Recent posts

#21

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Razgovory - July 06, 2025, 06:34:03 PM

29 "terrorists" were arrested in London https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gd3pkr9x1o 

It would be capricious if the government deciding not to arrest those supporting a group it had declared a terrorist organization.

Yeah, it's not like this is a move straight out of the trump playbook or anything.

No, this is your guys stuff.  I'm looking at groups that are proscribed and some have done even less than throw paint.

"National Action is a racist neo-Nazi group that was established in 2013. It has a number of branches across the UK, which conduct provocative street demonstrations and stunts aimed at intimidating local communities. Its activities and propaganda materials are particularly aimed at recruiting young people.
The group is virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic. Its ideology promotes the idea that Britain will inevitably see a violent 'race war', which the group claims it will be an active part of. The group rejects democracy, is hostile to the British state and seeks to divide society by implicitly endorsing violence against ethnic minorities and perceived 'race traitors'.
National Action's online propaganda material, disseminated via social media, frequently features extremely violent imagery and language. It condones and glorifies those who have used extreme violence for political or ideological ends. This includes tweets posted by the group in 2016, in connection with the murder of Jo Cox(which the prosecutor described as a terrorist act), stating "Only 649 MPs to go" and a photo of Thomas Mair with the caption "don't let this man's sacrifice go in vain" and "Jo Cox would have filled Yorkshire with more subhumans!", as well as an image condoning and celebrating the terrorist attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and another depicting a police officer's throat being slit. The images can reasonably be taken as inferring that these acts should be emulated and therefore amount to the unlawful glorification of terrorism.
The government laid an Order in September 2017 which provides that "Scottish Dawn" and "NS131 (National Socialist Anti-Capitalist Action)" should be treated as alternative names for the organisation which is already proscribed as National Action.
The government laid an Order in February 2020 which provides that "System Resistance Network (SRN)" should be treated as an alternative name for the organisation which is already proscribed as National Action."

I don't believe that groups with with horrible ideas and produce horrible material should be proscribed as terrorist, but the British seem to have done this for quite a while now.

#22

Gaming HQ / Re: Victoria 3

Last post by Norgy - July 06, 2025, 04:23:25 PM

I tried Victoria 3 again and have spent some hours in the last days of my summer holidays.

1. I suck at this game. But despite going bankrupt as Sardinia-Piedmont, I managed to become the only major power among the Italian states and belatedly formed Italy in 1866. The Austrians are so strong I am not going up against them, and France is being very French and annoying.
2. By accident or bug I formed some kind of Super-Germany after spanking France as the NGF. Austria just became mein, alles mein. But Bavaria is still holding out by 1888. I suddenly had a construction sector that was nearly bankrupting me after a few months going 400k in deficit.
3. The British Empire is even more of an asshole in this game, and in this patch in particular than it was historically. Allying with them was a mistake, as suddenly I am called to war against Qing and end up with owning Beijing and rather a lot of annoyed pops. 2400 bureacracy to integrate over 20 years. Thanks.
4. Massive failures as the Japanese Shogunate, and my Russia developed even more poorly than it did historically.
5. Brazil was fun, but I am disappointed no company had "Brazilian wax" as a luxury product.

#23

Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...

Last post by Admiral Yi - July 06, 2025, 04:04:19 PM

That's zero Kelvin of funny.

#24

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Duque de Bragança - July 06, 2025, 03:47:26 PM

Trade-union happy Europe is a hell of generalisation. Some regions are, some others not, with the public and private sector wildy different in some cases (bonsoir la France). Ask Josq about trade union influence in the UK, since, say, Margaret Thatcher.

Not just for A / C people.

There is also the question of regulations regarding A / C ; regulations being a French specialty.
Namely hospitals, with the most stringent requirements, but then most hospitals around here already have some kind of A / C.

@HVC

In practical terms, did you or do you really need A / C in Nazaré (that's your place, right?) ?

[*cough*]

#25

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by HVC - July 06, 2025, 03:39:35 PM

Depends which AC people. If you talking big units on public buildings like hospitals those are usually more complex industrial units, and at least in Ontario (and *maybe* all of Canada, but definitely in Ontario) they're unionized. I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case in union happy Europe too. Even for residential at lot of the techs here are unionized and very (VERY) well paid.

Also, why are you taking people being comfortable so personal old builds can be an issue, but new builds can be comfortable (ie AC ) and energy efficient. And in many cases even old builds can be renovated to be efficient.  This is France Olympics all over again where countries had to bring in their own, inefficient, systems to compensate for the planners stubbornness

*edit* As for disease transmissions, was there a notable difference between countries with an and with? Excluding weird anti vac places *cough* America  *cough*. Did Korea, Japan, or Canada have a noticeable spike?

#26

Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...

Last post by Josquius - July 06, 2025, 03:09:26 PM

You cannot see attachments on this board.

#27

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Duque de Bragança - July 06, 2025, 03:05:23 PM

Nobody said it was a competition. Not even you. 

#28

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Duque de Bragança - July 06, 2025, 03:03:05 PM

Problem with A/C in non-wet and windy Europe  is that it kills humidity and gives lots of sore throats. Not good for hospitals and the rest.
(Better) insulation and blinds persianas in Castilian and Portuguese, opened in the morning and at night and closed during the day would be a good start, Southern Europe has been doing that for a long time.

I'm telling you guys, the Icelandic glaciers peaked in 1890 and have been slowly shrinking ever since, the local temperature here almost hit 16° today. Doom is coming.

Seriously though since North-West Europe is going to hit the upper-temp bands more frequently, just buy those small AC units that will keep a room or 2 cozy for grandma and make sure large organizations like hospitals and old folks resisdences don't roast during regular weather.

Hospitals and old folks have different needs than your average bobo that can't stand heat and wants full A / C but yet claims to do something positive against climate change.
A/C installation and maintenance people are not that well paid, so things will have to change a lot, and that's unlikely.  Not to mention that more A/C will mean the next likely Covid-like pandemic will have more of an impact.

#29

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Duque de Bragança - July 06, 2025, 02:58:55 PM

This is an odd European affliction though as a/c works perfectly fine in dry, windy, desert climates like that in southern California.

I'd suggest affectation rather than affliction given that the rest of the world generally seems capable of using it. The climate is changing Europe is suffering more and more severe heatwaves more regularly in which, across the continent, hundreds of people die every year - but we won't adopt AC for fundamentally aesthetic reasons. It's very:



And again I always think that literally no-one would respect any of these arguments if they were applied against central heating. I don't really get why heating = important, cooling = morally suspect/climate change denialist/American.

Also, you wet and windy island with Victorian plumbing, heating and insulation is hardly a reference for Mainland Europe.
Also, a crappy and unknown meme is only good for FB "debate" à la Syt's sister. 

Southern Europe had to deal with hot temperatures for a while now, and A/C is not the –only– answer.
As for temperate NorthWest Europe, common sense and some Southern European practices would be more than enough, specially since people over can't do A/C, for some reason :open windows all the time, max A/C when more than 25 °C, as in not really needed, not adjusting when temperature falls from the highs of 35-40 °C.
Plus, heatwave in heavily urbanised places such as city centres in NW Europe is a different beast than a hamlet or glorified village in the Americas.

#30

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by HVC - July 06, 2025, 02:56:02 PM

When I was researching this it turned out in many cases you only need planning permission for an AC external unit if you want to use it for cooling. If it's for heating only it's OK. Mental.

Can a dual purpose and lie?