Mysterious light switches annoy me everywhere I travel. But these Italian designs deliver an appealing low-tech solution. They're whimsical and speak a universal language. The efficiency (or not) of light switches has always fascinated me. When I was twelve, I was bothered by an overhead ceiling light with a switch far away from my bed. My idea was to tape a very long red ribbon to the top of the switch.  The ribbon ended at the side of my bed. By pulling down on it with a delicate tug, I could turn off the overhead light without getting up. The ribbon was one-directional and extremely low-cost, and it lasted for years. Soon switches themselves may be obsolete, due to high-tech improvements. We can already turn lights on and off by clapping, speaking, motion sensors or an off-premise smart phone. What do you think? Is turning on a light a burden or a joy?