The Off Topic Topic

[celedhring]

Play on a famous British children's show, I think.

[Sheilbh]

And why are they called "magic"?  Because no one knows how they work?

It's a reference to the 1970s Anglo-French psychadelic kid's TV show the Magic Roundabout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3DcChXNyYQ

If you spend any time in your life with stoners you'll end up talking about the Magic Roundabout

Edit: Just watching that clip and it's so 1970s there's a joke about nationalisation

I think Bill Bailey also had a bit about the Magic Roundabout theme song.

[Syt]

Meanwhile, at a Vienna railway station (NSFW): https://www.reddit.com/r/wien/comments/i75lzd/erratet_den_bahnhof/

[Iormlund]

I literally don't know what you are supposed to do in that thing. 😄

There is no magic to roundabouts. You are supposed to behave exactly as you would on a straight street.

Granted, the sheer amount of options in the magic clusterfuck above can be daunting, but once you enter the thing you are in a simple 2-lane street with exits left (out) and right (shortcut).

[derspiess]

I quite like the old one

But I love mid-century in general.

I didn't hate it. But stepping inside (which I did once, in 2007 or so? - since then the passport office is in a different building in town) was like stepping into a 1980s time capsule. If you look at the official buildings in Deutschland '83, you get an idea of what I mean.

This post reminded me that I never got around to watching Deutschland '83

I took care of that over the weekend.  Quite enjoyed it and am already re-watching with the wife because she was intrigued by the music in one of the episodes.  Will have to wait for her to get caught up before I start Deutschland '86.

[Sheilbh]

This post reminded me that I never got around to watching Deutschland '83

I took care of that over the weekend.  Quite enjoyed it and am already re-watching with the wife because she was intrigued by the music in one of the episodes.  Will have to wait for her to get caught up before I start Deutschland '86.

V different vibe but if you like shows with years in their names and cracking soundtracks, have a look at the This is England series

[Syt]

This post reminded me that I never got around to watching Deutschland '83

I took care of that over the weekend.  Quite enjoyed it and am already re-watching with the wife because she was intrigued by the music in one of the episodes.  Will have to wait for her to get caught up before I start Deutschland '86.

Haven't watched '86 yet, but heard it's not quite as good.

What I find remarkable is that '83 starts with New Order's Blue Monday, and that the main actor has a striking resemblance to what New Order frontman Bernard Sumner looked like at the time.

[DGuller]

Meanwhile, at a Vienna railway station (NSFW): https://www.reddit.com/r/wien/comments/i75lzd/erratet_den_bahnhof/

Was he supposed to wear a mask?

[derspiess]

This post reminded me that I never got around to watching Deutschland '83

I took care of that over the weekend.  Quite enjoyed it and am already re-watching with the wife because she was intrigued by the music in one of the episodes.  Will have to wait for her to get caught up before I start Deutschland '86.

V different vibe but if you like shows with years in their names and cracking soundtracks, have a look at the This is England series

Looked at the soundtrack-- right up my alley.

Thanks

[Syt]

Meanwhile, at a Vienna railway station (NSFW): https://www.reddit.com/r/wien/comments/i75lzd/erratet_den_bahnhof/

Was he supposed to wear a mask?

No idea. Probably just a weirdo, possibly drunk.

[derspiess]

Haven't watched '86 yet, but heard it's not quite as good.

What I find remarkable is that '83 starts with New Order's Blue Monday, and that the main actor has a striking resemblance to what New Order frontman Bernard Sumner looked like at the time.

Doppelganger for sure

Although in the US title sequence is set to the English version of "Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling.

[Syt]

Yeah, that song is considered quite cheesy over here.

Btw, I was still wearing the same kind of uniform in '95/'96 (they were just slowly starting to introduce camo pattern uniforms when I left). But the furniture etc.? Yep, been there.

[derspiess]

I did enjoy the uniforms-- Bundeswehr, Stasi, Grenztruppen.  But they made a couple mistakes on the US Army uniforms.  And General Jackson came across a little odd at times-- how did his German sound to your ear?

[Duque de Bragança]

It also reminds me of the amazing (possibly untrue) tabloid of an elderly British couple who ended up trapped for hours on the Arc de Triomphe roundabout after foolishly heading onto the central lane and then not being able to get out

The Arc de Triomphe roundabout (not a carrefour giratoire a.k.a rond-point à l'anglaise) has some specific rules indeed. Vehicles inside must give way to vehicles entering (right of way).
In general, I would not recommend driving in Paris, specially there.
Saw a scooter hit by a car just yesterday there, not too serious but it is really easily clogged with bad drivers and not so common rules.

[Caliga]

Roundabouts are starting to show up here.  I can think of two off the top of my head within ten miles or so.  When they put each of them in, there was much gnashing of teeth till they opened and people learned how to use them, and now they much prefer them to traffic lights.