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#41
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Sheilbh - October 08, 2025, 05:32:07 PMIt's not a hill I'd die on - but I'm fully aware that I currently work in media and I think ECHR jurisprudence has been an absolute disaster for press freedom. I'm also very strongly opposed to some of the emerging cases in Europe - there were a couple from Switzerland and Portugal which I think are really bad (and, interestingly, the British judge on the court strongly dissented from as being massive judicial overreach). Also it's not binding at a European level yet but there's been a couple of decisions that wealth taxes are against human rights from national supreme courts - so highly persuasive authorities if not yet at the European level. I am, at best, very ambivalent on the ECHR (as incorporated into UK law) - ironically for many of the reasons that Labour opposed the ECHR when it was being written (I find it interesting how these issues which are particularly divisive now: Israel/Palestine, ECHR, Europe all ones where left and right have flipped positions).
I wouldn't be surprised if Labour end up there before the next election - we've already got two former Labour Home Secretaries and a Lib Dem Lord and a leading human rights KC talking about it needing "reform" or "temporary suspension". They're right although I actually think the main issue is how domestic courts have interpreted it and the way it's been incorporated into domestic law under the Human Rights Act but that's less exciting. I think that's definitely the case in the press freedom cases where it's not actually the European Court but domestic courts interpreting European case
There's also criticism by that Lib Dem peer (and, indeed, Tony Blair) of the Refugee Convention - I wouldn't be surprised if there's a challenge to that before long either. Plus Reeves apparently looking at leaving the Aarhus Convention (on environmental decision making).
I wouldn't be surprised if Labour end up there before the next election - we've already got two former Labour Home Secretaries and a Lib Dem Lord and a leading human rights KC talking about it needing "reform" or "temporary suspension". They're right although I actually think the main issue is how domestic courts have interpreted it and the way it's been incorporated into domestic law under the Human Rights Act but that's less exciting. I think that's definitely the case in the press freedom cases where it's not actually the European Court but domestic courts interpreting European case
There's also criticism by that Lib Dem peer (and, indeed, Tony Blair) of the Refugee Convention - I wouldn't be surprised if there's a challenge to that before long either. Plus Reeves apparently looking at leaving the Aarhus Convention (on environmental decision making).
#42
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Admiral Yi - October 08, 2025, 05:13:16 PMQuote from: DGuller on October 08, 2025, 04:24:39 PMYeah, probably, but I would argue that the convergence of exclusion criteria by landlords is a case of boycott, even if unwitting. Boycott, coercion, or intimidation are generally illegal, precisely because they are impeding the functioning of free markets. The government should ideally be regulating away boycotts rather than cleaning up the mess because of it.
I don't understand your reasoning. If I make a bet with someone and he or she welches, and I decline to bet with them in the future, that's not coercion or intimidation. I suppose it is boycotting, but why should I not boycott that person?
#43
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Tamas - October 08, 2025, 05:12:26 PMBadenoch wants to leave the ECHR among other things, it's not like she is far removed from this Jenrick character.
#44
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Tamas - October 08, 2025, 05:10:13 PMThis is absolutely dystopian shit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CringeTikToks/s/PNokJGs7RN
A bunch of armed and masked men with no convincing identification thst they are police, put a child into an unmarked civilian car.
Like, the fuck?!
Edit: maybe it's an adult not a child but it only makes marginally less terrifying.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CringeTikToks/s/PNokJGs7RN
A bunch of armed and masked men with no convincing identification thst they are police, put a child into an unmarked civilian car.
Like, the fuck?!
Edit: maybe it's an adult not a child but it only makes marginally less terrifying.
#45
Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...
Last post by Josquius - October 08, 2025, 04:27:44 PMQuote from: HVC on October 08, 2025, 04:13:10 PMQuote from: Josquius on October 08, 2025, 03:53:11 PMQuote from: HVC on October 08, 2025, 03:45:07 PMI dont know, playing with the devil is how we got here. You're just more comfortable with your own devil then the right devil.So don't play with the devil maybe?
