Don't EVER Get in Trouble in Italy

  In another insane move (see Amanda Knox), Italian courts convicted seven scientists of manslaughter (yes MANSLAUGHTER) today for failing to adequately warn citizens before an 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit  L'Aquila, Italy in 2009, killing 308 people and destroying much of the city.  And in other news, a tarot card reader wrongly predicted that I would get the last job that I applied for, giving me false hope. Lock them up and throw away the key!

This is the Exact Spot Where Julius Caesar was Killed

Archaeologists working in Rome believe they have found the first actual evidence of the spot where Julius Caesar died on the Ides of March in 44 B.C. They have recently unearthed a concrete structure that they are positive was a monument erected by Augustus to commemorate his uncle's death. This spot, as you can see, is in the city center and open to the public so I say go there and say : 
" Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?  Speak, hands for me!   Et tu, Brute!

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets."

One of my favorite dipctions of Caesar from the HBO series Rome:

The City's Gone Apples

 The entire city of Torino went nuts, or should I say went apples, for the new Mac store on Via Roma that opened today. Brilliant and just in time for Christmas. It's less than a 1 minute walk from our house so we'll wait for the lines to go down before we venture into the chaos.

A Touch of Italian Color

Just a touch makes all the difference.

Just a Little Rain

  This was the worst rain I have ever seen in Italy. This is also when I taught Pier what the english expression "raining cats and dogs" means.

Seen Around Torino

How many balloons does one guy need?