Happy birthday Italy

[eurotop40]

For all metropolitan italians and ethnic italians (like myself) all over the world these might be interesting web sites:

Home - Italia 150
Italia Unita 150 - 2011: il 150º anniversario

On March 17th, 2011, Italy as a unified country is 150 years old.
OK, not as old as the US, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece etc., but still...

 

[D_CountdeGrandePinja]

Thanks be to God - from one Italian to another!!!!

BTW - lookin good!

 

[B_crackoff]

Not wishing to piss on the birthday cake, but weren't Rome (the declared capital), & the papal states not captured till 1870, & weren't the Venetians strong armed innto a staggeringly decisive referendum in 1866? That's quite a bit of popularly known Italy!:smile:

File:RegnoItalia1861.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I remember finding the risorgimento, & the parallel unification of Germany, by Cavour & Bismarck, quite fascinating.

Indeed, without all that politicking & intrigue by Bismarck(he did like provoking wars he knew he'd win quickly) with the "Ems Telegram", & the Hohenzolleren candidature, there wouldn't have been the provocation of the Franco/Prussian war, & the capture of Napoleon III, along with the French army at Sedan. It was only at this point, with the French garrison away fighting, & defeated, was Rome taken.

Wasn't the 17th the day the Piedmont King Victor Emmanuel was proclaimed King of all Italy. Ah well, irredentism rules.

17th March is St Paddy's Day - you don't need an excuse to join the party, but the green in the Italian flag is always welcome.

 

[Jason]

There was a poll last year indicated that a clear majority of North Italians (61%) wanted an independent state "Padania" while an overwhelming majority (80%) supported some form of independence. Details here (pdf): http://affaritaliani.libero.it/static/upl/aff/affari-italiani-rel-14.pdf

Of course what people tell a pollster and how they might vote in a referendum may be very different. In the UK anything over 50% would get independence for Scotland or Wales. Devolution for Wales was brought in by a fraction over 50% in a referendum with a low turnout. UK logic would be that the North Italians should certainly have their referendum for devolution, with the door open for subsequent independence.

 

[eurotop40]

There was a poll last year indicated that a clear majority of North Italians (61%) wanted an independent state "Padania" while an overwhelming majority (80%) supported some form of independence. Details here (pdf): http://affaritaliani.libero.it/static/upl/aff/affari-italiani-rel-14.pdf

Of course what people tell a pollster and how they might vote in a referendum may be very different. In the UK anything over 50% would get independence for Scotland or Wales. Devolution for Wales was brought in by a fraction over 50% in a referendum with a low turnout. UK logic would be that the North Italians should certainly have their referendum for devolution, with the door open for subsequent independence.

If you read the poll's conclusions thoroughly it is evident that the majority of the people wish a federated and not a split country. In particular, they wish a federal fiscal policy, such as Switzerland has.

Not wishing to piss on the birthday cake, but weren't Rome (the declared capital), & the papal states not captured till 1870, & weren't the Venetians strong armed innto a staggeringly decisive referendum in 1866? That's quite a bit of popularly known Italy!

Indeed, the proclaimed Kingdom was lacking the provinces annexed in 1866 and those annexed (and partially lost after WWII) in 1918, as well as Rome and Latium that were conquered in 1870, thanks to the german Kaiser who had defeated the Pope's ally, France empereur, Napoleon III.

Here the photos of the so called "Padre della Patria" Victor Emmanuel II and his great-great-great-grandson Emmanuel Filibert.

 

[Jason]

Yes I see the wish in the north of Italy is really for federation - but this doesn't seem to be the wish of the centre or south. In many ways this is akin to the problem the UK has faced with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having devolution but within a non-Federal system (because neither England as a whole nor its regions want devolution). At the moment in the UK we are living with the imbalances - Scottish MPs vote on English domestic policy but English MPs have no vote on Scottish domestic policy. But it is odd!

 

[eurotop40]

Thanks be to God - from one Italian to another!!!!

BTW - lookin good!

Thanks, U 2.
Grazie, anche tu.

 

[cruztbone]

i have visited Italy once and loved the place. friendly, interesting, creative, fun.and the food is absolutely divine. praise the brave Itallian underground who fought like hell to end the Mussolini regime during world war 2.

 

[Calboner]

Felice centocinquanteraio!

(Non sapevo questa parola prima di vedere il primo articolo!)

 

[eurotop40]

exactly: "centocinquantenario"...

 

[Calboner]

exactly: "centocinquantenario"...

Grazie. Ho fatto lo sbaglio di copiare la parola dal sito. Sono loro che non sanno l'italiano, e non io!

 

[eurotop40]

Wow, be', allora sei un "italiano etnico" come me???

 

[Calboner]

Wow, be', allora sei un "italiano etnico" come me???

Oh, no; just a language nerd. I'm not fluent in any language besides English, but I have some knowledge of a few others.

 

[eurotop40]

Well... your sentences were perfect, as written by an italian. Obviously I can't judge how you sound when you speak, but you seem to be quite talented. Very good!

 

[Calboner]

Thanks; that's good to know.