Homo Berriens is attending a conference in Firenze/Florence, Italy.

The back story….anthropologists at The University of Madup have been shocked to discover that Home Berriens which was thought to be a rare sub-species of Homo Sapiens has in fact developed at such a rate it has become a significant part of the adult population.  Predominantly male, aged 23 to 52, it is characterised by a lowered forehead constantly foraging across a small screen. Significantly reduced peripheral vision and auditory acuity is coupled with the ability to work in very low lighting conditions such as the cinema. Accentuated fingers enable small keyboards to be adroitly managed at speed while simultaneously executing other activities such as eating cereal, walking the dog or sky-diving. This sub-species can easily be identified as one hand is permanently in a grip-like pose (similar to that of the early Action Man toys) from holding a Blackberry or similar device plus one jacket pocket hangs much lower then the other. This is coupled with a general unease as they realise there is no such panacea as ‘in-box zero’. Approach with care as normal conversation (as bench-marked with Homo Sapiens) can be alarmingly different.

Jack has slipped out of the hotel and is sitting in the staggeringly beautiful square near 'Il Duomo', the cathedral. The Tuscan hillside stretches out on either side of the city and not so very far away hidden in the vineyards is the birth-place of possibly the greatest artist and scientist to have ever lived: Leonardo da Vinci.

Waiter: Scusi signore? Un espresso? Un cappucino?

Jack: Er, sure. Large espresso. And some toast. Merci. Er, grazie.

Waiter: Of course. A few minutti. You are enjoying Firenze, our beautiful city?

Jack stared hard at the small screen, shielding it from the early morning sunshine.

Jack: Er....yeah. Network clarity could be better for a major conurbation.

Waiter: Er....si. 

Later this week. Homo Berriens makes love. But not as we know it.

Jack has slipped out of the hotel and is sitting in the staggeringly beautiful square near 'Il Duomo', the cathedral. The Tuscan hillside stretches out on either side of the city and not so very far away hidden in the vineyards is the birth-place of possibly the greatest artist and scientist to have ever lived: Leonardo da Vinci.

Waiter: Scusi signore? Un espresso? Un cappucino?

Jack: Er, sure. Large espresso. And some toast. Merci. Er, grazie.

Waiter: Of course. A few minutti. You are enjoying Firenze, our beautiful city?

Jack stared hard at the small screen, shielding it from the early morning sunshine.

Jack: Er....yeah. Network clarity could be better for a major conurbation.

Waiter: Er....si. 

Later this week. Homo Berriens makes love. But not as we know it.