Gift wrapping

It may be too late, but let's help our economy by limiting our next imports by reducing the demand now.
Where do specialty gift-wrapping paper, gift box or bag come from? Where do wish cards come from? All imported. Why should we buy these things when the gift recipient discards them in seconds anyway?
Think it's time to convert to something original rather than sticking to boring, dull standards. Make wrapping substance become something that the recipient feels sorry when tearing it apart. It should have a touch of personality. Maybe an old-fashioned look. USE NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE SHEETS. Print and text can be searched and selected to suit the recipient or the gift nature. Compose and glue patchworks if necessary, make it an artwork from scratch and get positive reactions! The most original wrapping seen in years. Is it that easy?

Farewell, plastic bag

In Italy, retail plastic bags will be officially banned starting Jan 1st but these have actually disappeared a few months ago from large supermarkets.
We bring our own reusable canvas and plastic bags, certainly more convenient than our grand-grandparents' basket.
How nice to get rid of 20 billion bags per year in Italy alone. A decent step forward.
Only biodegradable plastic bags are now allowed for sale at grocery stores. Like others, I occasionally buy such bags when I don't have my own with me. I need them anyway for organic trash purposes. These are made from materials which decompose over a period of time. There are basically two types of such materials: one that dissolves with time (aerobic) and another (anaerobic) that is dissolved by bacteria under certain conditions.
The aerobic type goes into tiny and tinier pieces to mess up your drawers if forgotten there - it happened to me already.
The anaerobic best works in a landfill.

Glass debris

I'm quite fed up of cycling on broken glass. Kids should play in debris-free parks, dogs paws shouldn't be wounded.
STOP SELLING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN GLASS BOTTLES!
Cans would do. Ugly to see if tossed, but at least not a threat and some aluminum broker will eventually pick them up for bucks.
Prevent drunks from their stupid habit to break bottles around for fun. IS IT THAT DIFFICULT?
Other glass is fine with me as it's safe, clean and recyclable. Never seen housewives enjoying the deliberate breaking of jars in public places.

Electric traction

Wow, electric cars are on the market.
Namely, it's great to know that these vehicles can help reduce pollution especially in urban areas. Reality is otherwise found in their price tag and it's clear that these are toys for the rich. ROI analysis seldom speaks of happier pockets, no wonder why these cars are not seen as green as the dollar bill.
We'll only hear beautiful rolling silence when politicians will dictate compulsory measures.
- Wanna drive in city center? Only electric!
- Addicted to performance? Any power exceeding 50 HP must be electric!

Never mind.
Just an unheard cry from my lungs while the oil tycoons keep laughing.

Another year in history

No offense to those who celebrate, to me Christmas has the same meaning as any other day of the year. For one thing, it just prompts consciousness that another year has ticked off a wrinkle.
Talking gifts, any given (say human invention) special date is a ridiculous commercial manipulation. Giving out is an intimate affair and a genuine act should be guided by one's heart rather than by the calendar.
Put away those lights and accessories, the world isn't really any better through a false sense of goodness. Life should be pondered each and every day on Earth.
Happy 365 to all.

What's now, what's next, what's ever?

Political crisis. Over and again.
Is it clear or not that, in principle, those aiming at being in power do it for own - revenue - interests? Who's the philanthropist to spend gazillions for an uninterested campaign?
Whoever holds the power uses it for own return since the beginning of human kind and history just teaches it. Few are the persons on Earth who totally love the neighbor and, without reason, do not seek to be in power.
Those who refuse this simple truth are bigoted, indoctrinated and subjugated to presumed moral, human, divine and market laws. Each of these is anyway a mere human invention.
The masses are made up of sheep and the wolf eats them. Go vote your wolf without further complaints.

Crisi politica. Di nuovo.
Qualcuno si rende conto che, per principio, chi ha smania di comandare lo fa per vari interessi legati al tornaconto? Quale filantropo spenderebbe una fortuna per una disinteressata campagna elettorale?
Chiunque detenga il potere lo usa a proprio favore sin dall'origine dell'uomo e la storia lo insegna. Al mondo esistono poche persone che amano il prossimo fino in fondo e, non a caso, non perseguono il potere.
Chi rifiuta questa semplice verita' e' bigotto, indottrinato e succube di presunte leggi morali, umane, divine e di mercato. Ciascuna di queste leggi e' tuttavia invenzione umana.
La massa e' di pecore e il lupo le mangia. Non vi resta che votare il vostro lupo senza ulteriori lamentele.

Back to reality

A month off is always welcome to get lost on distant shores. During such time I sometimes think of home in general but not in detail.
Meanwhile, having as usual turned the main switch off, the rechargeable batteries in every device slowly pass away.
NiMH batteries are known to self-discharge by some 35-40% in a month if not tended, prompting the coining of a new term: DUR. Dead Upon Return. Only then one realizes how many of those little things we have around the house. Good luck folks!

Summer, still?

Be careful what you wish for. Isn't there any mercy for us? Alright, we've been waiting for summer but now this is crazy! Torino, like many other cities throughout the country, is being given a level three alert due to the heat wave which is hitting hard. Hot air from Africa is being compressed towards the ground by the high pressure and this seems to be keeping us company for some time to come. The high levels of humidity have been pushing the heat index up to 42C (108F) and there's no breeze to help. Hard to work, hard to breathe, hard to think. Welcome to the equator!

Summer, at last

Quest for summertime might have come to an end after weeks of rain and lower-than-average temperatures, we normally don't have to wait for the official solstice. Nothing better than celebrating with a motorcycle ride to show Orestis, a riding friend from Greece, a couple of nice roads and spots in the surrounding mountains. Awesome views of snow-capped peaks.
Now ready to enjoy a day off and attend the city's celebrations on June 24th (St. John's day) featuring, among other events, historical costumes parades and fireworks.

1st National Bicycle Day

There's no such a viable, practical and inexpensive way to move around urban areas as a bicycle. Of course it depends on the distance to be covered and city layout, other factors include traffic congestion, car parking availability and the associated cost, and public transport availability and efficiency.
Northern Europe countries are a near-perfect model of bike mobility. Century- or millennia-old cities were designed for pedestrian traffic and bikes do cope with certain situations while larger vehicles can't. Definitely my favorite choice in my hometown Torino.
Today Italy celebrates the first edition of the National Bicycle Day, an educational event to spread awareness and get people out of their SUVs.
Most kids can't wait to have a bicycle because it's fun. Why can't people still have this sort of fun after getting a driver's license? Time to go back in time folks! Shed some weight, save a few bucks and help the environment.
Looking forward to see thousands pedaling today around Torino ;)

Why a Blog?

Not sure, not yet. Never kept a journal in my life, neither jealously concealed nor public.
This is meant to be public and sort of my own chalkboard posted out the main street. Should I let the world know the daily list of groceries? Cry out loud how insane our planet is? Expose my most intimate theories? The daily behavior of my intestine? The relation between clumsiness and resolutions? The frantic addiction to satisfy the ego?
Wow, just a few lines and I realize this is intellectual property already!
Nope, none of the above. Probably just another stupid collection of random ideas and a chance for future personal review and for posterity to share excitement and boredom. Just another dull blog on top of millions. The casual art of living. Beware readers, myself included, until I'll delete the whole thing.