It's hot. Very hot. Too much. And I don't formulate this evidence as an experienced climatologist, but as a simple inhabitant of a world increasingly close to boiling point. Faced with this climatic exceptionality, which is already sensed as the new normal, the much-coveted air conditioning units, despite the immediate well-being they provide, contribute to heating the outside even more. Perhaps that's why, in the midst of a climate emergency, the oldest solutions are once again proving their validity. And is there anything more ancestral than a fan?Just a few years ago it seemed that this object had been relegated to a simple folkloric souvenir, adorned with inevitable kitsch Hispanism motifs. Today, on the other hand, it has regained its place as one of humanity's oldest, simplest, and most sustainable technologies. But, has this always been its function: to make wind? And, despite being an inseparable complement to the flamenco stereotype, is Spain really its place of origin?

The French beach of Pampelonne, which during the seventies and eighties became one of the great symbols of European body liberation, is far away. Press photographs showed stretches of sand dotted with umbrellas and bodies where the "topless was not the exception, but the rule. Neither were the Costa Brava, the Costa Daurada, the Costa del Sol or Ibiza, where the spirit hippy and the impulse of the sexual revolution turned the bare breast into an expression of freedom. Slim Aarons' photographs immortalized that carefree way of inhabiting Mediterranean leisure, where the semi-naked bodies of bathers were part of the landscape naturally, without dramatization or scandal. It was not about sexualizing the body, but precisely about freeing it from the gaze that turned it into an object and lightening it from the weight of centuries of moral demonization.That landscape, however, today seems almost an archive photograph. Not only because fifty years have passed, but also because the reality it represented has been fading away. The topless, which for decades was part of the usual landscape of Mediterranean beaches, is today an increasingly exceptional practice. Data suggests that, compared to the eighties, it has decreased by two-thirds. And the paradox is that the women who continue to practice it the most are precisely those who grew up during the sexual revolution. The youngest, on the other hand, have barely even incorporated it. What has happened for what seemed like a conquest of bodily freedom to have retreated?Breasts are exactly the same as forty years ago. What has changed is the world that observes them. When a woman decided to leave them exposed, she knew who would see them, how, and for how long. Upon leaving the beach, that exposure also ended. Today, however, a woman can leave the sand, but if someone has taken a photograph of her, her image will continue to circulate indefinitely on others' screens, becoming, in the best case, content for social media and, in the worst, an advertisement for sexual content pages. The moment a photograph escapes our control, so does a part of our body.Furthermore, social networks, along with the media, have exponentially intensified the pressure on bodies, which seem to have to respond more than ever to canons of perfection to deserve to be shown. Beaches and swimming pools have ceased to be friendly spaces for body diversity. Bodies forced to coexist with the scrutinizing gaze of others and, above all, with their own, often even crueler, the result of low self-esteem eroded by a system that turns insecurity into a business.When the feminist struggles of the seventies denounced the sexualization of women's bodies, they already sensed that this battle would not be easy. Half a century later, it continues to be one of the great open fronts. There will be those who consider it inevitable to sexualize female breasts, as if it were a natural instinct against which it were useless to rebel. But history shows precisely the opposite. During the first half of the 20th century, male nipples were also the object of censorship and scandal. Only when men began to uncover their torsos normally on beaches did that moral burden gradually fade. The sexualization of the body, therefore, is not immutable, but simply the result of a cultural construction, even if we want to dress it up as natural.The paradox is that we have never lived with so many images of naked bodies and, yet, for decades these have not been so unfree. Captives of aesthetic pressure and the surveillance society, the youngest have inherited more images of the body than their mothers, but less freedom to inhabit it.

There are many movies I haven't seen. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the tragedy, until the lockdown I hadn't seen Dirty dancing (what a marvel) or Pretty woman. I wanted to take advantage of this series of articles to effectively fill some of my cinematic gaps. In an era of massive audiovisual supply and absolute atomization of channels, I cure my FOMO with a delay. Ben-hur, Blade runner or E.T. Let's follow my summer journey to fill my cinematic gaps. I saw Legally Blonde for the first time and here are my notes (taken with a pen with a pompom):

There are people who have the talent to make you feel expected. Jordi is one of them. It's not just a way of serving tables or learned cordiality; it's also a way of looking, listening, and always finding the right word. In his restaurant, hospitality is not a gesture: it's a way of understanding life. That's why, when you cross the door of Can Facundo, you feel like you've been there before, even if it's your first time.

