Open Bar MMXIV^2: Solace of Quantum

[Cain]

Note America: this is why Bin Laden hated you guys.

I thought it was because we had American female soldiers defending the men of Saudi Arabia.
I remember reading that somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can pull up a reference.

No, it's because Bin Laden once took a tour of Beirut, and there was an obnoxious American jackass who thought referencing his time in the Marines certified whatever bullshit was going on in his head, interrupting the tours with stupid questions which had already been answered, and drinking alcohol like a fish and then whining because the mean Tuscan sun somehow made him dehydrated.

Sowing the seeds of terror, I tell you.

[Freeky]

Not sure if or 

[Suu]

Note America: this is why Bin Laden hated you guys.

I thought it was because we had American female soldiers defending the men of Saudi Arabia.
I remember reading that somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can pull up a reference.

No, it's because Bin Laden once took a tour of Beirut, and there was an obnoxious American jackass who thought referencing his time in the Marines certified whatever bullshit was going on in his head, interrupting the tours with stupid questions which had already been answered, and drinking alcohol like a fish and then whining because the mean Tuscan sun somehow made him dehydrated.

Sowing the seeds of terror, I tell you.

I hate American tourists. I need to tell everyone I'm Canadian when I finally make it to Europe.

[Cain]

The sad thing is, there are many perfectly nice American tourists.  I had lunch with two today, for example. 

But British tourists tend to be just as bad.  "I SAID "A PINT OF STELLA POR FAVORE." WHY DONT YOU SPEAK ENGLISH MANUEL?" - actually overhead in a bar in Siena.  And they wonder why the Sienese hate tourists.

[Sita]

http://xkcd.aubronwood.com/#

This thing is still going. Day 103.

Awesome.

[Doktor Howl]

I TOTALLY FORGOT!

Today is my annual review.  Let's see if I can get through it this time without having to perform first aid on my boss.

[LMNO]

If you don't, you're not really trying.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I TOTALLY FORGOT!

Today is my annual review.  Let's see if I can get through it this time without having to perform first aid on my boss.

Good luck! 

[Doktor Howl]

I TOTALLY FORGOT!

Today is my annual review.  Let's see if I can get through it this time without having to perform first aid on my boss.

Good luck! 

Last year's budget:  $1.9 Mn

My spend:  $3.9 Mn.

[LMNO]

I TOTALLY FORGOT!

Today is my annual review.  Let's see if I can get through it this time without having to perform first aid on my boss.

Good luck! 

Last year's budget:  $1.9 Mn

My spend:  $3.9 Mn.

Ouch.

[Doktor Howl]

I TOTALLY FORGOT!

Today is my annual review.  Let's see if I can get through it this time without having to perform first aid on my boss.

Good luck! 

Last year's budget:  $1.9 Mn

My spend:  $3.9 Mn.

Ouch.

Nope.  My actual maitenance spend was $1.45 Mn.  The rest was unplanned shit dropped on me as XO maintenance after the budget was approved.  I am not responsible for that...

...MIKE IS! 

[Cain]

Today I learnt: Florence smells like an open latrine.

It's a lovely city.  Absolutely amazing, in fact, and I intend to go back often in the future.  It is, however, in a valley.  Next to a slow-flowing river.  In a very hot country.  Surrounded by lush vegetation.  It smells like someone took a shit on the nearest pavement.

But, you know...Michelangelo, Machiavelli, the Medici, Leonardo Da Vinci and Dante all managed to put up with it, somehow.  Plus it's not every place where they have sculptures by world famous artists just on street corners, and you can walk up to them, no guard rails or policemen with stun batons or anything.

Also coffee is expensive, but that's because in Italy you pay extra if you sit down.  And the smell rather negates your appetite and thirst anyway, so it's not really an issue.

[Junkenstein]

That's unfortunate. Any visited anything particularly awe-inspiring yet? Sounds like there's a lot to see.

[Cain]

The Medici's private museum is, as you would expect, amazing.  As is pretty much all the architecture.  Any city-sized church is likely designed by some famous Italian architect, and covered in marble of several different colours.

Florence has been my first major city, alas.  I've been bumming around small Tuscan towns and villages, drinking lots of red wine, listening to lots of live opera, eating lots of salami, sweating like a pig and practicing my awful Italian on unsuspecting bystanders.

[LMNO]

Italy is definitely a country I want to go to.  I have a friend who lives in Croatia, just outside Trieste, and we've been trying to do a Florence/Venice/Opatija trip for a long time, now.

Sorry to hear about the smell, though.  Do you get used to it?