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00:00 - 12:0012:00 - 00:00

12:30 AM
Ah
So many downvotes on new users' questions today! I thought we were all going to go easier on them :/
 
 
2 hours later…
2:45 AM
@MarkMayo your exemplary bounty has run for 4 days
and netted you a total of 3 up votes
very disappointing performance. I was expecting a higher turnout
 
@JoErNanO, somebody is going to be the last tourist in history to visit Mt McKinley. It won't be me. It won't be Obama or his staff because they are on duty.
I bet it will be a hiker.
 
3:00 AM
@MarkMayo Someone has their panties in a bunch over the new users...
 
3:50 AM
The Daily Telegraph predicts the end of Schengen
Merkel calling for border controls to be returned
@Relaxed if Germany puts up border controls, then what?
 
4:33 AM
 
 
4 hours later…
8:17 AM
@GayotFow People (albeit perhaps not as high or influential as Merkel) have been calling for many things, I doubt she would go through unilaterally
But you can see what France is already doing with Italy
I have not seen it first hand but everything I read suggests there are now effectively semi-systematic controls on trains
And they simply bounce people who might want to seek asylum, outside of any procedure
in the Dublin system, France is supposed to ask Italy first
Meanwhile, I know from a friend working in a charity offering legal support in detention centre than in Italy, charity workers go around encouraging detainees not to lodge an application and to go to France instead
The Dublin system is already dead
What could happen, what does happen in other matters, is that the Commission could start infringement proceedings (they can do that for ex-third pillar matters now) but since nobody has a solution and nobody wants to admit how bad the situation already is, they haven't done a thing
That's the unusual thing about Merkel (or about the short-lived intent of Hungary to stop taking back asylum seekers). You can already do pretty much what you want, establish border checks, bounce people, fail to register them, almost never take them back (I don't have them at hand but the stats are telling).
But if you say so loudly, then someone would have to react
I think it's all part of a German campaign to block any coming request to take more asylum seekers
They have also been circulating a completely ludicrous figure of 800000 new “expected” applications for this year.
The thing is that you must keep the checks ostensibly “random”
In France, they perform checks everyday but I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the police never stays in the same spot more than 6 hours or something.
Then you pick another border checkpoint or another point on the same road or whatever
I just added some bounties but it occurs to me that I chose the wrong strategy
I picked some very good and interesting questions among top-voted unanswered questions
But they are unanswered because they are too damn hard ! So I'll probably have to wait 7 days to start another bounty…
 
8:59 AM
I'd say in reality it's "end of Schengen for brown people"
I've personally travelled many times from Czech Republic to Germany and the German policemen barely gave me a look, while the "non-European" passengers always had their documents checked
hopefully a working solution will be found by the next EU/national parliaments election cycle
this is obviously going to be the number 1 issue
 
9:25 AM
Yes, that's part of it too
 
seems like chinese characters are now again allowed in posts...
 
Regarding the Dublin system, it's also funny to see that Germany announced they would not send people back anymore and tried to present that as some generous decision on their part
But the truth is that there is nowhere where you can send people back
Greece is off-limit, per court decision, and I think Italy too, at least for families.
Italy is not registering entries properly anymore and Hungary takes almost nobody (maybe 500 last year?) so what's left?
 
hello
 
hello
 
9:45 AM
I wouldn't have guessed travle.SE chat room is active
 
When are we going to stop asking this kind of questions? You want to move a gold bar while wearing a bullet proof vest and holding a gun and putting on pyjamas, that's fine! But you want to bring your kid along! Seriously stop. — Nean Der Thal 58 secs ago
 
Well, “we” aren't really asking anything
We are entertaining them, though
 
10:06 AM
I won't entertain them..
in face i will start downvoting! which i only did 3 times before.
he added a tag... seriously..
not only a useless tag, but also in a singular form.. @hippietrail will get a stroke or something!
 
10:25 AM
@Relaxed Thank you for those comments and ideas @Relaxed
It means more than you know
 
@Gigili it's fairly active :)
While that user does appear to be trolling a bit at times, if it was a brand new user asking about taking toy guns on the plane, we'd likely have no problems with it - in an age of fear about guns and replicas, it's a valid question.
@Karlson indeed! so many downvotes, it's sad to see.
 
