The Off Topic Topic

[Sheilbh]

Oh I don't think she's widely known. I heard about her from the Bad Gays podcast.

And listening to that you're very aware that the current trend for gay folk on the nutty right is absolutely nothing new.

[HVC]

70s are back. VW has a new van, but electric this time around.


*edit* nvm, late to the party. Came out like a year ago

[Tonitrus]

70s are back. VW has a new van, but electric this time around.


*edit* nvm, late to the party. Came out like a year ago

Kinda wish it wouldn't be insane to ship over the Euro-version (it's a bit smaller than the super-sized US-spec variant)...I'd like to get one for my mom.

[Syt]

From ORF, using Chrome translation:

https://wien.orf.at/stories/3267359/

Police appeal against "Last Generation" finding

The police and "Last Generation" are arguing in court about the manner in which dozens of activists were detained in the police detention center (PAZ) last February. Now there is a ruling against which the police are appealing.

A total of 41 activists were taken to the Rossauer Lände police detention center to have their identities verified after a demonstration for a fundamental right to climate protection in front of parliament. There they were locked up for two hours, separated by gender, in two cells designed for six people each. The "Last Generation" filed a lawsuit. The Vienna Administrative Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and found last week that the detention was unlawful.

According to the verdict, the prison conditions did not meet the minimum requirements for respecting human dignity. The women had an area of 1.23 square meters each, with the space in the cell being "significantly restricted" by three bunk beds, three closets, three benches and a table. The women sometimes had to eat their food standing up or sitting on the floor. "The air was stuffy and the noise was unpleasant," the verdict states.

Police shown "clear boundaries"

The lawyer for the "Last Generation" described it as particularly disturbing in a press release that the State Police Directorate was of the opinion "that recognized minimum standards for detention do not apply. The Vienna Administrative Court has shown the Vienna Police a clear limit here." This must be observed in future detentions and will hopefully prevent similar situations. The decision will set a precedent for other affected parties.

Vienna State Police Directorate appeals the ruling

"The Vienna State Police Directorate will appeal against the decision of the administrative court," the Vienna Police Press Office said in response to an APA inquiry. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) subsequently confirmed this: "I cannot understand this decision of the State Administrative Court." He had instructed the Vienna State Police Directorate to take the necessary steps to challenge this decision.

The Vienna State Police Directorate can lodge an appeal against the decision with the Constitutional Court (VfGH) or an extraordinary appeal with the Administrative Court (VwGH). This appeal must be lodged within six weeks of the decision being served.

(The German phrase from the Interior Minister is a bit harsher in tone than the translation above. DeepL suggests "I have no sympathy for this decision by the regional administrative court." which IMHO better catches the connotation of the phrase "kann ich kein Verständnis aufbringen", literally, "fail to muster any understanding".)

What sayeth the Languish wise? On the one hand side, this is fairly cramped for 22 people for over two hours (esp. considering that space was also taken by furniture etc.) in a room designed for max. 6, but it was "only" for two hours. 

[HVC]

They want to give up the wonders of modern society for the environmental good*, but can't be uncomfortable for 2 hours?

Think about how much energy was saved by making efficient use of space.


*I assume based on other environmental protest groups I'm more familiar with.

[crazy canuck]

I need more information.  Is there a report which describes why the court found those temporary conditions were unlawful?

[Josquius]

2 hours is more than enough time to suffocate.

[crazy canuck]

Suffocation did not seem to be a risk, rather it was uncomfortable to be in a confined space for two hours.

I would be interested in learning the courts reasoning for why the detention was unlawful.

[Josquius]

Swiss Netflix. I'm reminded how much it sucks.
With the boy seeing what is available "oh look they have maya the bee. Let's play..."
It's only in German
So often they've shows only in German or French. Not both. Not the original language very often too.

[HVC]

2 hours is more than enough time to suffocate.

