HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR LIVING ROOM?

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR LIVING ROOM?

Oct 10, 2026 | ENVIRONMENT

How do you keep your living room?

Silly question? More of a provocative one, really.

By now you know it too: Piazza Ducale is Vigevano’s living room, and yet if you could only see the state it’s in…

There isn’t a single corner, column, or ledge that isn’t hopelessly caked with dog feces.

In case you’re wondering: no, I’m not exaggerating—it’s truly embarrassing, like something out of the Third World.

Needless to say, it’s not the dogs’ fault that’s a tired old argument, but I really do wonder how these people behave inside their own homes. 

The public square belongs to everyone; it’s everyone’s living room. It’s there to welcome everyone’s pleasant walks. 

Instead, these individuals, with shameful nonchalance, pretend not to notice that their dog is relieving itself.

Common sense, decorum, manners, all extinct species.

They claim to be animal lovers, but loving animals also means not treating them like accessories to be dragged around without the slightest care.

I’m angry, yes.

This will be the weekend of Blessed Matteo that is, the festival  in Vigevano, but our living room won’t be all decked out, unlike the homes of these bipeds, which probably will be.

Do you celebrate the patron saint’s feast day?

WHEN IS THE PRICE RIGHT?

WHEN IS THE PRICE RIGHT?

Oct 3, 2026 | ECONOMY

When is time is the price right?

I’m really asking for your advice because grocery shopping has become quite a challenge these days.

We were talking about profiling prices, but it seems the phenomenon of variable pricing has a thousand facets.

It all started with Autan.

As you well know, this is the realm of fog and mosquitoes,  so in some cases, the famous insect repellent being a prime example of brand generalization, becomes indispensable.

We grabbed it on the spot at the supermarket where we usually do our weekly shopping, even though the listed price was truly exorbitant.

Since we weren’t convinced, a few days later, we started paying attention to the price of this product and realized it fluctuated more wildly than stock market prices.

Algorithms. 

Again.

ESL: Electronic Shelf Labels—tags that allow prices to be updated in real time via a wireless network.

What might initially seem like a convenience, like so many other technologies that have turned out to be less beneficial and more harmful than we thought, becomes a tool for getting rich at the expense of consumers.

That’s why as soon as there’s the slightest hint of trouble regarding issues like oil and energy, product prices have already gone up.

The official reason is supposedly to offer promotions during specific time slots when stores are most frequented by retirees, but in reality, prices have been rising faster than gnocchi cooking in a pot lately.

In January, AGCOM in January launched a fact-finding investigation following evidence of a 24.9% increase between October 2021 and October 2025.

So far, there’s been no update.

Now that it’s October 2026, where will we end up?

What’s your strategy for navigating these wild price hikes?

@muse

@muse

Sep 26, 2026 | FASHION, MEDIA, MEDIA, FASHION, MUSIC, MUSIC, TECHNOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY

@muse was, until recently, the Instagram and X handle for Matthew Bellamy, Dominic Howard, and Chris Wolstenholme, aka Muse. 

Millions of followers, needless to say.

And yet even they had to change their social media handle to leave the username for “someone.”

Someone more important?

No, someone more influential.

So now you can find Muse at @museband, while @muse is now occupied by the new AI product.

Muse is an AI-powered personal assistant developed by Meta that, to quote the official description, helps you manage every aspect of your life.

On the subject of Matt Bellamy, in an interview with iHeartRadio, he stated that he had spoken directly with Mark Zuckerberg about it: “Don’t touch the music” is what he told him after seeing the beta version before the launch.

@museinfo_fr

Matthew Bellamy about the Meta AI name “Muse” and the change for “Muse band”. via iHeartRadio #muse #museband #mattbellamy #la #meta

♬ son original – museinfo_fr

Officially, it’s a trademark issue.

In practice, it’s a matter of money.

As always.

Legend has it that Meta chose the name “Muse” specifically to evoke an inspiring muse.

@muse is supposed to be an advanced interactive assistant capable of organizing your day, for example, by rescheduling a flight, filling out forms, writing emails, and handling similar tasks through the interconnection of apps.

What do you think?

Useful or unsettling?

Pensierini posted a discussion about the risks of Artificial Intelligence; if you missed it, you can find it here.

Want a laugh?

According to Reuters, there are human staff behind Muse: there are people who carry out some tasks that apparently still fall under the category of “science fiction” for AI.