Fashion is political. When we decide to wear flat shoes instead of heels, put on ripped jeans, or tie a tie, we are making a statement about how we want to position ourselves in the world. As feminists proclaimed in the seventies, drawing heavily on countercultural thought, the personal is political. It is no wonder, then, that throughout history institutions, ideologies, and parties have tried to appropriate the symbolic power of clothing to persuade, construct identities, and, at times, also dominate.The latest episode has been starred by Pedro Sánchez's government, which a few days ago presented DMOCRACIA, a graphic campaign built with all the codes of a streetwear brand, with a slogan that leaves no room for doubt: "When you dress, you position yourself". The initiative, framed within the acts commemorating fifty years of democracy, aims to bring this political system closer to the younger generation, with an urban aesthetic and the accompaniment of a battalion of influencers. The first reaction, I confess, is to look around for the hidden camera. It's hard to decide if we are facing an institutional campaign or a parody of gigantic proportions. But, once the absurdity is accepted, it's worth asking: is it a genuinely Spanish extravagance, or does dressing political ideals have a history older than it seems?The Neoclassical painter Jacques-Louis David, known for works such as The Death of Marat or The Oath of the Horatii, played an active and committed role in the French Revolution. Convinced that, in addition to establishing a new political and social order, it was also necessary to give it a visible form, he designed various outfits to define the appearance of the new republican citizen. Through the three colors of the flag, references to Republican Rome, and inscriptions such as Liberty, Equality or French People, he aimed to create a new visual code for a society governed by revolutionary ideals.However, the project did not prosper. History has shown that, apart from regimes that impose a certain appearance – as in the People's Republic of China, where the Zhongshan suit (Mao suit) became hegemonic attire under strong pressure – fashion is not adopted by decree. People do not simply wear what a government prescribes, but what emerges from a complex network of desires, identifications, aspirations, and social dynamics. Politics can try to dress an ideology, but not decide what society will wear.

.

We are immersed in Paris Haute Couture Week. The collections presented these days have left absolutely spectacular pieces, especially from Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli and Jonathan Anderson in his haute couture debut for Dior. But, despite the creative display that is capturing all eyes these days, there is a dress that is eclipsing them all. A very unique dress because, in reality, no one has seen it yet. And the more time passes without knowing what it looks like, the more conversations, speculations, and expectations it generates. I'm referring to the one Taylor Swift wore at her wedding to American football player Travis Kelce, held on July 3rd.Beyond the possibility that the images will be reserved for a future exclusive, this situation fits perfectly with the logic of the attention economy. In fact, a good part of the fashion world revolves around a concept that has become commonplace in the sector: hype. More than promoting a product, hype consists of building desire for it before it exists – or before it is accessible – by feeding rumors, leaks, small clues, and waiting periods that keep the conversation alive. In short, hype is the art of turning waiting into desire, because whoever controls time also controls the narrative and decides when, how, and who will have access to what everyone is waiting to see. Precisely at a time when we have become accustomed to getting almost anything immediately, it is here that marketing strategies manage to trap us. Desire, after all, usually reaches its peak intensity when we don't yet have what we want, but it dissolves with surprising speed as soon as we get it.

They wear shorts and a t-shirt in the blaugrana colors, and pose smiling in front of the goal with several footballs. Anita Rafat appears a bit shy: she wears a kind of turban on her head and black tights and an undershirt so that neither her arms nor her legs are visible. In contrast, her sister, Fereshteh, has no complexes: she shows her hair and thighs. They are 37 and 28 years old, and fled Afghanistan in August on one of the Spanish evacuation flights. Now in Barcelona, they do what they could never do in their country: play football.

