Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader didn’t make it to Venice over Christmas… There is always next year. (Although with Venice one can’t be too sure that there will be a next year. Perhaps 2009 is the year where the Adriatic finally swallows up La Serinissima.)

Anyhoo…

Apparently Venice is trying to bolster its reputation as a great city of romance by holding a “kiss-in” in Piazza San Marco while the New Year is being rung in. Couples wanting to participate in the kiss-in should get to Piazza San Marco early. From 10pm on there will be free seminars teaching you how to perfect your kissing technique.

All your Maximum Leader can say is this: if Italians need seminars on how to perfect their kissing technique; then truly the end is nigh upon us. One can only hope the seminars are for foreign visitors.

Carry on.