@MarkMayo did you read his other question?
 
Several of them. He's trolling, I'm not disagreeing with that.
but if a new user asked about toy guns on planes, it'd likely do well. So we shouldn't downvote it just because it's him asking.
 
he is rep farming.. is that the term?
 
I'd say his questions are actually great. I can imagine lots of parents panicking about toy guns at the last moment and turning to Google
 
10:34 AM
yeah, agreed.
 
a good answer could save (or doom) thousands of toys :)
 
putting on pyjamas during a flight is kinda hilarious
unlimited air tickets, I think we've already had
 
it helps in hiding the bullet proof vest..
 
Just saying, the chief has made comments about toy guns
 
traading on a plane...sigh
who is the chief?
 
10:35 AM
the chief inspector
 
inspector?
 
yes, the chief has drilled down on it
 
@GayotFow whats up man?
 
the pyjama question is great as well. though probably only useful for business class seats
 
but what's a chief inspector?
who is he?
 
10:36 AM
@MarkMayo he is THE MAN! just a sec.......
 
that...doesn't help ;)
 
@MarkMayo open this page
@NeanDerThal love you dude!
 
@GayotFow is our thing public now?
 
oh see, without knowing what country you were talking about, what context or domain, 'the chief' meant absolutely nothing.
 
@MarkMayo so if the chief is dealing with it, then it's legit here
@MarkMayo Sorry, you sometimes have to take account of the medication
@NeanDerThal dude, did you learn to fly yet
I saw an absolutely gorgeous plane for sale
 
10:42 AM
mmm, meds
yikes, that reminds me, I've not taken my meds!
 
@GayotFow i barely got time to eat.. work is a pain in the ass..
@MarkMayo do not take them, you will be fine.. be a man! :D
i hate people who keep saying "be a man" to give excuses to their shitty ideas..
 
@MarkMayo I had to double my Naproxen over the weekend
 
they're for my heart, I'll be nearly fine for 2-3 days, then it'll .... not be fine ;)
ouch, sounds painful
 
Makes me very light-headed and feisty
sometimes bellicose
And I'm not aware of it :(
@NeanDerThal dude don't be a pussy
 
technically i can't..
 
10:47 AM
not with that attitude! :)
 
If you see it, remind me ok?
 
When you told that guy on expats to delete his question for wasting people's time, I told you ;)
 
Is everyone forced to begin their sentences with "dude"? Or is it optional?
 
wow, we have 15 active bounties!!!
 
10:48 AM
@MarkMayo That guy has it all wrong, ass-about-face
 
@MarkMayo I feel like bounties don't really help. I think 80% of mine end up in the void :(
 
yep, but that's how people learn when they're wrong
 
he is about to be short 1k gbp for nothing
 
@JonathanReez depends on the question, I've added a lot in the past. Boring ones yeah...doesn't help much, but others that just require a few minutes googling or an email to a company, sometimes it helps
6
Q: Is advance booking required for ferries from China to South Korea

Peter HahndorfWe already have a question about prices of ferries from China to South Korea, my question is can I just show up at the port and buy a ticket for the same-day ferry or do I have to book it in advanced? I usually never know when I arrive somewhere or in this case when I will be ready to leave Chi...

@hippietrail surely you can answer the above?
 
@JonathanReez I think you do fine
@hippietrail, need more terminology questions
 
10:51 AM
Mods can actually remove bounties and give them back to the creators, maybe our generous mods would consider doing this after 7 days if bounties haven't generated answers
@mindcorrosive @ankurbanerjee @Roflcoptrexception if you're bored ;)
 
@MarkMayo I put one for you, but it has performed very poorly.
disappointed
 
give it time :)
 
yeah, 3 votes LOL it ends in 2 days or so
 
you'll know it's trolling on our site when we start seeing questions from this list
 
@MarkMayo you can tell that guy he's lost the bubble
Instead of spanking me :)
 
10:54 AM
Some I'd like to ask, just to see if they'll make the hot list:
Can we pet the lions on an African safari?
What language do they speak in Spain?
Are there icebergs in the Caribbean?
Can I take my cats on the cruiseship?
Can you get me tickets for the Picadilly circus?
actually I've been asked that lion one more often than I care to admit
as well as 'do lions roam the streets in south africa'
one for you @GayotFow :
0
Q: Schengen visa from UK working on Tier2 ICT short term

Vinay Shettyi am indian currently working in UK on Teir2 ICT short term visa. visa is valid till Aug 2016. my wife and daughter will be visiting UK on tourist visa for 2 months . i would like to get schengen visa for same. is it possible for all 3 of us to get schengen visa ??

