89 Comments
User's avatar
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Jun 5, 2023
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Daniel Tucker's avatar

Just Kidding. Mostly.

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

Lovely girls and very sweet too. Hopefully they're reading this as I gave them the link to see where their pic would end up.

Daniel Tucker's avatar

Here's to Hopefully!

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Jun 5, 2023
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Phisto Sobanii's avatar

WORLD OF TANKS

Rob L Canadian/German's avatar

Funny you mention that as the utterly brilliant Ben Thompson (Stratechery) wrote about the difficulties individual writers/podcasters/youtubers have in getting sponsors - that SubStack should implement a Youtube style ad program. This would, in my humble opinion, allow us freeloaders to support writers we're too cheap to pay.

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Jun 5, 2023
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Niccolo Soldo's avatar

I appreciate the offer ;)

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

Hit the like button at the top of the page to like this Open Thread. I'm working on the next interview already, and am preparing another one as well.

Yuri Bezmenov's avatar

Can I interview you on how to live a badass life around the Mediterranean?

Phillip's avatar

Follow the voice...especially if it guides you towards gelato.

A very cultivated friend, born in Rome, tells me that the remote and neglected areas of the Mezzogiorno are full of architectural marvels that no one has ever heard of because they never got written up in the foundational art-history books in the first place. Sounds like an amazing place.

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

Messina alone has some great buildings, even though 90% of it was destroyed in a massive earthquake a little over a century ago.

Red's avatar

All I know about Messina was learned from watching Patton

Clever Pseudonym's avatar

So wait a second, you're lounging in Sicily (land of my ancestors!), livin the good life, while I'm here on the frontline of the culture war fighting the zombie hordes and risking various traumas and harms to my community, and I gotta pay YOU more $$?

Must be nice!

You don't happen to need a valet, do you? ;)

Eidein's avatar

For various reasons (covid + work visa stuff), I have been unable to travel outside of the US for the past several years. Very soon, this constraint will be lifted. As a person in Europe, what part of Europe would you recommend I visit?

For context, I've never been to Europe, my ethnic background is mostly German, and my family left Europe (Ukraine) in 1920 for, well, obvious reasons. I know virtually nothing about Europe beyond the various ethnic stereotypes, and the only thing I really want to do in Europe is "see castles"

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

If you want castles, then your best bet is Bavaria, Northern Italy, and France. You will get so overstimulated that you will need to catch your breath.

Eidein's avatar

Good to know. I'd like to visit Italy but idk where to go there or what to do. I'll put it on the list!

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

When you figure out your dates, I'll help you put together an itinerary. I've done this for others in the past.

CTC's avatar

Am curious - what sales tax are you assessed? Is this a US tax because of Substack domicile or is it based on Croatia?

Unconvexional's avatar

Ah, Sicily, home of the Mafia. Encounter any? They busted one of those bosses last year if I’m not mistaken.

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

When I was last in Palermo (https://niccolo.substack.com/p/into-the-heart-of-darkness-part-3) the locals were actively making fun the Mafia in public. This was unheard of 25 years ago.

Mrtyu's avatar

You are very welcome to Corsica too, my home is your home, for few days at least.

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

Now that is a place that I am dying to check out.

Mrtyu's avatar

Feel free to contact me, by mail (u have it right?), really.

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

Yes, I have your email. Let's talk later this summer and I'll toss around a few ideas.

Mrtyu's avatar

Hurry up, summer is almost gone

Phisto Sobanii's avatar

Niccolo in Italy is worth $5/mo all on its own.

$7 me baby.

Calby's avatar

The two options that was left with was to --> The two options that I was left with were to

[PRICE RISE OK, DONT SWEAT. I'd EVEN GO SLIGHTLY HIGHER to cover for taxes + 2-3 years so you dont have to raise it all the time]

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

Thanks calby haha

Calby's avatar

Having said that, I will take the annual cheapie offer...inner scottish-lineage strand cant resist...

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

The Dutch give you guys a run for the money

JBHoren's avatar

Just remember: A "Dutch treat" is no treat, at all.

Niccolo Soldo's avatar

I could have used this line 45 mins ago when on a train with a group of Dutch people!

Calby's avatar

The dutch are very much more methodical about it, whereas we're like an eel grabbing what's in front of it...impulsive, unsophisticated...

George Menyhei's avatar

Puny Nico spooked by some sales tax. Here in Hungary we have 27%, IIRC in the top 3 in the world. You're like a baby!

George Menyhei's avatar

Sales tax is something a trve Sigma Male understands cannot be avoided. So he accepts it. Embraces it. Make it 30%. Make it 40%. My ancestors will smile upon me as I pay.