Insight

The murder of Giacomo Matteotti – reinvestigating Italy’s most infamous cold case

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

He is on a secret mission to meet representatives of Britain’s ruling Labour party – including, he hopes, the recently elected prime minister, Ramsay MacDonald.

Key Points: 
  • He is on a secret mission to meet representatives of Britain’s ruling Labour party – including, he hopes, the recently elected prime minister, Ramsay MacDonald.
  • The 38-year-old Matteotti, a tireless defender of workers’ rights, still hopes Mussolini can be stopped.
  • For Matteotti, this new British government – the first to be led by Labour, although not as a majority – is a beacon of hope.

Four days in London

  • Britain’s new prime minister was a working-class Scot who had made his way up via humble jobs and political activism.
  • In contrast, Matteotti hailed from a wealthy family that owned 385 acres in the Polesine region of north-eastern Italy.
  • The team is working with academics from different backgrounds who have been engaged in projects aimed at tackling societal and scientific challenges.
  • But something else may have troubled Mussolini about Matteotti’s visit to London – part of a European tour that also included stops in Brussels and Paris.

Death of a socialist

  • He had reportedly been working on this speech day and night, studying data and checking numbers for many hours.
  • This secret group, known as Ceka after the Soviet political police created to repress dissent, had been following Matteotti for weeks.
  • The squad’s leader, US-born Amerigo Dumini, reputedly boasted of having previously killed several socialist activists.
  • Socialist MPs, alerted by Matteotti’s wife, denounced the MP’s disappearance – but were not altogether surprised by it.
  • For a few days, it appeared that the resulting public outrage – much of it aimed at Mussolini himself – might even bring down Italy’s government, spelling the death knell for fascism.

Why was Matteotti murdered?

  • His death can be seen as one of the most consequential political assassinations of the 20th century.
  • Yet for the Italian right, Matteotti is a ghost.
  • Throughout her political career, Italy’s current prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has hardly ever spoken about the historical crimes of fascists in Italy, and not once about the murder of Matteotti.
  • The historical debate about the murder has also never reached a unanimous conclusion about who gave the order to kill Matteotti and why.

The LSE documents

  • The story of how the documents came to be secreted away in the LSE library takes us back to London for another clandestine visit – this time by Gaetano Salvemini, an esteemed professor of modern history who fled Italy in November 1925.
  • In December 1926, while still in London, Salvemini received the secret package which he soon passed on to the LSE.
  • But they were driven by the conviction that these documents could one day prove beyond doubt that Mussolini had orchestrated Matteotti’s assassination.
  • Salvemini may thus have considered the LSE a safe haven – and there the documents have remained ever since.

A voice from the dead

  • Rather, the move allowed Mussolini to legislate unchallenged while the seats of the 123 MPs who had joined the rebellion were left vacant.
  • Matteotti’s article, entitled “Machiavelli, Mussolini and Fascism”, was a response to an article published in the magazine’s June issue by Mussolini himself.
  • The Italian prime minister’s translated essay about the Renaissance intellectual Niccolò Machiavelli had carried the provocative headline “The Folly of Democracy”.
  • The article was widely commented on in the British press, which had been following the story of Matteotti’s murder almost daily.
  • His funeral was rushed through very quickly, with the coffin being transported overnight in an attempt to prevent public gatherings.

The end of Italian democracy

  • In a speech to parliament on January 3 1925, he took “political responsibility” for the murder while not admitting to ordering it.
  • Mussolini’s speech ended with a rhetorical invitation to indict him – to a parliament now populated only by fascists.
  • The speech signalled the end of Italian democracy.
  • The nature of Mussolini’s involvement was little discussed in the wake of his execution in April 1945 and the end of the second world war.
  • Was it the evidence of the Mussolini government’s corruption that he planned to reveal to the Italian parliament the day after his kidnap?


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  • He has also received funding from the Fondazione Giacomo Matteotti to study the LSE documents.
  • Gianluca Fantoni does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Hard work and happy accidents: why do so many of us prefer ‘difficult’ analogue technology?

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024

Up two flights of stairs, the music machinery on offer includes brands such as Moog and Buchla, as well as modern euro-racks.

Key Points: 
  • Up two flights of stairs, the music machinery on offer includes brands such as Moog and Buchla, as well as modern euro-racks.
  • (From Michael’s fieldnotes)
    I finally locate the legendary Schneiders Buero, a shop selling analogue synthesizers in Berlin’s Kotti neighbourhood.
  • Up two flights of stairs, the music machinery on offer includes brands such as Moog and Buchla, as well as modern euro-racks.
  • (From Michael’s fieldnotes) As academics who rarely go a day without playing or making music, we have spent the past decade examining the extraordinary revival of analogue technology.
  • This means there are now more analogue options available than at any time since the 1970s, the heyday of the modular format.

