Can't do without Vienna

I am always relieved when, after an "academic fatigue" (which I had yesterday), the good spirits are coming back and I can easily concentrate on what I want to do. Today was such a day. I finished the second revision of an article, registered for a doctoral seminar in the upcoming semester (yes, that qualifies as work!), and wrote some sentences on methodology.

In an 11am blueberry-scone & coffee-pause, I turned on the TV. I caught "Who wants to be a millionaire", and it was the first time I ever saw the American version. I sometimes like watching the German "Wer wird Millionär", mostly because I like the showmaster Günther Jauch. It is interesting to see the differences, e.g. that the American version has a time limit for the candidate to answer (20 seconds). In Germany, they can take their time, rethink their answer, get a hint from the showmaster (only if he likes them). They go back and forth, it might take forever. Not so in the American version: "B, final answer", they say, and in the next second, they get their result. Isn't this telling something about American efficiency? Right or wrong, no arguing, and no second chance. Also, the multimedia aspect is pushed. There is an expert who can be called via Skype! Skype is also the one who has picked that expert. Very interesting! In Germany (G), there is no such expert, and there is no Skype. In G, there is only the three "telephone jokers", apparently the equivalent to the "Phone a friend-option", and they show pictures of the people - which adds nicely.

Anyway, I do not want to compare the whole format - but conclude with this here: Comes the question for the candidate: "Which of these European capitals is located farthest South?". Unfortunately, the Gentleman had no clue (you can also tell from his face). So, that was it. He went home with 16,000 USD. Put simple: You can't do without Vienna! :-)