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Today the ½ûÂþÌìÌà (treasury? not sure) demanded from Moody's (a debt rating agency) files about something. Now, I follow this stuff fairly assiduously - and transparency there is not. That's why I don't know what files they've comandeered. Anyway, it is compeletely irrelevant, defo fiddling while Rome burns (but only because the notion of Rome burning is rather attrative because it takes the heat off Athens or NY. I'll come clean, and say that since 2008 it has all been about hope over expectations - so I'm not going to knock the easy targets like Moodys. The whole 'scheme' of sovereign debt is clearly  (when you analyse it) Ponzi.

You are absolutely right - HDMI does make it all childs' play - but how do "they" justify fleecing me something like 16 euro for a cable!   (And then I'm so neanderthal and vain, with my beautiful analog designer telly that I really can't face positioning the Samsung in the living room - so trust me, getting vidj to the geriatric Brionvega is a mega challenge - audio is easier. And I want it wireless....!)

Firstly, uPVC isn't very much used in Italy: whether this is because of rational technical considerations (all forms of PVC degrade in sunlight, to greater or lesser degrees - and there is a sackload more sun in Italy than there is in the UK!), or whether it's a 'closed shop' issue - I dunno. You are also looking at a very large 'patio door'. Have you thought about the heat gain that this implies? Obviously this depends on orientation, but if these huge doors face southish you are going to have to consider how you put external shutters on them (and in how many leaves these shutters have to be made so they'll fold back etc. etc.) There are good reasons for ½ûÂþÌìÌà houses being 'underwindowed' - (and slowly these reasons are being changed by advanced glass technology, predominantly, also the willingness of rich gits to pay for air con) - but please consider both the aesthetic and practical aspects of 'importing' these northern European giant doors into an unsuspecting bit of Abruzzo! It is possible that you will regret it.

It could work. I have friends who use a "3" chiavetta and they can stream even 'live' iPlayer stuff (using the iportal VPN). You can test this - log onto and if they report better than 3MBps (sorry if that isn't exactly correct - just see if the first number is 3!) Then you have to 'pretend' that you are in the UK. the site does this for you at a cost of £5 per month. (The pain is that you absolutely have to own a Paypal account) (There are other proxy or also VPN sites which are 'free', but I'm just offering personally tested advice). Getting this stuff from your PC to your TV is likely to be the most tricky stage - but once done it is seamless. Recap: decent broadband (landline or chiavetta). Subscription to (my recommendation) Satellite dishes are somewhat passé secondo me!

Glad it worked out for you at not too huge a cost! Maybe I should have suggested hitting the lock with a hammer (akin to have you tried unplugging it!!??) - but anyway, happy for you.

If you can find a locksmith - there should be plenty about (or even a joiner, they seem to fix these things) it is probably just some adjustment needed to the lock fixing to make the same key turn like it did when it was new. Have a look yourself and see if any screws have come loose (ones which you might be able to see from the inside, either around the lock or at the places where the bars enter the frame) and tighten them up a bit. Even that might solve the problem! Don't try to force the key though, that could get expensive.

I too live (nowadays) with 3.3kW - and I use a 2.5kW kettle because when I want hot water from the kettle I want it NOW! My oven (ILVE) heats up so quickly I don't believe (but it's only 60cm wide - I have friends with the 90cm versions where they clearly use the same elements and they lament how long they take to warm up). I can use (if I'm being really silly!) the washing machine and the dishwasher simultaneously (but I know I can't use the vacuum cleaner at the same time) - and my iron is quite greedy on the juice too. Maybe the thing is whether 'you' are in control. If you have 'daft' family or guests it could become distracting to have to reset the overload trip every so often. Another consideration is how your electrician has disposed the circuits - too frequently they put all the bathrooms on one ten amp circuit, and hairdryers are pretty power hungry - so at 7pm that circuit will trip - nothing to do with your ENEL availability. Like many things in life, it is about understanding, and about good design.

Please do inform yourself, and before engaging a different architect/geometra do make sure that the original architect has agreed (in writing) that he has been dismissed and has no further claim on you. Not only in Italy this stuff can come back and bite you. Usually it can all be sorted amicably: but get it sorted - maybe there is an opening with your original architect - but make sure you have used a proper full stop if you want to pursue other avenues.

For sure, your heat pump is sacrosanct, and that means you're not using other fuel sources, which is why I said 'unless you are doing geothermal electric'. However - are you truly so disorganised that you can't arrange your life so that the cooker is never on at the same time as the dishwasher, or that you are incapable of resisting the urge to turn on the washing machine while you are boiling a kettle? I jest - but it really is incredibly simple (if finances are a problem) to live with  a minuscule supply, and sensible power management.

Funny - a male acquaintance always swears that his 'bumper magnets' are wimmin! Mine are probably 80'% male! But - you have to understand 'car language' - much the same as body language: if you personally are driving sensibly (in your opinion, which I share, like leaving a couple of car lengths between you and the car in front) this is an open ivitation to your bumper magnet to overtake. So just let him/her do it - it's their decison, not your problem. Just don't beef about it. I find ½ûÂþÌìÌà drivers (given that I let them overtake and it doesn't bother me) generally far more considerate in urban situations. You dive out in front of them and they give way - only because to avoid gridlock they know they must dive out in front of someone else and expect them to give way. None of the agressive brit behaviour; and in Italy you use the horn properly - as a warning/alert, generaly appreciated by other drivers, and not seen as a reason to headbutt you!