The appeal of the slow

  • So we dived in.
  • Eventually, these forays became our formal research project, which has included visiting record fairs and conventions around the world, going on photowalks and attending listening evenings, and meeting an array of diehard analogue communities both on and off line.
  • The team is working with academics from different backgrounds who have been engaged in projects aimed at tackling societal and scientific challenges.
  • And we expect interest in such experiences to rise exponentially in coming years.
  • Recognising our existential need to occasionally slow down can be the basis for winning consumer strategies.
  • Recognising our existential need to occasionally slow down can be the basis for winning consumer strategies.

Saved from demolition

  • Rather than nostalgia, they are turning to film because of its aesthetic values and a greater sense of creative control over their photos.
  • In response, venerable brands including Kodak, Polaroid and Leica have re-emerged – in some cases, almost from the dead.
  • We literally saved it from demolition at the very last second in 2008.
  • We literally saved it from demolition at the very last second in 2008.
  • He said luxury brands such as Gucci are particularly keen on using film photography as this gives their promotional material a different look.

Work, effort, meaning

  • When it was conceded that digital probably was better for wildlife photography, James cut in:
    That’s to miss the point!
  • The sound might be better but you miss seeing the work that went into the performance, the effort of the players and their crew.
  • Work, effort, meaning – these ideas are all interconnected for users and consumers of analogue technology.
  • However, when asked to compare the two, they talk about the greater weight and meaning they give to their analogue experiences.
  • I think it is the quality of the human voice; it does feel more like someone’s speaking to me.
  • And part of what makes this possible is the process of analogue recording, in which all the sounds being made, including the unscripted noise of the recording process itself, are captured in the final track.
  • To facilitate this sound, some musicians have even started setting up their own pressing plants, such as Jack White’s Third Man Pressing in Detroit.

The joy of happy accidents

  • Half of what you do trying to make music is like a happy accident that ends up sounding better than what you intended.
  • When we started, we didn’t have that technology, so we made mistakes and some of them were happy accidents, resulting in iconic tracks.
  • When we started, we didn’t have that technology, so we made mistakes and some of them were happy accidents, resulting in iconic tracks.
  • It’s these happy accidents that we love.
  • It’s these happy accidents that we love.
  • For example, the opening bass part of Cannonball, the 1993 song by US Indie band the Breeders, accidentally starts in a different key.
  • Bass player Josephine Wiggs began playing the riff one step down, then fixed it when the drums came in.

Digital technology is de-skilling us

  • Over the decade or so of our research, explanations for the analogue revival have shifted from nostalgia, to the desire for something physical in a digital age, to the sense that analogue technology is creatively preferable.
  • Is digital technology de-skilling consumers, leading to a sense of alienation?
  • Using analogue technology is another way consumers can feed this desire to re-skill.
  • Rob told us how his love of music had turned sour with the “sheer ease” of digital, starting with CDs and the MP3 player – and how vinyl had reinvigorated him.
  • For him, the problem came when listening on digital devices without the “sides” of vinyl albums, and then on music streaming platforms whose digital algorithms preference popular tracks.

‘This song sucks’

  • These are the people who want to stretch and break the rules and trigger the happy accidents that create something altogether new.
  • For example, photographers who seek more creative expressions by pre-soaking or “souping” their camera film in lemon juice, coffee, beer, or even burning it.
  • And among this group, connecting digital and analogue technology is also common – combining two completely different systems to generate even more possibilities.
  • Film director Denis Villeneuve’s first instalment of Dune (2021) was initially shot on digital, then transferred to film, before being re-digitised.
  • By combining the two, Villeneuve got a film that, in his words, has a “more timeless, painterly feel”.


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To hear about new Insights articles, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value The Conversation’s evidence-based news. Subscribe to our newsletter.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Bright Mountain Media, Inc Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024

Boca Raton, FL, April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Key Points: 
  • Fourth quarter revenue increased 193% to $15.1 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Fourth quarter gross margin increased 71% to $4.1 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Boca Raton, FL, April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
  • Bright Mountain Media CEO, Matt Drinkwater commented on the Company’s results saying, “2023 was a transformative year for Bright Mountain Media, both financially and strategically.

SADA Achieves Over 300% Increase in Generative AI and Machine Learning Projects in 2023

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Hexact , a business intelligence provider, achieved 4Xs user growth at the same cost basis and modernized their GKE instance with hardening and scaling capabilities.

Key Points: 
  • Hexact , a business intelligence provider, achieved 4Xs user growth at the same cost basis and modernized their GKE instance with hardening and scaling capabilities.
  • SADA has increased AI and ML customer projects by 306%, year over year.
  • Transformation with Generative AI - SADA has focused heavily on increasing its AI and machine learning differentiations, which will allow it to better support customers at every stage of their AI projects.
  • SADA's certified Google Cloud engineers are ready to lead this transition and unlock the full potential of the cloud.

PartnerCentric Soars With 200% YoY Client Growth, Secures impact.com Diamond Partner Status

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024

In a significant endorsement of its success and innovation, PartnerCentric has been awarded the prestigious title of Diamond Partner with impact.com, a global leader in partnership automation.

