Trevi Group To Fix Dam In Iraq

"The Iraqi government and an Italian engineering firm have finally reached a tentative agreement that could provide a long-term fix for the world’s most dangerous dam. But the tricky repairs needed to prevent a catastrophic failure at the Mosul Dam, in northern Iraq, could potentially make a bad situation even worse."

"...On Tuesday, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni confirmed that the Iraqi government and the Trevi Group of Italy were close to finally signing a deal for long-term repair of the dam’s foundation. The Italian company has been trying to secure the Mosul contract since last year, but concerns about the Islamic State’s continued presence and questions about security at the work site have delayed any work so far. Gentiloni said on Tuesday that talks with Baghdad about the dispatch of up to 450 Italian troops to protect the site are well advanced."

"The Trevi Group has carried out similar work at more than 150 other troubled dams, including in the United States. The Wolf Creek Dam in Kentucky, for example, was built on geology similar to that at the Mosul Dam and faced the same kind of seepage problem. Between 2006 and 2013, Trevi built a concrete wall under the dam’s embankment, known as a “cutoff wall,” that acts as a barrier to seepage and ends the threat of erosion caused when water hits limestone, gypsum, or other minerals..."

More at Foreign Policy magazine.

The Trevi Group come with a substantial resume including being an integral player in the raising of the Costa Concordia submerged and stuck in waters of Giglio island.

Images of Lombardia

As you know, this blog's stated objective is to explore Italy's industrial and technological side but it's cultural heritage runs so deep it's almost impossible to ignore it. I don't know how I've managed to keep such a stoic posture given the country's cultural magnificence.

Alas, perhaps the time has come for me to consider posting the odd cultural gem Italy offers in abundance. Indeed, it almost feels criminal to not do so.

Looking up some information on Atalanta soccer, I came across the interestingly majestic photo of the city of Bergamo (home to Atalanta) which is situated north of Milan in the Lombardy region.

Apple Opens First European iOS App Development Center In Naples

In tech news:

"Apple® today announced the creation of Europe’s first iOS App Development Center in Italy, to give students practical skills and training on developing iOS apps for the world’s most innovative and vibrant app ecosystem.


The iOS App Development Center, to be located at a partner institution in Naples, will support teachers and provide a specialized curriculum preparing thousands of future developers to be part of Apple’s thriving developer community. In addition, Apple will work with partners around Italy who deliver developer training to complement this curriculum and create additional opportunities for students. Apple expects to expand this program to other countries around the world.


“Europe is home to some of the most creative developers in the world and we’re thrilled to be helping the next generation of entrepreneurs in Italy get the skills they need for success,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The phenomenal success of the App Store is one of the driving forces behind the more than 1.4 million jobs Apple has created in Europe and presents unlimited opportunities for people of all ages and businesses of all sizes across the continent.”

"...Thousands of companies are expanding because of their work with Apple, which supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in communities large and small across Europe. Milan-based Laboratorio Elettrofisico makes some of the most sophisticated magnetization equipment in the world and their technology enables some of the industry-leading magnetic features found in Apple products. Apple also works with Europe’s leading manufacturers of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, which create tiny components that power some of the incredible sensor and audio technologies found in iOS devices."

Keeping Things Clean With Johnny Vac

Check out my new Johnny Vac.

Vacuuming in Italian style! Okay, it's not easy trying to make a vacuum hip but you have to admit Johnny Vac is a cool name.

Anyway, way better than a Shop-Vac. Sturdier, easier to maneuver and the micro-filter sacs make for a less dustier ordeal. Just a much better machine all-around.

Bring On 2016!

Buon Anno A Tutti!

Buon Natale

Meet the world's largest Christmas tree in the Medieval town of Gubbio in Umbria.

What makes an Italian Christmas anyway?

The Captivating Aura Of Italian Creativity

Perusing up and down WSJ I spotted an article about a Stanford physics professor and his love for Alfa Romeo. 

