Tour Owner’s Response to Bad TripAdvisor Review Recorded, Set to Music

It’s a story almost as old as the Grand Tour of Europe itself: traveler takes tour in Italy, traveler gives it a poor review on TripAdvisor, guide allegedly calls traveler to complain about the review, traveler records phone call, call gets set to music and posted on YouTube where its language makes it NSFW (at least without earphones)..From YouTube:

A tourist gave a bad review on TripAdvisor for a very boring tour (he had 8 other tours with 4-5 stars in his profile – but this one was just bad). After the tour guide read it, he flipped out and called the tourist & decided to go into a tirade, despite being told he was being recorded. When I heard the story (from the tourist), I was shocked & offered to make this video of his story (I am better at MovieMaker). The tour guide’s name may not be able to be posted without his permission due to Italian privacy laws (TBD). But anyway, enjoy & be careful on review sites!

Pushing and Shoving Speeds Up Venezuelan Subway Boarding

Throughout the world, subway systems have different rules of etiquette. On Washington, DC’s Metro, for example, eating and drinking is forbidden; just a few hours north on a Boston’s T, however, other passengers will wonder what’s wrong if you’re not sipping coffee and/or scnapps out of a Dunkin’ Donuts styrofoam cup.

Not saying the following video is standard subway boarding protocol in Venezuela, but, if nothing else, it is entertaining. Killing Batteries says it was shot in the Valles del Tuy region.

Video Of The Day: Safety Dance, Airplane Style

Air travel can be tedious sometimes. Cramped seats, horrible passengers, security checkpoints… the list goes on. Virgin America has taken a step to lighten the mood once you’re on board. Their new pre-flight safety video launched today on YouTube, and features a bit of singing, a bit of dancing, and far more fun than I’ve encountered when discussing seatbelts and oxygen masks in years past.

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Abandoned Coal Mines Of West Virginia

West Virginia has been defined by the coal industry in many ways. While the industry still employs miners all over the state, abandoned coal mines are remnants throughout the area of a booming past. Exploring the abandoned coal mines is highly dangerous, but the hobby attracts the likes of spelunkers and urban explorers and it’s easy to understand why-the mines are mysterious places that provide a gateway to how life used to be in West Virginia.

According to the website for Coalwood, W.V., the number and location of the abandoned mines is largely unknown. Open shafts and horizontal openings to these abandoned coal mines are often difficult to spot amid the overgrowth. Once inside, abandoned coal mines pose the threat of rusted machinery, dangerous bodies of water and even explosives that are now defected.While the videos and photos available online of these abandoned coal mines are impressive, explorers put themselves at great risk to obtain this kind of footage. What do you think West Virginia officials should do with the abandoned coal mines?

Venice Tests Flood Barriers

Engineers in Venice have successfully tested a new flood barrier that they hope will protect the city. The BBC reports that the first four flood barriers of a planned 78 were floated in the entrance of the city’s famous lagoon.

Venice suffers annual floods due to unusually high tides that threaten irreplaceable buildings and a destination essential to Italy’s tourism industry. It’s also sinking at a rate of one to two millimeters a year, Discovery Magazine reports.

The barrier isn’t complete and has already cost $7 billion. It will take another $800 million and two years more work before it can protect the city. While Italy is suffering badly from the global economic crisis, the government has promised to complete the project by 2016.