Augusta-Westland were in Boeing bid this past summer for presidential helicopter contract.

Double Hand Transplant

The world's first double-hand transplant took place at San Gerardo Hospital in Monza.

I italicize 'double' because it wasn't the first hand transplant. That took place in Lyon, France in 1998. However, the hand was removed after being rejected by the patient's body.

Meningitis Vaccine Discovered And Approved

Given how much press meningitis receives, it's odd that the discovery of a vaccine in Italy wasn't reported here in Canada as far as I know.

Excerpt:

An all-Italian team of researchers has produced the first combined vaccine to protect against four of the five most dangerous strains of meningitis, the serogroups A, C, W135 and Y, reports Corriere della Sera.


The Swiss vaccine company Novartis, which also has a branch in Siena and produced a vaccine against meningitis C in 2008, has been given the green light to supply the new vaccine to pharmacies in Italy. It will be available to children over the age of eleven whose parents are in possession of a prescription from a paediatrician. Novartis coordinator Rino Rappuoli has explained that the vaccine contains a protein carrier which increases the body’s defences against the disease.

The vaccine was given a green light from U.S. and European agencies. Not sure about Canada.

Welcome

I recently added a "Follow" feature on this blog. I appreciate people who take the time to join.

Welcome, Lakeviewer.

Italy Has Work To Do On The Economic Freedom Front

While this blog explores one side of the Italian economic universe, one in which essentially captures its greatest creative qualities, it's not oblivious to its problems in a larger context. It's not all 'dolce vita" you know.

For example, Heritage Foundation published its annual Economic Freedom Index. Canada and the U.S. rank 7th and 8th respectively, but Italy (a member of the G8) is way down in 74th spot; tied with Greece. Leaving Russia aside for obvious reasons (I'm not so sure it even belongs in the G7), Italy is the lowest ranked G7 country.

I would think this is something the Italians will make a priority to rectify.

Not sure how realistic this objective is though.

Breda Machine Gun

U.S. intelligence report from 1943 describing an Italian 8-mm Breda machine gun.

Palladio Genius

Last year, I offered a criminally short post about Andrea Palladio.

Zeus is Watching offers this.

Panerai Watches

I regret not buying that Panerai years ago - around 1990 - in New York City.

Wait a second.

What's stopping me from buying one soon in the future?

Panerai - the supplier of the Italian Navy and Commando - was founded in Florence in 1860 and is currently manufactured in Switzerland.

Maserati Gran Turismo

She's a sweet ride I say:



A little background. Maserati was founded in Bologna in 1914 by five brothers. The Orsi family bought the company in 1937 and moved it to Modena with the original brothers maintaining an engineering role thus assuring the evolution of the Maserati name and brand. Maserati then passed into French hands when in 1968 Citroen became owners of the company and seven years after that, Alessandro de Tomaso assumed control.

It didn't end there. In 1993 FIAT (you knew it was a matter of time) bought Maserati eventually selling 50% of it to Ferrari itself a related partner to FIAT. After a flirtatious stint with Volkswagen (owners of Bugatti and Lamborghini), Maserati was back in the FIAT universe teaming up with the Alfa-Romeo division.

High End Furniture Innovation

Founded in 1927, Cassina has been home to some of the most important furniture designers in the 20th and 21st centuries. Cassina USA's website offers a brief history and biography of the company and talent.

Vintage Posters

Looking for Italian vintage posters? Try this spot.

Fly Standing

Italian company Aviointeriors has made the so-called "stand-up" seat on airplanes a reality.

Aviointeriors specializes in aircraft and railway seats and furniture.