½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Anybody else noticing these? A random word in a post appears underlined, and when you hover over it a little window claiming to be "powered by text enhance" appears and offers you an iPad or some other unlikely come-on. It's nothing to do with the poster - I first noticed it in a post I made when I saw a random underline, and I edited to apologise for not being able to get rid of it - but now I'm seeing them in other people's posts. It looks pretty harmless (I haven't tried clicking on these windows) but I wonder how this feature has invaded the forum (if it has, and it isn't just me seeing them). Oh this is funny - maybe you'll see the word "claiming" in this post underlined, and this gives you a window putting you in touch with ambulance chasers!

Why don't you just drive faster? Calais to Tuscany is 12-13 hours (without speeding). On camping, just avoid any sites close to any water, where there will be mossies galore, or anything where sand is involved, where there will be gigantic ants. Best of luck!

As yet, from you previous posts, (rachel)  I don't think you are resident (electorally or taxation wise). Thus you don't need to consider this stuff. As far as the Schengen treaty is concerned, it has zero to do with double taxation, and the UK is not a signatory.

AFAIK there is no 'health and safety' requirement for antinfortunistica glass in Itlay. You can choose to have it, it doesn't cost a lot more, and joiners often recommend it for ground level porte finestre, or windows not protected by shutters or inferriate, (where they think maybe a baddie will go at your glass with a hammer). Otherwise, you are just expected to not fall through your glazing. If you think you might, just specify toughened, and if you are seriously nervous, get it for both panes of a dg window. It's going to set you back something like 20 Euro - not a lot for peace of mind. If you specify laminated, then you have to consider that each pane of a double glazed unit gets thicker, and this has serious (although not insuperable) implications for the joiner. 

I don't think it counts as 'writing in ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ' when the ½ûÂþÌìÌà is misspelt. And I do not recommend looking up fagola, which would be the presumed singular of fagole, unless you are sure to be able to avoid urban dictionary definitions... It is the site which decided on the underlining! Yet another bizarre glitch, or maybe a feature?

I think there is some confusion here. I've no idea if or why the architects want the land, but it is possible they are not talking about a tax, but a survey (for catastal purposes), which might well cost you €2000 in geometra fees. There may well be a deadline for getting this survey in, and there may well be a  fine if you fail to meet the deadline. The only semi-translation I can come up with for survalenza is sorveglianza. This could fit in with my offered theory above, although the more usual word for a 'survey' carried out by a geometra is rilievo. Sorveglianza translates more closely to surveillance, and I have seen it used to refer to catastal (land registry) aerial surveys spotting (generally) buildings which need their paperwork put into order. 

Not a bad idea to put one of these in, in my opinion - at least if you have water as hard as mine (also in Umbria). It could well pay for itself in keeping your boiler and washing machine alive for a few extra years, not to mention eliminating the boring chore of weekly cleaning your shower heads and replacing the aereators in the taps every year or so! You are right, ½ûÂþÌìÌà ones are rather more expensive (and rather more sophisticated, and much more automated) than the middle range UK ones. If you are going to rent out your house then you have to jump through various hoops about backwashing etc., and it maybe that UK models are not homologated for these applications, (but then again, the ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs usually soften the kitchen tap water which is a bit silly: if you have straightforward comune water coming out of that tap, what's the fuss about the odd bacteria in the softener?) However, if it is just for yourself, why not get a cheapo from the UK if price is a big consideration. They usually plumb in on flexible pipes - the metal sheathed type of pipe, often 3/4". Just about a DIY job if you rig your plumbing so it's doable.

I agree - it's a pain. As for finding your local 'ricicleria' (dump) a search with this word plus your comune should trawl up a list, hopefully with opening hours. In my zone there are brown coloured bins for organic rubbish - and these are public. You do need to use the exorbitantly expensive biodegradable plastic bags to contain your organic rubbish though. Alanh has a sensible solution (if you have the space) because paper and plastic waste isn't going to get smelly. Otherwise, supermarkets and shops seem to have decent sized bins, and if you shop regularly there they aren't going to fuss about you chucking indifferentiated stuff in their indifferentiated bins, and plastic etc in their plastic bin. Failing any of these solutions, if you have any campsites nearby, or places which encourage camper vans, the comune isn't so daft as to not realise these visitors need rubbish dumping facilities,  (which you can use, too).

These can be huge, and make a very loud buzzing noise. They are not uncommon, and not dangerous!

From todays press (obviously both almost identical paragraphs, the stuff about the fines continues in both articles)   Corriere "Ricordatevi l'F24 va presentato anche se l'imposta è zero per effetto delle detrazioni." Unitá     "Ricordatevi che l'F24 non va presentato se l'imposta è zero per effetto delle detrazioni."   I'm with the Commies on this one!