"...When I look at a car, I don’t just see a vehicle, but a set of values of the people who dreamed it up. The car pictured here is a 1972 Alfa Romeo Spider. I love the styling, but it’s really a car all about driving. Every aspect of the design is about performance. There was no focus group to decide where to put a ketchup holder, no gimmicks or fake wood grain. 
"Italian cars in the early 1970s got a reputation for poor quality, but it’s not warranted. These cars were very sophisticated for their time, and they required knowledge and competence from the people servicing them. This competence was not commonly found at a corner gas station. It wasn’t that the cars were pieces of junk. People just didn’t know how to take care of them..."

I may be mistaken but the cost of quality steel in the 1970s from countries in Western Europe skyrocketed leaving car manufacturers in Italy with little options except to use lower-grade steel from Russia which in part explained why they rusted as one person explained to me years ago.

In any event, he gets right to the heart of what distinguishes and differentiates Italian creativity from the rest. It's hoped I can convey this message in this (poorly run) blog.

From the comments:

"As an owner of 2 Alfas and a few other Italian cars, I couldn't agree more. Every time I sit in one of these cars I marvel at the unobtrusive competence of the people who designed them. They are made for the driver to shine, not to show off the engineers' capabilities. There are no gimmicks, no complicated interfaces that seem to be there only because the engineers could do it, no superfluous features, nothing except the man-machine interaction. These cars are a pure expression of the Italian designers' credo, harkening back to Roman times and building on the humanism of the Renaissance, that man is the measure of all things and that technology should be at the service of man. It is this idea that pervades the Italian way of life, you can see it every day when you visit Rome or Florence or Bologna or Milan, and it is embodied in the cars that they make. And in the motorcycles, and the boats, and the watches, and the clothes..."

An accurate and apt description if you ask me.

Many years ago my cousin explained to me while visiting Italy that Italians don't look for comfort in cars like North Americans and Northern Europeans do. Italians want to feel the enraged sexy might of their cars. They have a passion and panache for speed and more speed. Their car culture simply reflects and mirrors this appetite for speed through cutting edge design. It's what's keeps their creative juices flowing. It reminds them they're alive.

That's why you don't see too many Italian luxury cars. They do exist among the Maserati, Lancia and even Alfa ranks, while unsurprisingly beautiful and comfortable, it's not their specialty.

****

Which got me thinking. How many truly great racing nations are there? By this, I mean countries that create the machines to feed their lust for speed.

Off the top of my head, the obvious ones that spring to mind are the United States, Great Britain, Italy, France, and Germany. Japan, Australia, Spain, Brazil, Argentina and even Canada can also been thrown into the mix. Japan is a great producer but its racing culture is not as vibrant. The others are nations that have provided talent but not necessarily the machines - by this I mean speedy boats, planes, automobiles, motorcycles and whatever else people race.

So that leaves the first six. And out of those mighty six,  in my view, the U.S, G-B and Italy stand out as the biggest racing cultures.

Disaster Hits Italy's Centuries Old Olive Trees

This is sad:

"A plant germ found in Europe for the first time is killing off centuries-old olive trees in southern Italy’s Apulia region, and researchers haven’t yet figured out how far the pathogen has spread.
Scientists found xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium native to the Americas, in plants across Lecce province in Apulia’s south and are now widening their search to all the region, Anna Maria D’Onghia, head of integrated pest management at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, said by phone today.

The pathogen, detected last month, is linked to die-back of olive trees over 8,000 hectares (19,768 acres) near the city of Lecce, the European Food Safety Agency reported two days ago. Apulia is Italy’s largest olive growing region with production of about 11 million metric tons last year, or 36 percent of the national crop, government statistics show."

I hope Italy recovers. Or else the world will be poorer for it.

This tragedy reminds me of The Great French Wine Blight that destroyed many vineyards in France in the 19th century. So much so that part of the solution was to import vines from the United States (California); ironically the source of the problem since the insects that ruined the vineyards originated from the USA. Yes, there is an American connection to modern French wines.