Teyana Taylor, an American actress and singer, presented the iconic show "Saturday night live" in January dressed in an unexpected piece: a white t-shirt, completely embroidered with sequins, featuring one of the most iconic logos of the 20th century: "I❤️NY". The piece was part of Chanel's Métiers d'Art 2025/26 collection, the line with which the French house showcases its maximum artisanal virtuosity each year. This time, however, the most exquisite luxury had allied itself with one of the most kitsch objects of tourist culture: the souvenir t-shirt. The episode could have remained an anecdote if it weren't for the fact that, since then, other celebrities – especially from Generation Z – have also revived this same symbol.

Cows are very important to Rwandan culture and symbolize wealth, prosperity, and identity, and are still used today to pay a bride price or to give as a gift. Since Paul Kagame's government implemented the program called Girinka in 2006, after seeing the extent of malnutrition and stunting among Rwandan children, milk production and consumption have doubled. The program was established with the central objective of reducing childhood malnutrition rates and increasing the household incomes of poor farmers. These goals are achieved directly through increased access to and consumption of milk, by providing a cow to families.

Eat more protein, you need it! How much? Look it up and calculate. Make sure it's quality because your muscles and bone mass will thank you, I promise you by the Virgin of Conscious Menopause. But don't just eat protein, eat everything but eat well. Attention: raw vegetables at night, no. Processed foods, never! Gluten in moderation. Alcohol... Nye.

These are days for finalizing trips and buying tickets for the museums in the chosen destinations to avoid queues. Visits to great art spaces have become an obligation. Taking a photograph of the city's quintessential masterpiece, be it La Gioconda, Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Rodin's The Kiss, or Grant Wood's American Gothic becomes proof of the visit. It is the guarantee of having been there. The painting or sculpture that justifies the queue and the ticket is the objective to be met. It's not so much “look at this marvel” but rather “I was there”.

On a plot between party walls in Sabadell, only six meters wide and very deep, a family has found a way of living that has little to do with excesses and much to do with daily well-being. The house, with 210 square meters over two floors, does not seek to impress. Their idea of luxury is that natural light reigns, that there is cross-ventilation, that silence dominates, and that a tree is present in most rooms.

Cabró Rock, Canet Rock, Empordà Music Fest, Festiuet, Castanyada Rock. Beyond sharing scarce semantic creativity when it comes to naming, they are festivals with several points in common. Essentially two: they are the most crowded in the country in the Catalan language, some with audiences exceeding 40,000 spectators, and they coincide in having practically identical lineups. Most of the participating groups in these gatherings are the same. In fact, names as well-known as La Fúmiga, Buhos, Figa Flawas, and The Tyets, for example, in this 2026 will play in all of them, as if it were an itinerant tour that jumps from summer to summer. The fact is that Catalonia can finally boast of having its own mass scene, consolidated in the country's language. This implies, for example, having several bands that accumulate millions of online streams, also a collection of crowded meeting points, and a part of the industry that monopolizes the lucrative business of music in Catalan for all audiences. But as it could not be otherwise, whenever an official, harmless, and domesticated movement consolidates, a truly rich and exciting one comes along behind it.

It is common for younger generations to share their geolocation as a sign of affection and trust. Mobile phones have a function that can be activated to indicate location to other chosen devices, and there are also applications that facilitate this information. Each user can decide, in principle voluntarily, which people they want to know where they are at all times. Initially, it was used to locate the mobile phone in case of loss or theft. Then it became useful for keeping track of minors when they began to have some autonomy. It allowed knowing if they had already arrived home or at school and provided a dose of tranquility thanks to rapid and distant, but precise, surveillance. But in the end, it has become a form of socialization and relationship that can lead to abusive forms of control.

