mmarq

> the value the owner derives from the house is not dependent on the resale value of the house

It often is, instead. Eg the resale value of my flat increased because the area where I live became a better place.

As if the DNT thingy didn’t exist…

We, as humanity, really need to stop equating democracy with direct votes and referenda. There are reasons why some bodies are nominated indirectly and through convoluted procedures. In many countries these processes exist to prevent the rise of fascisms or totalitarianism in general.

The EU, in particular, is a community of relatively different states, where you can’t have just direct elections with proportional representation, otherwise the most populous countries will decide for everybody. This is why there is a zoo of directly elected bodies, bodies nominated by the Parliament, others expressing the will of countries’ governments, and complex voting procedures with qualified majorities and veto powers.

In practice the EU has struggled to make national governments ratify trade treaties because their devolved regions were worried about beef prices. It’s not an unstoppable dictatorial behemoth that decides against the will of the people, if 10 farmers in Wallonia can stop it. They still haven’t convinced Germany that an Italian baker can open a bakery in Bavaria without attending a local mandatory 5 year Meister training.

In one you have the head of government of each member state, in the other the relevant minister depending on what is being discussed.

These are not European bureaucrats, they are the ministers of justice of each member state.

> Upon winning, he would have his name and face be publicly known.

His name is already public, it’s on Wikipedia

> it's because they are bad at reading/writing as a skill and might make e.g. spelling mistakes.

Reading and writing are part of language proficiency. If someone struggles to understand complex written texts, then their command of the language isn't as strong as that of a proficient C1/C2 user, even if they are a native speaker.

> they have to talk about a topic they don't know.

When I took my C1 exam, I had to read and discuss a text about polymers used in aircraft wings. The definition of C1 describes someone who can understand complex texts and use the language in academic and professional contexts. Many native speakers are not even close (eg I know a number of people who were born and raised in Italy who don't understand all the moods and tenses, so I have to simplify my language when speaking with them, as I would with a foreigner).

What you have in mind is “sounding like a local” or “not having a foreign accent” or “knowing most of regional idiomatic expression”.

C2 is better than the language proficiency of the median native speaker.

A C2 speaker is comparable to a highly educated native speaker with a master degree who reads regularly.

EU legislature is an actual corpus of laws. It’s imperfect, but it’s arguably better than having a guy that can block a model or threat companies because they crossed him.

I’m a parent, children should be banned from social media and enforcement should include serious fines for parents who don’t monitor their children.

After the first 2-3 fines, people will magically learn to use parental control and the idiocy of age verification will end.

“Expat” is how white well-off immigrants expect to be addressed to differentiate themselves from other immigrants.

Some effects of Brexit began right after the referendum (eg a business investment flattened since 2016).

2019–2020 are the worst years to start a comparison, because the UK uses a different accounting method to measure the government's contribution to GDP. So, COVID looks much worse in the UK and the recovery looks much better.

Do people pay income tax on capital gains in the US? Why summing this fantasy rate with income tax otherwise?

> Some of these "tourist trap" activities are locals trying to make an honest living doing what they can.

The local working in hospitality is earning minimum wage, the premium you pay goes to the landlord.

Pinocchio was published in 1–2-page instalments in “Giornale per i bambini”, a magazine for children.