Just Add To Long List Of Legendary Names: Laverda

The Laverda 1000 V6 typifies the Italian penchant for spontaneous bursts of creative genius where machines are concerned. Having been part of the rebirth of Italian motorcycles in the 1970s and eventually declining in the 1980s, Laverda is yet another iconic work of engineering intrigue born in Italy.

Not exactly known for its smoothness and must have been hard to handle, the prototype featured a monster V6 engine by way of Giulio Alfieri - more known for his work with Maserati than motorcycles - who was commissioned by Massimo and Pietro Laverda.

Pininfarina Sale In The Works

Pininfarina's legacy features well on this blog - although not nearly enough and that's my fault obviously - and it's pending sale to an Indian company caught my eye.

"Mahindra & Mahindra is close to signing a deal to buy Italian car designer Pininfarina (PNNI.MI), two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Friday, the latest purchase of an iconic Italian brand by an Asian company.

"...Milan-listed Pininfarina has designed cars for Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Cadillac. Its shares closed down nearly 10 percent on Thursday after daily MF reported that there were growing doubts over the success of the talks..."

"...Turin-based Pininfarina, which owes its name to a nickname of its founder Battista Farina, also called "Pinin" Farina, is the latest Italian industrial brand to be snapped up by an Asian buyer after China National Chemical Corp agreed to buy into tyre-maker Pirelli in a 7.3 billion euro deal in March."

It's a shame such iconic Italian brands and companies don't remain in Italian hands but if acquiring companies can ensure viability without compromising Italian jobs and/or style, then so be it. Better that instead going bankrupt.

  

A Japitalian Car For 2017: Fiat Spider

Say hello to the 2017 Fiat Spider.

Road and Track:

"...Yes, as has been promised since the newly-redesigned Miata was first conceived, the iconic roadster has spawned an Italian-badged variant. Wearing the "124 Spider" badge, first applied to a Fiat back in 1966, this new roadster shares its chassis, suspension, some body panels, and nearly all of its interior with the Miata we've grown to love."


It has the look only Italian design can provide, n'est pas?

Pic from newestcars.

Colnago's C60 And FSA's 11-Speed Groupset

Images of C60 Tricolore limited edition from Colnago.

FSA's 11-speed electronic group set.

Benelli Shot Gun Feature

Benelli 828U shotgun.

She's a looker.

Italian Machines Ready To Leave Innovative Imprint

The machine industry is a particularly important one in Italy. The country contributes 120 companies specializing in textile machines and represents a huge source of revenues and jobs for the sector which has been experiencing some turbulence in recent years.

That's why the international textile machine fair in Milan this year is an important one for companies. If anything it gives them a chance to diversify demand into other markets outside Europe where roughly half of its business is conducted.

"...The event is already setting records: over 1600 exhibitors will occupy a surface area of around 105,000m2. Italian machinery manufacturers will certainly play a major role, with about 450 exhibitors on hand (over 28% of the total exhibitors) and over 31,000 net m2 of surface area occupied, ACIMIT reports. "

From the ACIMIT.IT website:

The event is already setting records: over 1600 exhibitors will occupy a surface area of around 105,000m2. Italian machinery manufacturers will certainly play a major role, with about 450 exhibitors on hand (over 28% of the total exhibitors) and over 31,000 net m2 of surface area occupied, ACIMIT reports. - See more at: http://www.innovationintextiles.com/italian-textile-machinery-reports-growth-in-domestic-market/#sthash.5mGrL1Tn.dpuf

The event is already setting records: over 1600 exhibitors will occupy a surface area of around 105,000m2. Italian machinery manufacturers will certainly play a major role, with about 450 exhibitors on hand (over 28% of the total exhibitors) and over 31,000 net m2 of surface area occupied, ACIMIT reports. - See more at: http://www.innovationintextiles.com/italian-textile-machinery-reports-growth-in-domestic-market/#sthash.5mGrL1Tn.dpuf