Among the watermelons of Verdcamp Fruits, in Cambrils, flowers of all colors grow. There are yellow, lilac, and orange ones, in a floral mosaic where bees and butterflies dance tirelessly. A few years ago, that same field was maintained with phytosanitary products to combat an aphid infestation and didn't breathe so much life. The problem was that the chemicals also killed the pollinators and production ended up falling. "One night I thought: what if the solution is to attract more life instead of fighting it?", recalls Ernest Mas, a farmer and member of the family business.That intuition led him more than a decade ago to plant strips of flowers among the crops to attract insects naturally. It worked. But, above all, it was the beginning of a much deeper change in mentality: to stop seeing agricultural land as a simple support for producing food and to start treating it as a living ecosystem.Today, Mas is part of a generation of farmers who are committed to organic and regenerative agriculture, a model that seeks to restore soil health so that it becomes fertile again, capable of hosting biodiversity and better withstanding the impacts of climate change such as droughts. Some of their techniques include leaving chemicals behind, not plowing, and using cover crops.The proposal gains traction in a particularly delicate context for agriculture. According to the European Environment Agency, 89% of agricultural soils show signs of critical loss of their functions. For decades, the intensive use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and heavy machinery has degraded many soils to the point of impoverishing them and making them increasingly dependent on external products. On the other hand, the benefits observed in the field are also beginning to be supported by recent scientific studies indicating that regenerative soils can store more carbon than conventional ones, retain water better, and have a network of beneficial microorganisms, some of which even act as natural pesticides.This is why farmers like Mas have decided to bet on the regenerative model. Their stories are different, but they share a single conviction: without living soil, there is no future for the countryside.Grow among flowers

At Verdcamp Fruits, the floral strips that cross the crops are called intercropping floral: a technique that combines biodiversity and agricultural production to attract pollinators.But the change didn't happen overnight. First, they took the step towards organic farming. Then, seven years ago, Mas decided to do a master's degree in agroecology at the University of Barcelona and also began to apply other techniques to restore soil health, such as not plowing and maintaining vegetation cover. "I understood that the key was not only to take care of what was visible, but also what is underground," he explains.

]]>

His book Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2013) catapulted him to global fame. But even then, the French economist Thomas Piketty had been one of the most respected names in economic theory for over a decade, as co-founder of the Paris School of Economics and co-creator of the World Inequality Database. A specialist in the study of inequalities and wealth distribution, Piketty now presents the Global Justice Report, an ambitious economic roadmap that outlines how global inequality can be eliminated and the climate crisis curbed before 2100.

]]>

On Tuesday, June 2, the presenter of the TVE program Al cielo con ella, Henar Álvarez, starred in an unusual scene that soon went viral. During her usual opening monologue, she complained that not a week goes by without some viewer asking her why she presents the program "dressed as a man". The question is not anecdotal.

]]>

Tulles, bows, sequins, pearls, corsets... could be the ingredients of a Parisian haute couture fashion show, but these days they are part of one of the great stages of world sport: Roland Garros. Tennis player Naomi Osaka has once again turned her entrance onto the court into a visual event, with a series of outfits designed by Swiss creator Kevin Germanier that have generated as much conversation as some of the tournament's matches. It wasn't the first time. Last year she had already surprised with a spectacular Robert Wun dress inspired by a jellyfish. This year, Osaka took to the court dressed to the nines, with a transparent tulle skirt and a bodice made from recycled pieces. Once in place, however, she sheds this first layer to reveal another, copper-colored one that blends with the clay court, but at the same time emits metallic reflections inspired, according to Germanier himself, by the night lighting of the Eiffel Tower. An authentic scenic transformation thus occurs: first Naomi the celebrity appears, almost as if walking down a red carpet; then Naomi the sportswoman emerges, ready to compete. This structure of revelation traditionally belongs to the language of fashion and spectacle rather than sport. It is not surprising that some commentators have coined the term court-ure, a fusion of court and couture, to describe this phenomenon. And all of this takes on a curious historical resonance when we consider that the scene takes place on the Suzanne Lenglen court, the great French tennis player who, at the beginning of the 20th century, understood before anyone else that transforming the players' clothing also meant transforming their place in society.

]]>

The somewhat sudden arrival of the heat has prompted the return of evening strolls. When the sun sets and it cools down a bit, it's as if the cities take on a different rhythm. People who take their dog out for its last pee are around all year, but at this time, it's as if the owners need to go out as much as their pets. They take it more calmly and take a longer walk. The noise of traffic decreases, and open windows allow the sounds of homes to reach the street. You can hear someone beating eggs to make an omelet, and further on, a neighbor playing the trumpet with a mute provides a soundtrack that lends a nostalgic air to the atmosphere.

]]>