In the news

Given the time taken for this review to be conducted,
someone should suggest Raab has his ministerial pay for the last 180 days docked.

A worthy way to occupy early retirement for the Gen Xer..

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/21/uk-university-launches-postgraduate-course-in-clinical-use-of-psychedelics-exeter

Marvelous news. Genuinely unpleasant and deluded self-regarding puffed up prick of a man. Everything wrong with politics distilled into a cunt.

... and if Labour had stood down their candidate in the last election (Labour have no chance in that constituency), he might have lost his seat.

I liked that Raab says the bits in the report that he likes are incredibly accurate and the bits he doesn't are malicious and bad.

Is it only me that reads his comments about not throwing things as a petulant ‘but Priti kept her job’ thing?

Did any minister resign under Johnson?

(Excluding the end days of course)

That guy's avatar seems a bit suss:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Wolves_(organization)

Yeah, an English white supremacist who lives in Turkey.

Possibly the most stereotypically Liverpool story you’ll ever see:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/21/chanel-parrot-owner-cannabis-importing-charges?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

The French up to French shit:

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/apr/21/miller-high-life-champagne-problems

I was hoping for a story around the parrot being in on the operation somehow.

Also:

Police said it followed a joint operation

Nice

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Using a trademarked name (that you don't have the rights to) in your advertising seems like a pretty daft move from a legal point of view.

Miller has used that slogan since the 70s that I can remember. They're wrong that it is the champagne of beers, but it's not a new campaign.

We need to call @Vince for the defence.

Would be interesting to see what's caused the decision now (newly being sold in Europe/Belgium perhaps?). Of course I'm sure trademark/copyright laws are pretty complex, but it still seems like a pretty clear case IMO (I, not being a lawyer)

It's not trademark or copyright, though, is it?

The usual boeuf is down to it being appellation d'origine contrôlée - you can't call fiizzy wine Champagne, unless it's from & made in the Champagne region, to specific standards.

Or from a country / area that don't give a fuck, and is not governed by various trade agreements / other treaties - like parts of the US.

According to the article it isn't usually sold in Europe for this reason (and possibly because it is shit). This was a special one-off shipment.

We need to call @Vince for the defence.

Lasseaux is the 'Rolls Royce' of Champagne.

This happens very frequently - it's a constant battle to protect the name.

I guess if Americans exported Cumberland sausages & mature Cheddar here, the food would meet a similar fate!

Champagne, as you know full well, is an English invention ;)

http://www.englishwine.com/knight_invented_champagne.htm#:~:text=The%20Knight%20Who%20Invented%20Champagne%20is%20the%20story%20of%20how,the%20so%2Dcalled%20verre%20Anglais.

Fired by AI? Just Eat UK couriers ‘deactivated for minor overpayments’
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/22/fired-by-ai-just-eat-uk-couriers-deactivated-for-minor-overpayments

So instead of improving productivity, is rapidly improving AI just going to get better at flagging productivity issues and be a stick to beat you with?

No idea on the trademark/copyright/protected name front. But considering the usual restrictions on alcoholic drinks being called champagne, it doesn't seem surprising that an alcoholic drink that doesn't meet the requirements is facing issues using the name.

also 2000 bottles, followed up by a carefully worded press release - smells like a PR stunt

I mean I'm sure the fact that it's fucking Miller of all things is enough of an insult to come down on them like a ton of bricks.

Then again I'm sure more relevant breweries like Cantillon wouldn't feel the need to try to market themselves that way.

The article says it's not sold in the EU but a resident imported it privately and it was seized.

I assume it can't be sold in the EU as the EU recognises "Champagne" as a protected name/status.