The Off Topic Topic

[The Brain]

No country is better at the theatre of nationalism/civic honour than France - Le Chant des Partisans as Josephine Baker is entered to the Pantheon last night:
https://twitter.com/JohannMargulies/status/1465785973174845440?s=20

[Syt]

Also, a recent survey of expats about 57 cities voted Vienna #1 in quality of life, and dead last in friendliness of inhabitants, which many now declare a point of pride.

The SPÖ Vienna, ruling party in the city calls it a Wi(e)n-Win situation:



Global #1 in Quality of Life and unfriendliness!

[frunk]

I really like Channel 4's Taskmaster.

It's fantastic.
Kids watch it with you?

No, the thought didn't occur to me. I'll see if they are interested. I suspect they'll drop off quick enough when they realize it's not in french.

Ah yeah, that's a sticking point.
Apparently it's popular with kids over here though.

I wonder how long before they do a French version. I know there's been 2 scandi versions and a awful failure of an American version so far.

The second season of NZ's Taskmaster is pretty good.  The first season improved as it went along, but got off to a rough start.

[Syt]

Following the birth of his son, Sebastian Kurz retires from politics at age 34. He will start a new job next year. The cynic in me believes he retires "for now."

Finance Minister Blümel, a close confidant of Kurz's (and also being investigated by state prosecutors) has also stepped back from his political offices. Chancellor Schallenberg has announced that in his opinion leading the party and leading the government should be in one hand. Therefore he will vacate his office as soon as the ÖVP has settled on a new party chair.

[Sheilbh]

Slightly fascinating bit of intensification/densification in South Tottenham where the council has authorised increasing house sizes by 1.5 floors, subject to a strict design code. Apparently take-up has been quite high so it'll be interesting to see the area in a decade:



From what I understand not allowed for HMOs but permitted to expand family homes or create new flats. Interestingly apparently part of the drive for it was there's a large Orthodox Jewish community in the area who can't take any form of transport to Synagogue on Shabbat so they can only really move within a 15 minute or so walk (the original 15 minute city ).

And South Tottenham is not a wildly expensive area (one bed flats around £300-350k by the looks of it) so it's financially definitely worth it, especially for people living in a not particularly rich area.

[The Brain]

1.5 floors? Inspired by Being John Malkovich?

[Josquius]

or so walk (the original 15 minute city ).

And South Tottenham is not a wildly expensive area (one bed flats around £300-350k by the looks of it) so it's financially definitely worth it, especially for people living in a not particularly rich area.

[Syt]

Looking back, Austria has had three chancellors who assumed office under the age of 40. Kurz seems to be in good company there.

[Syt]

Following the birth of his son, Sebastian Kurz retires from politics at age 34. He will start a new job next year. The cynic in me believes he retires "for now."

Finance Minister Blümel, a close confidant of Kurz's (and also being investigated by state prosecutors) has also stepped back from his political offices. Chancellor Schallenberg has announced that in his opinion leading the party and leading the government should be in one hand. Therefore he will vacate his office as soon as the ÖVP has settled on a new party chair.

As expected, Karl Nehammer, so far interior minister, has been designated as head of ÖVP and new chancellor. Additionally, almost all ÖVP ministers are being replaced. Remains to be seen how he leads the party. He was not considered to be particularly close with Kurz.



So, since 2016 (when Werner Faymann's term ended after 8 years), the chancellors have been:
05/2016 - 12/2017: Christian Kern
12/2017 - 05/2019: Sebastian Kurz
06/2019 - 01/2020: Brigitte Bierlein (technocrat interim government)
01/2020 - 10/2021: Sebastian Kurz
10/2021 - 12/2021: Alexander Schallenberg
12/2021 - ?: Karl Nehammer

[Zanza]

So satisfying to see Kurz gone. What a pompous ass. I hated how he pretended its about his son and not about the state prosecutor.

[Syt]

So satisfying to see Kurz gone. What a pompous ass. I hated how he pretended its about his son and not about the state prosecutor.

Agreed. ANd of course he blamed the "media campaigns" and "unjustified allegations" for dampening his enthusiasm for politics.

[Sheilbh]

Mr Cholmondley-Warner - Christmas tidings is still quite good
https://twitter.com/HarryEnfield6/status/1467084055497875460?s=20

[Syt]

So this https://app.wombo.art/ has been making the rounds where you give some keywords or a phrase, an art style and an AI generates an abstract painting. It's a fun little distraction, so I did some Languish ones:



"Languish Off The Record"


"The Giant Ants of Brest-Litovsk"


"Fuck You, Jaron"


"Incan Torpedo Boats"

(the last one required a bunch of attempts to get something approximate )

[HVC]

CNN fired Chris Cuomo

[Sheilbh]

About time.