The Off Topic Topic

[garbon]

Good news! I'm now officially a veteran.

Germany has enacted a law that defines as "veteran" everyone who served in the military who wasn't dishonorably discharged, including all conscripts who have served, so they set the bar VERY high (it also means there's about 10 million veterans in a country of 80 million).

Congrats!

[Josquius]

Good news! I'm now officially a veteran.

Germany has enacted a law that defines as "veteran" everyone who served in the military who wasn't dishonorably discharged, including all conscripts who have served, so they set the bar VERY high (it also means there's about 10 million veterans in a country of 80 million).

Now you get to obnoxiously dismiss other peoples opinions by demanding to know if they served!
Everything you say is super valid!

[Tonitrus]

In a hypothetical civil war I wonder which faction would win?

I think the Spanish/Espanol group might win it, but maybe my ideas of where Spanish industry is located are out of date.

The small anal faction could go with either of the main factions it seems to me, perhaps it could also fracture.

Well, the Mature Porn faction closely matches the Nationalist Spain territory during the first months of the SCW and they did win that one... 

True enough. They would also have an elite "Sex with Grannies" Legion, ideological extremists who could prove to be an absolute terror on the battlefield.

I'm not joining the Ron Jeremy Brigade.

[Barrister]

I sliced open the tip of my middle right finger yesterday in court in a papercut.  I got a tiny bit of blood on my criminal code and my laptop, but that wasn;t a big deal.  What is a big deal is even 24 hours later it really hurts to type or grab a pen.

[frunk]

Scored $11380 - since the game is called "inflation busters" shouldn't the aim be to keep the score as low as possible? 

22650 after a few tries.

[celedhring]

Looks like Poland has given in and is walking back part of their reform of the judiciary. That's pretty good news.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/21/poland-bows-eu-pressure-controversial-judicial-reforms/

The Polish government appears to have bowed to EU pressure over its controversial changes to the country's supreme court that have raised fears over the independence of the judiciary.

On Wednesday the government submitted a draft amendment to parliament on the original court legislation that returns the retirement age to 70 from 65, and reinstates judges who had been forced to retire under the previous provisions.

The law, which came into force earlier this year and led to about a third of the court's judges losing their jobs, caused a significant rift between Poland's conservative government and the EU, amid claims Warsaw was conducting a political purge.

The European Commission referred Poland to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the grounds that it was incompatible with EU law, and last month the court issued a temporary ruling, calling for the judges to be reinstated.

The Polish government has argued the law was necessary in order to root out Communist-era judges, and that the attacks against it from Brussels had more to do with politics than legality. But speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Zibgiew Ziobro, the Polish justice minister, said the government "respected the rules and principles of the European Union".

The amendment does appear to address key points in the law that triggered the ire of the European Commission, but it remains unclear as to whether it will be sufficient to make the ECJ drop the case.

It might also induce a period of calm in the Polish government's turbulent, and at times bitter, relationship with Brussels. But the country is still the subject to Article 7 proceedings, which could result in it losing its voting rights, over a broader overhaul of the legal system the government has been carrying out over the past three years.

Referring to the amendment, Małgorzata Gersdorf, the court's president, who has been involved in a running battle with the Polish government over the law, said she would wait to see what the final outcome was, warning that "everything could be reversed".

But Leszek Mazur, chairman of the National Judiciary Council, the body charged with safeguarding the independence of Poland's courts, said it could be "assessed positively".

[Admiral Yi]

The Polish government has argued the law was necessary in order to root out Communist-era judges, and that the attacks against it from Brussels had more to do with politics than legality. But speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Zibgiew Ziobro, the Polish justice minister, said the government "respected the rules and principles of the European Union sure does like the free money."

[celedhring]

Well, I don't think Poland was risking any EU funds. Just voting rights.

I suspect they just feel confident they will remain in power and can thus wait out the extra 5 years before appointing their stooges, but it's a start. We'll see if the ECJ keeps the proceedings.

[Oexmelin]

The Polish government has argued the law was necessary in order to root out Communist-era judges, and that the attacks against it from Brussels had more to do with politics than legality. But speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Zibgiew Ziobro, the Polish justice minister, said the government "respected the rules and principles of the European Union sure does like the free money."

Is it free money, if it comes with strings attached about rule of law?

[The Minsky Moment]

IIRC the ruling party in Poland took a hit in the recent local elections there.  They may be taking advantage of the EU opposition to walk back something that is proving to be damaging domestically as well.

[Admiral Yi]

Is it free money, if it comes with strings attached about rule of law?

Sure doesn't take any actual work to earn it.

[Oexmelin]

[Admiral Yi]

[The Larch]

IIRC the ruling party in Poland took a hit in the recent local elections there.  They may be taking advantage of the EU opposition to walk back something that is proving to be damaging domestically as well.

Yeah, the Polish population is not nearly as eurosceptic as PiS, so I don't think they will really push the envelope. It's a real risk for them domestically, it's not a one party state a la Hungary.

[Josquius]

Apparently black Friday is all a giant con. Reports suggest 85% of sales are actually more at other times