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#41
Off the Record / Re: Youtube Recommendations
Last post by viper37 - Today at 08:24:06 AMQuote from: Syt on March 31, 2025, 10:29:19 PMIn German, sun is feminine and the moon masculine, while in French it's the opposite. Heck, we have genders for rivers -der Rhein, die Elbe.This is why I long ago abandoned my dream of learning German.
#42
Off the Record / Re: Youtube Recommendations
Last post by viper37 - Today at 08:23:29 AMQuote from: Admiral Yi on March 31, 2025, 10:29:02 PM1) It's a jab at how most history is thought in many countries, full of national myths. Canada or America are not exempt. France, neither.Quote from: viper37 on March 31, 2025, 10:23:24 PMHmm.
So, what you're saying now is, American history is badly teached?
And American politicians' use of alternative facts falls on the myth side or on the liberation side?
1) I'm not qualified to pass judgement on how American history is taught. I've never taken a dedicated American history class.
2) I don't know what you mean by alternative facts. It sounds oxymoronic.
2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_facts
#43
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 08:06:20 AMQuote from: Syt on Today at 03:51:10 AMSo, how long until a US citizen (esp. naturalized, or born to immigrants) is "accidentally" sent to the El Salvador Gulag?
If the courts rule for the Government, then it will become commonplace. Why not?
#44
Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...
Last post by dist - Today at 08:04:30 AMTo Sheilbh, I'm adding the translation of a comment left on the subject by a poster of the French equivalent of Languish. Maybe that can assuage your doubts/concerns.
Hot take: I think that's a good thing, that politicians are automatically ineligible if they embezzle public funds. And in this case, she is clearly guilty.
QuoteThere is one (or several) detail(s) that Marine has conveniently forgotten. In particular, the fact that the automatic ineligibility accompanying the embezzlement of public funds was added by the deputies themselves—because before that, judges rarely applied ineligibility, considering that it was not their concern, given the separation of powers and all that--a vote in which the two RN deputies courageously abstained.
Hot take: I think that's a good thing, that politicians are automatically ineligible if they embezzle public funds. And in this case, she is clearly guilty.
#45
Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic
Last post by Legbiter - Today at 07:39:02 AMA new eurption has just started here. This time a portion of the fissure opened up inside the defensive berms around Grindavík. 
Otherwise this one seems quite a bit more sluggish, the lava fountains are significantly lower for instances.
Otherwise this one seems quite a bit more sluggish, the lava fountains are significantly lower for instances.
#46
Gaming HQ / Re: Crusader Kings III
Last post by Syt - Today at 07:06:10 AMVery meaty dev diary about Nomad flavor/gameplay including becoming the Greatest of Khans in next expansion:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/dev-diary-167-the-greatest-of-them-all.1733816/
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/dev-diary-167-the-greatest-of-them-all.1733816/
#47
Gaming HQ / Re: Victoria 3
Last post by Syt - Today at 07:02:56 AMYeah, V3 and CK3 are the only ones where I preorder the passes, because I know I will play those games no matter what. 
EU4, Stellaris or HOI4 I don't play nearly enough to justify it. Though Stellaris I might eventually pick up when I feel like playing some space 4X again.
EU4, Stellaris or HOI4 I don't play nearly enough to justify it. Though Stellaris I might eventually pick up when I feel like playing some space 4X again. #48
Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...
Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 06:17:41 AMYeah I'm broadly on Zoups side. There is form in France - Juppe, Sarko, Fillon, Chirac (I am noticing a pattern, but that may just be the ones I personally remember). For some the actual trials only came at the end of their careers but for others, especially Fillon, in their pomp.
And I think in all cases it did hurt them. So there's possibly a bit of "too clever by half" going on about how often French politicians are prosecuted and also the impact.
From everything I've read it seems very much that Le Pen and the RN deputies committed the crime. The sentencing maybe feels a little strong (especially the ineligibility applying immediately - I believe in the other cases that was always suspended/postponed).
I am a little bit more uncomfortable with the ineligibility - but I'm generally opposed to that being a legal sentence more broadly. I think it's slightly difficult to distinguish Imamoglu, Georgescu, Le Pen and even Trump (though I'm more comfortable with that type of political judgement lying within the political realm - the Senate). I think the judicialisation and legalisation of politics is a really worrying, negative trend - but it's not exactly new in France (or for that matter the US or Italy). Given that trend we should possibly worry about how it gets used/turned against others by Republicans in the US and Meloni in Italy and, if they win, the RN in France.
I'm not sure this will be politically effective (although the RN may have an almighty fight over what to do/who to back) - but that's not for the courts to ask. I wouldn't really celebrate this because I think politically (which, in my view, matters more) it may well fail and generally I think it is part of a really negative trend.
But it seems perverse to me that you have a system that can, and has, prosecuted and convicted multiple leading politicians of the centre right but apparently should draw a legal cordon sanitaire once you get to the far right. To an extent this is within the norms of French politics and I don't really think is anything special/noteworthy.
And I think in all cases it did hurt them. So there's possibly a bit of "too clever by half" going on about how often French politicians are prosecuted and also the impact.
From everything I've read it seems very much that Le Pen and the RN deputies committed the crime. The sentencing maybe feels a little strong (especially the ineligibility applying immediately - I believe in the other cases that was always suspended/postponed).