This false dichotomy is the oldest trick in the book for the far right.
You just said you'd vote for him even though you dont agree with his motality because his party only has 10% of the vote. That's the definition of playing with the devil in politics
... Wut?
I never said I'd vote for him at all.
I said it's wrong to think he's a problem on a level with the fascists with the small chunk of the vote he gets a part of that.
#46
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by DGuller - October 08, 2025, 04:24:39 PMQuote from: The Brain on October 08, 2025, 09:53:34 AMCan't the government house the hopeless cases?Yeah, probably, but I would argue that the convergence of exclusion criteria by landlords is a case of boycott, even if unwitting. Boycott, coercion, or intimidation are generally illegal, precisely because they are impeding the functioning of free markets. The government should ideally be regulating away boycotts rather than cleaning up the mess because of it.
#47
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Sheilbh - October 08, 2025, 04:20:19 PMI am very jealous of jobs that involve big boards - especially if analogue 
#48
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Savonarola - October 08, 2025, 04:16:57 PMQuote from: Sheilbh on October 08, 2025, 04:10:26 PMQuoteBack when I worked in cellular there were trigger events which would result in everyone using their phone at once. Stadiums are a good example, everyone had to text after a spectacular play. This would overwhelm the network and we would always over-dimension the network in known problem areas. I was reminded of that when I saw this very British technological record in the IEEE Spectrum:A partner at the law firm I used to work with got to visit the National Grid Control Room, which I was very jealous of:
They have stories of things like the royal wedding and the 2003 Rugby World Cup final (in Australia, so in the morning here) and needing to make sure they've got supply on stream for those surges
That's cool, we have the big board in rail too. Here's the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) one:
#49
Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...
Last post by HVC - October 08, 2025, 04:13:10 PMQuote from: Josquius on October 08, 2025, 03:53:11 PMQuote from: HVC on October 08, 2025, 03:45:07 PMI dont know, playing with the devil is how we got here. You're just more comfortable with your own devil then the right devil.So don't play with the devil maybe?
This false dichotomy is the oldest trick in the book for the far right.
You just said you'd vote for him even though you dont agree with his motality because his party only has 10% of the vote. That's the definition of playing with the devil in politics
#50
Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread
Last post by Savonarola - October 08, 2025, 04:12:38 PMDaughters of Darkness (1976)
Vampires can't have tan lines.
This film has absolutely no credibility.
Lesbian vampires run amok in Belgium! Countess Elizabeth Báthory and her "Personal secretary" (
) arrive at a hotel where a very 70s newlywed couple is staying. Countess Báthory seems friendly, but the hotel clerk remembers her staying at the same hotel 40 years ago and looking the same as she does today and there are a number of young women found murdered in nearby Bruges all of them completely drained of blood. Could these facts be related? Could this Countess Báthory in fact be the same as the bathed in the blood of virgins? and could she be leading the newlywed wife into a depraved world of lesbian blood-drinking?
This is a little better than most 70s Euro-sexploitation vampire films (not a real high recommendation, I realize.) For one thing the cast all speaks English rather than being dubbed. For another the film works the psychological angle more plausibly than most.
Vampires can't have tan lines.
This film has absolutely no credibility. Lesbian vampires run amok in Belgium! Countess Elizabeth Báthory and her "Personal secretary" (
) arrive at a hotel where a very 70s newlywed couple is staying. Countess Báthory seems friendly, but the hotel clerk remembers her staying at the same hotel 40 years ago and looking the same as she does today and there are a number of young women found murdered in nearby Bruges all of them completely drained of blood. Could these facts be related? Could this Countess Báthory in fact be the same as the bathed in the blood of virgins? and could she be leading the newlywed wife into a depraved world of lesbian blood-drinking?This is a little better than most 70s Euro-sexploitation vampire films (not a real high recommendation, I realize.) For one thing the cast all speaks English rather than being dubbed. For another the film works the psychological angle more plausibly than most.