Recent posts

#1

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 07:06:43 PM

Also, if we had the Westminster system, would Queen Brynda I still have actual power, or be just like King Charles?

Yeah I'm not sure about the Westminster system as a model. I think it's adaptable enough.

Although obvs there are many parliamentary models with presidents. I personally am a big fan of Ireland's system - but also admire Germany's.  I've read a few things and would love to read something in proper detail about the Italian constitution - because Italian lawyers describe it (as they obviously would) as the "most elegant" constitution in the world But also it's explicitly anti-fascist (and the symbolic elements are under attack from Meloni), but also, one of the only (possibly the only) country in Europe that, like the US, has two equal legislative chambers. I'd love to properly understand how it works.

I'm not so sure about the prestige of the head of state being the problem - though I take Valmy's point. I think the bigger benefits of a parliamentary system is that it has a clear, formal, constitutional role for opposition which I actually think is really important. But also that it normally, in one way or other, requires a government to be able to pass legislation and, at the very least, pass a budget every year - I think the ability generally for Congress to just absolute abdicate their responsibilities (and with it see the executive grow in power) is a problem.

#2

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Tonitrus - Today at 06:54:14 PM

Also, if we had the Westminster system, would Queen Brynda I still have actual power, or be just like King Charles?

#3

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis, Democrats?

Last post by Tonitrus - Today at 06:47:03 PM

Leading Dem candidate for CA governor and AG (with potential spillover to the governor candidate there too) in Virginia are excelling in self-sabotage. 

#4

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Valmy - Today at 06:21:56 PM

I think every Presidential system ends up being like that. Ours does. Which is why I am gradually coming to the conclusion the Westminster system might be better.

Assuming we had a Westminster system, we'd still have Trump (MP for Mar-a-Lago-on-Lake-Worth) as Prime Minister with even less roadblocks than there are now.

That is true. It just seems like Presidential systems often have this problem.

Well I don't know that we can be massively surprised that a constitutional order created by a heroic general called to save his country might end up a little bit imperial And in fairness I think Melenchon's criticism is right, I also think Macron's point of the French system requiring a "Jupiterian" figure rather than a Mr Normal figure like Hollande is also true.

I agree. I think it is a problem. The President, as head of state, just has a level of prestige that makes him the more legitimate leader than some parliamentarian.

#5

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Razgovory - Today at 06:21:14 PM

Exactly. Oldest trick in the book for the far right. Currently being pushed by Trump as well.
Anyone left of centre= the most batshit tiny minority of militant marxists. Same same. Clearly we need a strong far right government in this world being taken over by the far left.

Just out of curiosity, what is the oldest trick in the book for the far-left?

#6

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by Savonarola - Today at 04:51:38 PM

The interesting part was at the end since my team focuses on projects we said it was quite possible to bid a project that way; but since Knorr-Bremse in Europe is exclusively a products based company he was looking for something he could sell to a railroad.  Since there are already satellite receivers and GNSS for rail that really wouldn't work.  It was quite a clash of perspective.

So Knorr-Bremse in the Americas is a systems integrator that supports the end users of rail technology, but Knorr-Bremse in Europe is a company that makes components and is the likes of a company that Knorr-Bremse in the Americas would buy from on a project?  That seems like an odd construction on the part of the parent company, especially if your bit isn't already buying its products from the European bit.

Mostly, Knorr-Bremse's sole US division before acquiring the current KB Signaling (my division) from Alstom was New York Air Break.  They're entirely a component company that supplies onboard equipment.  Purchasing us is their attempt (I hope a successful one) to enter the signaling market.  KB Signaling does manufacture electronic signal components as well as integrating systems.  A major concern (of mine, at least) is that they'll decide not to continue with projects and focus exclusively on products.

#7

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Tonitrus - Today at 04:26:31 PM

I think every Presidential system ends up being like that. Ours does. Which is why I am gradually coming to the conclusion the Westminster system might be better.

Assuming we had a Westminster system, we'd still have Trump (MP for Mar-a-Lago-on-Lake-Worth) as Prime Minister with even less roadblocks than there are now.

#8

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by Baron von Schtinkenbutt - Today at 04:20:38 PM

The interesting part was at the end since my team focuses on projects we said it was quite possible to bid a project that way; but since Knorr-Bremse in Europe is exclusively a products based company he was looking for something he could sell to a railroad.  Since there are already satellite receivers and GNSS for rail that really wouldn't work.  It was quite a clash of perspective.

So Knorr-Bremse in the Americas is a systems integrator that supports the end users of rail technology, but Knorr-Bremse in Europe is a company that makes components and is the likes of a company that Knorr-Bremse in the Americas would buy from on a project?  That seems like an odd construction on the part of the parent company, especially if your bit isn't already buying its products from the European bit.

#9

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 04:10:20 PM

Well I don't know that we can be massively surprised that a constitutional order created by a heroic general called to save his country might end up a little bit imperial And in fairness I think Melenchon's criticism is right, I also think Macron's point of the French system requiring a "Jupiterian" figure rather than a Mr Normal figure like Hollande is also true.

#10

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by Savonarola - Today at 04:07:36 PM

One of the engineers from Munich reached out to my team.  He's on some sort of manager training program and, as part of their training, he has to suggest a new innovation that will "Disrupt the market."  His idea was to use GNSS/Satellite communication for European Train Control System (ETCS).  As a quirk in it's design ETCS gets location off an RFID rather than a GNSS receiver and, almost everywhere, gets radio communication through a GSM system modified for rail (will be updated to one derived from LTE... eventually).  The systems that we use in North America natively get GNSS (usually GPS) and we've looked at using satellite in the past, but until Starlink the latency was too great.

The interesting part was at the end since my team focuses on projects we said it was quite possible to bid a project that way; but since Knorr-Bremse in Europe is exclusively a products based company he was looking for something he could sell to a railroad.  Since there are already satellite receivers and GNSS for rail that really wouldn't work.  It was quite a clash of perspective.

The guy we were talking to had a Turkish name, I don't know when he came to Germany but he had thoroughly integrated in that he spoke flawless English and made the word "Inefficiency" sound like a curse word.   

I also learned that Europe (maybe the EU, I didn't press further) is developing their own Starlink system so they won't be beholden to Elon Musk (a wise policy if I've ever heard one.)