National Lampoon's Presidential Vacation: The Megathread

[Eddie Teach]

Trump is just showing off his astonishingly excellent health.

[Ed Anger]

They see him Rolling, they hatin'

[Maladict]

Greek amphitheatre

You know Greeks didn't have the only type, right?

You know the one they're referring to in the story is actually of ancient Greek construction, right?

You know it likely is just a theatre, and not an amphitheatre?

A quick google search indicates that it is an amphitheater but is probably of Roman build to a Greek design.

The Greeks did not build amphitheatres.

And technically yes, the "Greek theatre" of Taormina is most likely a Roman era construction.

[Syt]

https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/868838877653553153

David Frum‏
@davidfrum

Since 1945, the supreme strategic goal in Europe of the USSR and then Russia was the severing of the US-German alliance. Trump delivered.

[grumbler]

The Greeks did not build amphitheatres.

And technically yes, the "Greek theatre" of Taormina is most likely a Roman era construction.

All Greek theaters were amphitheatres, as far as I am aware.  A theater does not have to be circular to be an amphitheatre; semicircular works as well.

Edit:  Never mind.  I was incorrect in my dating of the term.  It is derived from ancient Greek, but the Romans coined it and so, as you note, the Greeks couldn't have built amphitheatres.

[Eddie Teach]

What did you call them when they were built?

[The Larch]

The important thing is that it's a really lovely place. 

[CountDeMoney]

https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/868838877653553153

David Frum‏
@davidfrum

Since 1945, the supreme strategic goal in Europe of the USSR and then Russia was the severing of the US-German alliance. Trump delivered.

You need to tell your countrymen to start cranking out more Leopards.  You're going to need a lot more Panzer divisions to defend the Balkans and Poland.

GERMANY
THIS TIME A FORCE FOR GOOD

[Maladict]

The Greeks did not build amphitheatres.

And technically yes, the "Greek theatre" of Taormina is most likely a Roman era construction.

All Greek theaters were amphitheatres, as far as I am aware.  A theater does not have to be circular to be an amphitheatre; semicircular works as well.

Edit:  Never mind.  I was incorrect in my dating of the term.  It is derived from ancient Greek, but the Romans coined it and so, as you note, the Greeks couldn't have built amphitheatres.

Not quite. The ancients reserved the name amphitheatre strictly for fully circular/oval buildings. All of the Greek and Roman semicircular theatres are just theatres, never amphitheatres.
And of course their functions were different as well.

[Zanza]

https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/868838877653553153

David Frum‏
@davidfrum

Since 1945, the supreme strategic goal in Europe of the USSR and then Russia was the severing of the US-German alliance. Trump delivered.

You need to tell your countrymen to start cranking out more Leopards.  You're going to need a lot more Panzer divisions to defend the Balkans and Poland.

GERMANY
THIS TIME A FORCE FOR GOOD

Merkel's comment got more attention internationally than merited. She is currently campaigning and a bit of America-skepticism has always been popular with German voters and Trump is an easy target as he is extremely unpopular in Germany. She is and will stay an instinctive transatlanticist.

[Malthus]

The important thing is that it's a really lovely place. 

Wow, that is lovely!

[CountDeMoney]

Merkel's comment got more attention internationally than merited. She is currently campaigning and a bit of America-skepticism has always been popular with German voters and Trump is an easy target as he is extremely unpopular in Germany. She is and will stay an instinctive transatlanticist.

Yes, I read The Economist, I know who her audiences are. Doesn't mean I can't hope for German rearmament.

[The Larch]

The important thing is that it's a really lovely place. 

Wow, that is lovely!

Taormina is indeed a lovely town, and the views from the theater are a sight to behold, with the Etna in the background.

[Malthus]

The important thing is that it's a really lovely place. 

Wow, that is lovely!

Taormina is indeed a lovely town, and the views from the theater are a sight to behold, with the Etna in the background.

Seriously, I might consider taking a vacation there, for the views like that in the picture you posted alone. Would you recommend a visit? 

[The Larch]

The important thing is that it's a really lovely place. 

Wow, that is lovely!

Taormina is indeed a lovely town, and the views from the theater are a sight to behold, with the Etna in the background.

Seriously, I might consider taking a vacation there, for the views like that in the picture you posted alone. Would you recommend a visit?

Absolutely. Taormina is a lovely small town, and there are loads of really beautiful places to visit all over Sicily. If you want tips I would be more than happy to help you out.