So what can artificial intelligence really do?

Sure, ChatGPT is now chatting with lots of people.

And do you remember the Diny dancers? 

@muse

Well, during the massive Vogue World Milano event, two robots walked the runway alongside models, artists, and dancers.

Miuccia Prada’s expression is already legendary.

I’d love to hear your reaction, too.

Actually, the theme of this fifth edition of Vogue World in Milan was precisely a celebration of human ingenuity in the age of AI.

I recommend watching the entire video to appreciate the journey through past and present that pays homage to art in general—not just fashion.

To come full circle, speaking of muses, I’d say: let’s hold on tight to beauty.

EVERYTHING IS COPY

EVERYTHING IS COPY

Sep 20, 2026 | BOOKS, CULTURE, CULTURE, ISN'T IT IRONIC?, ISN'T IT IRONIC?, BOOKS

Imagine a pleasant morning in early September in the courtyard of the Castello Sforzesco in Vigevano. 

As I’ve already told you, it’s a special place, not only because it’s very beautiful, but also because it lends itself to a variety of events.

So you might find yourself taking a stroll while coming across a sports group that, in sync with their headphones, is working out with resistance bands; or while observing how the opening scene of 101 Dalmatians is still very relevant today, given the multitude of two-legged and four-legged creatures out for a walk. 

And then you discover that it’s the day when the Supercalifestival is hosting a breakfast  with Nora Ephron!

A real treat is the recent publication of the famous *Crazy Salad*, finally translated into Italian.

Before the event: breakfast served on the lawn in front of the Palazzo Ducale, also known as the Maschio.

In perfect, albeit unintentional, synchrony with the start of the presentation by organizer Ludovica Giuliani of the Le Notti Bianche bookstore and speaker Giorgia Antonelli the roar of engines from the Fiat Ritmo gathering could be heard! 

In short, this castle courtyard is pretty busy, you might say.

And what if I told you that, on top of all that, guests for a wedding to be held in the Sala dell’Affresco, whose entrance is located right behind the stage, were trickling in?

So while Ludovica and Giorgia were telling us how Nora Ephron managed to bounce back after her painful divorce from Carl Bernstein, a car decked out in tulle and white flowers was escorting the bride.

From *Heartburn* to *Heartbeat*… minute by minute.

As has been rightly observed, Nora would have laughed at that.

Irony, always and in any case.

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

As we all know, a civil ceremony is rather brief, certainly shorter than the story of Nora Ephron’s life, so to the sound of Sal da Vinci’s song, the newlyweds bid farewell to their guests outside the castle, interrupting the speech for the third time, or perhaps enriching it with that special aspect of life known as the unexpected.

All together passionately, all on a pleasant early September morning in the courtyard of the Castello Sforzesco in Vigevano.
Everything is copy.

COHOUSING UNIPV

COHOUSING UNIPV

Sep 12, 2026 | CULTURE, CULTURE, ITALY, ITALY

Cohousing is not simply “cohabitation,” as Treccani specifies, it takes four words to define it precisely: private homes, shared services.

UNIPV, or the University of Pavia, an ancient and prestigious institution, needs no introduction.

It is divided between the historic campus in the city center and the “boat” so named for its distinctive architecture which houses, among other programs, courses in engineering, medicine, and sports science.

As the new academic year approaches, there are countless out-of-town students about to begin their studies who need to find housing.

To address this need, a unique project has been launched that also addresses other needs that are becoming increasingly common: people living alone.

In particular, older adults.

This has led to the creation of the Welcome Home project, open to people over 65 who are willing to offer lodging or simply allow others to use their home during mealtimes or for study and relaxation, in exchange for small daily favors: assistance with using digital resources, and accompaniment to administrative, healthcare, and cultural facilities.

These are real and widespread needs.

The University of Pavia, thanks to the Lombardy Region, will provide a subsidy to the landlord to partially cover the rent.

Loretta and Sebastiano tell us more. 

Applications must be submitted by September 30  and are submitted to a selection process to verify eligibility, followed by introductory interviews and a short training course.

In short, the utmost care is taken, which also opens the door to a second opportunity: caring.

In this case, the students’ volunteer activities are not tied to living together but involve offering their time and good company, accompanying participants in recreational and cultural activities, helping with small daily chores, and providing support with whatever is needed.

All planned activities are free of charge.
Project Coordinator: Emanuela Carnaghi. 

Do you think this is a worthwhile project?

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