I am a little bit more uncomfortable with the ineligibility - but I'm generally opposed to that being a legal sentence more broadly. I think it's slightly difficult to distinguish Imamoglu, Georgescu, Le Pen and even Trump (though I'm more comfortable with that type of political judgement lying within the political realm - the Senate). I think the judicialisation and legalisation of politics is a really worrying, negative trend - but it's not exactly new in France (or for that matter the US or Italy). Given that trend we should possibly worry about how it gets used/turned against others by Republicans in the US and Meloni in Italy and, if they win, the RN in France.
I'm not sure this will be politically effective (although the RN may have an almighty fight over what to do/who to back) - but that's not for the courts to ask. I wouldn't really celebrate this because I think politically (which, in my view, matters more) it may well fail and generally I think it is part of a really negative trend.
But it seems perverse to me that you have a system that can, and has, prosecuted and convicted multiple leading politicians of the centre right but apparently should draw a legal cordon sanitaire once you get to the far right. To an extent this is within the norms of French politics and I don't really think is anything special/noteworthy.
#49
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 05:57:03 AMSteven Swinford, Political Editor of the Times reporting trade deal with the US is basically ready to go - all this sounds sensible and in line with what Starmer's been talking about:
The things I find interesting is the bit about the US not wanting to sign until after Trump's "Liberation Day", I assume so they can present it as a win/country conceding to tariffs despite it being stuff agreed before and broadly things UK governments have wanted from the US over the last several years. That feels very like Trump's first term in terms of what really matters is being able to present something as a victory/amazing achievement for Trump.
Other thing is the agricultural stuff. This has always been a sticking point in UK talks with the US (and Canada). We have European standards on various things like hormones - where there's been divergence recently normally we're going stricter (especially on animal welfare). Again it feels very Trump that it sounds like the US is basically conceding on no changes to those standards, but the actual tariff rate coming down - the standards are more of a barrier for US agriculture than tariffs. So again it feels very much driven by appearance and Trump's particular focus/care about tariffs rather than anything else.
I'd add that I always thought there would never be a UK-US agreement of any type because the chlorine chicken/hormone beef stuff would just unite a politically very difficult unholy alliance of Guardian readers, Daily Mail readers and Countryfile watchers. And, for Americans, agriculture, farmers and rural states would always matter too much to park that stuff. So getting an agreement that, by the sounds of it, primarily focuses on tech and services feels like it's pretty good by the government.
Also not too worried on the AI side of things - I'm very dubious on the need for AI specific regulations (beyond maybe some very broad stuff on AGI). I find it very strange. To me it seems like spending the 1980s regulating personal computers or Word Processors. We've got lots of existing laws on healthcare, personal data, financial services etc - I think all the time and brainpower that's being spent on "how to regulate AI" could be far more helpfully used working with those regulators on how to regulate and use AI in their specific sectors (plus I'm always dubious about technology specific regulations v uses of technology - I think it's part of the problem with Europe's "cookie laws" for example).
QuoteHere's what we know about the UK's economic deal with the US so far:
* It's on the table and ready to sign. There's broad agreement, although some details are being finessed. But US is refusing to sign it until after hitting UK with tariffs on April 2, aka Liberation Day
* The focus is on AI and technology. The Digital Services Tax, which hits silicon valley giants, will be dropped and ultimately replaced with a tax with a broader base
* Sounds like UK has made specific commitments on a light-touch approach to AI regulation, specifically around AI Security Institute
* There are concessions on agriculture. Sounds like tariffs on imports of US beef, chicken and other meat will be lowered, but SPS checks - animal welfare and hygiene standards - will not change
* It means that the current ban on hormone-treated beef and chlorine washed chicken will remain in place
The things I find interesting is the bit about the US not wanting to sign until after Trump's "Liberation Day", I assume so they can present it as a win/country conceding to tariffs despite it being stuff agreed before and broadly things UK governments have wanted from the US over the last several years. That feels very like Trump's first term in terms of what really matters is being able to present something as a victory/amazing achievement for Trump.
Other thing is the agricultural stuff. This has always been a sticking point in UK talks with the US (and Canada). We have European standards on various things like hormones - where there's been divergence recently normally we're going stricter (especially on animal welfare). Again it feels very Trump that it sounds like the US is basically conceding on no changes to those standards, but the actual tariff rate coming down - the standards are more of a barrier for US agriculture than tariffs. So again it feels very much driven by appearance and Trump's particular focus/care about tariffs rather than anything else.
I'd add that I always thought there would never be a UK-US agreement of any type because the chlorine chicken/hormone beef stuff would just unite a politically very difficult unholy alliance of Guardian readers, Daily Mail readers and Countryfile watchers. And, for Americans, agriculture, farmers and rural states would always matter too much to park that stuff. So getting an agreement that, by the sounds of it, primarily focuses on tech and services feels like it's pretty good by the government.
Also not too worried on the AI side of things - I'm very dubious on the need for AI specific regulations (beyond maybe some very broad stuff on AGI). I find it very strange. To me it seems like spending the 1980s regulating personal computers or Word Processors. We've got lots of existing laws on healthcare, personal data, financial services etc - I think all the time and brainpower that's being spent on "how to regulate AI" could be far more helpfully used working with those regulators on how to regulate and use AI in their specific sectors (plus I'm always dubious about technology specific regulations v uses of technology - I think it's part of the problem with Europe's "cookie laws" for example).
#50
Gaming HQ / Re: The Miscellaneous PC & vid...
Last post by Syt - Today at 04:50:07 AMI would go back to Sims 3 in a heartbeat if it was more stable and especially if they could fix the load times. Just loading into the game or loading wardrobe options (esp. if you have modded content) is excruciating.