The Off Topic Topic

[derspiess]

That's great to hear.  Sounds like it's sorta symbolic, but a nice milestone.

[Tonitrus]

If your beer doesn't come from Alaska, it sucks.

Alaskan Brewing Company made some fine beers.

But I imagine by now there most be a ton more craft brewers in Alaska.

Anchorage alone has like 10 breweries. the best is Anchorage Brewing Company. and 34 in state with roughly 740,000 residents.

I think the best beer I've had (and I usually hate most beers) was from 49th State BC.

[celedhring]

Manuel Valls insinuating he could run for Barcelona's city council today in an interview. 

Can't he get a job in France anymore?

[Duque de Bragança]

Rhetorical question?  Vall's attempt at humour?

I guess his late joining of Macron's party did not open many doors. He's still deputé though.

PS: does it come with free season tickets for Barça? Valls likes free tickets for football, if only for the plane fare.   
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2015/06/09/2121151-hollande-vole-secours-manuel-valls-passionne-sport.html

[celedhring]

Rhetorical question?  Vall's attempt at humour?

I guess his late joining of Macron's party did not open many doors. He's still deputé though.

PS: does it come with free season tickets for Barça? Valls likes free tickets for football, if only for the plane fare.   
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2015/06/09/2121151-hollande-vole-secours-manuel-valls-passionne-sport.html

He's been asked in an interview if he'd run, and he answered that "he's always willing to help". He's been linked pretty often with our liberal party (which are surging in the Spanish polls). He campaigned for unionist parties during the last Catalan election so he's been a relatively common sight over here during the past months.

Now, while Valls was born in Barcelona, he's never lived here. That would fly like a lead balloon in a normal local election, but since the whole separatist conflict permeates everything I guess he'd have a decent shot. Liberals are polling in 3rd place in a very tight race, and he's quite popular among unionists.  It would be quite the fall from being Prime Minister of France, but there's been far worse landings. The major of Barcelona indeed has a seat at the Camp Nou for every game 

Nonetheless, I don't think it will happen. But it seems to me he's angling to get into Spanish politics since the French apparently don't want him anymore 

[garbon]

So not more marketing friendly like Czechia.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/19/swaziland-king-renames-country-kingdom-of-eswatini

Swaziland king renames country Kingdom of eSwatini

The king of Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, has announced that his country has changed its name to the Kingdom of eSwatini to mark 50 years since independence from British rule.

Meaning "place of the Swazi", eSwatini is the Swazi language name for the tiny state landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique. Unlike some countries, Swaziland did not change its name when it gained independence in 1968 after being a British protectorate for more than 60 years.

King Mswati III declared the name change during independence day celebrations at a packed sports stadium in the second city of Manzini. "I would like to announce that Swaziland will now revert to its original name," he said, wearing red military uniform.

"African countries on getting independence reverted to their ancient names before they were colonised. So from now on, the country will be officially be known as the Kingdom of eSwatini."

The name Swaziland angers some citizens as it is a mix of Swazi and English.

The move had been mooted for years, with lawmakers considering the issue in 2015. The king had used the new name in previous official speeches.

Mswati, who was crowned in 1986 aged 18, rules by decree. Political parties are banned from taking part in elections and only candidates approved by chiefs loyal to the king can stand for office. The country has a population of about 1.3 million people.

The name change could mean the country's constitution is rewritten, as well as changes for the royal Swaziland police force, the Swaziland defence force and the University of Swaziland.

After independence, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, Nyasaland became Malawi, and Bechuanaland became Botswana.

[Grey Fox]

Did he thank South Africa for letting him have his little kingdom? One of the poorest in the world.

[Josquius]

Putting e before everything is so noughties

[garbon]

1890s?

[Valmy]

Well hurrah for eSwatini. Long live the king or whatever.

[Malthus]

Well hurrah for eSwatini. Long live the king or whatever.

eSwatini?

Sounds like a novelty cocktail. 

[Admiral Yi]

I wonder if anyone just watched Black Panther.

[Jacob]

Well hurrah for eSwatini. Long live the king or whatever.

eSwatini?

Sounds like a novelty cocktail. 

To me it sounds like some sort of app or internet based service.

[Barrister]

Well hurrah for eSwatini. Long live the king or whatever.

eSwatini?

Sounds like a novelty cocktail. 

To me it sounds like some sort of app or internet based service.

That would be iSwatini.

[Jacob]

That would be iSwatini.

Only if they were owned by Apple.