 
@MarkMayo That's a good question! Don't kill it yet
 
I've not killed it, it's waiting for your answer :)
although someone's voted to close as unclear already
hi from Christchurch, NZ btw, all
 
@GayotFow As far as I can see, the mod tools for 20k+ users are just delete powers for certain posts.
 
@MarkMayo It's clear. It's only unclear for refusals, this is a great question
 
No more no less.
There's no dedicate page or anything.
 
11:01 AM
@JoErNanO what are we supposed to do?
 
Delete questions/answers if needed.
 
@JoErNanO where's the menu for it?
 
-7
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A very good question, so deep... i found oil!
 
@GayotFow There's no menu.
 
ususally below a post, there'll be a delete button
for answers at least
next to 'flag'
for questions, it's usually only 'close' though
 
11:04 AM
@MarkMayo and for question in certain conditions which I never managed to know..
 
yeah, I've not worked out the logic either
 
@JoErNanO @MarkMayo so it makes a 'delete' button visible?
 
Unless it's from here: travel.stackexchange.com/tools
@GayotFow That's what I've been trying to figure out.
What the hell is this spam wave?
 
enough downvotes also trigger delete
eg that question @NeanDerThal linked to has been auto deleted
 
and there is a time window..
not the downvotes, the spam flagging
 
11:07 AM
an up vote??
 
if you spam flag, it will be downvoted..
 
-8
Q: What do you think of China?

user30939One of my friends plans to visit China with the help of a tour operator. . But he never went there and want to know something about China.

Here is a delete button.
@GayotFow Can you see it?
 
@JoErNanO EXCELLENT
 
he saw it and used it
 
@MarkMayo My answer here was converted to comment:
The system doesn't like me.
 
11:09 AM
never seen that before!
 
:D:D
 
@JoErNanO you were high on pizza..
 
16 bounties!
 
That guy yesterday was fishing for a hot take
 
I'm gonna keep the comment there. Just because.
@NeanDerThal Good to see you my man. Sometimes I miss you.
:P
 
11:11 AM
:D
 
@NeanDerThal you are the MAN
 
you the man..
 
@MarkMayo Now, you can thank me.
:D
 
still two chinese questions still there..
 
There goes some rep I ain't never gonna see again.
Damned competitions.
:D
@NeanDerThal Don't be cheap. Spend some rep!
6
Q: Bounty September competition

Mark MayoI propose we use some bounties during September to reduce the number of unanswered questions. So if you want in, post your name in its own answer below. The idea being that you want to have the most bounties in September. To achieve: Post up to 3 bounties at a time (system limit) on unanswer...

 
11:15 AM
:D
 
0
Q: What logic is used to show the [delete] button for questions?

Nean Der ThalSome questions get a [delete] button, some others with the low score as well do not get. What is the logic behind that? does time matters? flags? or votes?

 
Stop messing about on the wrong meta!
 
this question is an SE wide thing, thats the right place..
 
Yeah but you should be on our meta spending some rep.
 
someone downvoted it anyway
 
11:17 AM
wow spam
 
i do.. from time to time..
 
18 bounties!
 
@hippietrail We need your rep too.
 
@NeanDerThal I edited your question to fix a few syntax issues
 
@NeanDerThal This is the right time.
 
11:19 AM
0
Q: Are children's toy guns allowed on a BA airplane?