1.23 sm isn't exactly cattle car crowded. Hell, that more space then you get in the standing section of a concert, and people pay good money for that experience

[HVC]

Swiss Netflix. I'm reminded how much it sucks.
With the boy seeing what is available "oh look they have maya the bee. Let's play..."
It's only in German
So often they've shows only in German or French. Not both. Not the original language very often too.

They limit the available languages? That's so odd. Here in canuck land we get so many dub and closed captioning options. Is this part of some weird language law thing? I don't imagine each has its own copywrite they have to pay for given my experience with the options here.

[Syt]

Swiss Netflix. I'm reminded how much it sucks.
With the boy seeing what is available "oh look they have maya the bee. Let's play..."
It's only in German
So often they've shows only in German or French. Not both. Not the original language very often too.

I find that's rarely the case any more in Austria. Animated shows, maybe, but everything else is going to be native language.

[Syt]

They limit the available languages? That's so odd. Here in canuck land we get so many dub and closed captioning options. Is this part of some weird language law thing? I don't imagine each has its own copywrite they have to pay for given my experience with the options here.

Considering how splintered the media market in Europe still is, with different distributors per country, it might also be a distribution rights thing.

[Grey Fox]

Swiss Netflix. I'm reminded how much it sucks.
With the boy seeing what is available "oh look they have maya the bee. Let's play..."
It's only in German
So often they've shows only in German or French. Not both. Not the original language very often too.

They limit the available languages? That's so odd. Here in canuck land we get so many dub and closed captioning options. Is this part of some weird language law thing? I don't imagine each has its own copywrite they have to pay for given my experience with the options here.

There's tons of shows and movies where Netflix has many languages but french because those rights are somewhere else. Quebecor or BCE are the main rights kidnappers.

[Josquius]

We've all heard of and mocked people naming their kid Khaleesi.
Here's a new angle on it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ng1xd06xwo

A woman was left "devastated" after her daughter's passport application was rejected because she was named after a Game of Thrones character.
Lucy, 39, from Swindon in Wiltshire, said the Passport Office initially refused the application for Khaleesi, six.
Officials said they were unable to issue a passport unless Warner Brothers gave permission because it owned the name's trademark. But the authority has since apologised for the error.
"I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together," Lucy said.
Family handout Mum smiling with sparkling black and white top, cuddling her son with purple hate, who is also smiling.Family handout
Lucy named her daughter Khaleesi after a Game of Thrones character
After planning and saving up for a 'dream' trip to Disneyland Paris, Lucy, who works in Cirencester, applied for a passport for Khaleesi.
"But then I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers," she said.
"It was the first I've heard of such a thing - I was astonished."
After seeking legal advice, her solicitors discovered that while there is a trademark for Game of Thrones, it is for goods and services - but not for a person's name.
"That information was sent to the Passport Office who said I would need a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm my daughter is able to use that name," she said.
'A misunderstanding'
"I didn't understand and felt frustrated. If she could get a birth certificate, would something not have been flagged up then?
"I never thought you could trademark a name," she added.
The Passport Office has since called Lucy to apologise and said a 'mistake' had been made.
Official explained there had been a misunderstanding and the guidance staff had originally given applies only to people changing their names.
"He advised me that they should be able to process my daughter's passport now, " she said.
But Lucy believes it has only been resolved because of media coverage.
"If I hadn't posted this on social media, nothing would have been done.
"I would have been stuck, not knowing what to do.
"People contacted me about similar experiences," she said.
Family handout A smiling woman is holding her daughter up to the camera Family handout
Lucy and Khaleesi are still waiting for the passport to arrive
In the meantime, both she and Khaleesi are still hoping they can make it to Disneyland Paris in the near future. Lucy has waited to book the holiday until all the passports have arrived.
"I am hoping the passport will be issued soon and was promised that they would call back in a few days to see if it had progressed," she added.
Lucy is also hoping her story might help others.
"I think there might be other people in this situation, that they may have had their passports declined recently because of something like this.
"Hopefully, they now know it can be resolved," she said.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We can confirm the application is being processed and apologise to the family for the delay."

We really are becoming America