Key Points: 
  • In a significant endorsement of its success and innovation, PartnerCentric has been awarded the prestigious title of Diamond Partner with impact.com, a global leader in partnership automation.
  • This accolade is a testament to PartnerCentric’s relentless pursuit of excellence and transformative technology within the partnership marketing space.
  • This groundbreaking tool unlocks the true incremental value of marketing initiatives, empowering brands to fine-tune their strategies for peak performance.
  • “This year of monumental growth signifies the pivotal role of partnership marketing in scaling effective marketing strategies,” said Stephanie Harris, founder & CEO of PartnerCentric.

United States Cardiovascular Devices Market, Size, Share, Forecast 2024-2030 Featuring Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Cardinal Health, Medtronic, GE, J&J, & Siemens - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024

Consequently, producers are investing in innovation and developing new cardiovascular devices to satisfy growing healthcare wishes, expanding the increase in the United States cardiovascular devices market.

Key Points: 
  • Consequently, producers are investing in innovation and developing new cardiovascular devices to satisfy growing healthcare wishes, expanding the increase in the United States cardiovascular devices market.
  • Technology is pivotal in employing growth in the United States cardiovascular devices market.
  • Numerous market players actively enforce strategic tasks, propelling an increase in the United States cardiovascular devices market.
  • In the United States cardiovascular devices market, diagnostics and monitoring devices have a significant presence
    The United States cardiovascular device market is broken up by device type into Diagnostics and Monitoring Devices and Therapeutic and Surgical Devices.

MIO ENABLES CROSS-PLATFORM COLLABORATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH GOOGLE CLOUD AND SADA

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Mio now enables Google Chat users to exchange messages and files with colleagues who use Microsoft Teams and Slack.

Key Points: 
  • Mio now enables Google Chat users to exchange messages and files with colleagues who use Microsoft Teams and Slack.
  • Mio partners with Google and SADA to bring collaboration interoperability to Google Workspace customers.
  • "The coexistence of Google Workspace alongside Microsoft 365 or Slack is very common in large organizations," said Tom Hadfield, the CEO of Mio.
  • Mio is also announcing a partnership with SADA, an Insight company, the cloud solutions provider for Google Workspace customers, at the Google Next '24 conference in Las Vegas this week.

UK’s Largest BID Operator Primera Teams Up with ARHT for Holographic Showcase of London at Prestigious MIPIM Conference

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 18, 2024

MIPIM, the premier event in real estate, attracted a global audience, offering cities and nations a stage to present their investment propositions.

Key Points: 
  • MIPIM, the premier event in real estate, attracted a global audience, offering cities and nations a stage to present their investment propositions.
  • Leading up to the MIPIM conference, ARHT supported Primera in capturing approximately thirty influential personalities as holograms, each from one of the 12 central London neighborhoods Primera represents, reflecting London's diverse creative and economic vitality.
  • The Minister for London's speech, encapsulated via ARHT’s proprietary CAPSULE technology, was the centerpiece of Primera’s reception at the Cannes event on Wednesday evening, March 12.
  • Minister Hands remarked, “For decades, London has been at the forefront of innovation.

6sense Surpasses $200M ARR, Driven by Sales Intelligence Innovation and Market Share Expansion

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Founded on the belief that B2B sales and marketing can be made more efficient and effective with actionable insights, 6sense has spent the past decade transforming data into intelligence using AI.

Key Points: 
  • Founded on the belief that B2B sales and marketing can be made more efficient and effective with actionable insights, 6sense has spent the past decade transforming data into intelligence using AI.
  • By consistently outpacing industry metrics, 6sense has solidified its position at the vanguard of the revenue technology field.
  • 6sense achieved an impressive 40% year-over-year revenue growth and a 30% increase in customers during its 2024 fiscal year (FY24).
  • Contributing to these results was the success of its sales intelligence platform, 6sense Revenue AI™ for Sales, and 6sense® Conversational Email, two areas of growth that collectively represented over one-third of sales revenue in the previous year.

Montana Butsch, Founder of spotivity, Launches New Podcast, "Information Asymmetry," Exploring Personal Agency and Decision-Making

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Montana Butsch, renowned founder of spotivity and acclaimed media personality featured on CBS Nightly News, NYTimes, iHeartMedia, and TEDx stages, introduces a groundbreaking podcast: "Information Asymmetry".

Key Points: 
  • Montana Butsch, renowned founder of spotivity and acclaimed media personality featured on CBS Nightly News, NYTimes, iHeartMedia, and TEDx stages, introduces a groundbreaking podcast: "Information Asymmetry".
  • Listen Now to the first 3 episodes: INFORMATION ASYMMETRY on Podbean
    Overview: "Information Asymmetry" delves deep into the realms of personal agency, access, and decision-making.
  • Designed to captivate policy enthusiasts, educational institutions, curious teenagers, and proactive parents, this podcast promises insights for every listener.
  • "Information Asymmetry" is a podcast dedicated to illuminating pathways to agency and exploring non-linear approaches to informed decision-making.