User One is a water gun and the other one is nerf gun They are not replica guns, I am aware that replica guns are almost illegal in the UK. Our flight is within the UK They are carried by the child himself I am almost sure they are allowed but when I was a child the security at a Moroccan airport ...

comments...sigh
 
I blame you @MarkMayo
 
it happens
18 bounties! Maybe @jpakotal and @Relaxed will add some too, spend a bit of rep
 
@MarkMayo everybody in there is an established user
@NeanDerThal you played right into his hands Monsieur
@JoErNanO you live near the old border control point at Saarbrucken, right?
 
can i add a new tag?
 
no :)
 
11:23 AM
@GayotFow Some 1h driving from it.
@NeanDerThal You should abbreviate it like [cv] for close vote.
 
@MarkMayo how about [tag:not-a-troll-;)]
 
@JoErNanO If Germany pulls out of the Schengen zone, they will have to fix it again
 
wtf: willing-to-fly ... thats a real thing at my work :D
 
Somebody should ban that chinese phuquaire
 
11:28 AM
all china is banned..
 
yeah, hard to do without a mod present
@User 's daily silly question. Watch now as my comment gets deleted for no reason! ... yawn I can't fathom how much weight User puts on chasing after reputation. — insidesin 6 mins ago
 
can i carry a water gun on planes--> too broad
 
@NeanDerThal those sods deleted your question!
 
can i carry water gun on BA --> too personalized..
@GayotFow I did delete it..
it was a duplicate..
 
Disagree. if the chief is dealing with it, it's topical
@NeanDerThal what's the answer?
 
11:32 AM
i didnt read the answer, it is like a 300 pages answer..
204
Q: How does deleting work? What can cause a post to be deleted, and what does that actually mean? What are the criteria for deletion?

jjnguyWhat circumstances can cause a question or answer to be deleted, and what does that actually mean? How can a post be deleted? When can't I delete my own post? Can I see a list of my deleted posts? How can I undelete one of my posts? What does deletion mean for a post? How do votes to delete wo...

 
ok I'm considering a question, but it might be too specific
When travelling by bus between Rasht and Tehran, Iran
at one point they made us close all the curtains on one side of the bus, and were told we were not allowed to look outside for the next few minutes
locals and foreigners alike
I have a GPS snapshot of where it was
but can't work out what we weren't meant to look at
 
NICE QUESTION..
 
on-topic or not? ;)
 
if you choose the right title, i am 100% sure it will be in the sexy hot SE questions list in no time..
 
11:35 AM
yes..
make a good title..
 
yeah something like 'what was this secret military place in Iran?' would get attention
 
something like: why iranian blindfolded the whole bus when were passing some place..
something like that
 
lol, a bit weaselly, we weren't actually blindfolded, but yeah
 
why iranian blindfolded the whole bus when were passing this secret military place in Iran
ok, fair enough
why did they blindfold the bus
;)
 
haha
 
11:36 AM
i am serious.. catchy words-->hotlist..
you can add a pyjama comment or something in the question, for extra hotness...
you speak english better than me i know, but i am an ass, you are not.. so trust me on this ;)
 
"Was this a secret Iranian nuclear base????"
 
or..
"was this a secret mass execution facility"
 
oh soo soo evil
DAMN these spammers
 
post the question already...
 
I'm finding the location
 
11:40 AM
if you lose it, you better hide
 
"What were they trying to hide from us in Iran?"
 
@MarkMayo I already added three
 
What was this secretive location in Iran?
@Relaxed yeah i realised after I typed it ;)
 
But on tough questions, before I realised it would make it more difficult to beat you ;)
 
11:49 AM
@MarkMayo why were we forced not to look at the secretive place in iran..
man, hot title... come on
 
I'm working on it. I"m trying not to make it obvious clickbait ;)
What secretive facility was our bus banned from observing in Iran?
better?
 
drop secretive
drop banned
 
yes better
 
Then it'd read "What facility was our bus from observing in Iran?' and that makes no sense ;)
 
consider 'apparently prohibited'
 
11:52 AM
That's a little too bland, you really want to prevent Mark from making it to the “hot list” !
 
oh I see
 
“What facility was our bus asked not to observe ?”
 
didn't know the object
 
but something like "why did these terrorists blindfold us and forced us to face the floor of the bus while we were passing".. this is a bit better one.. but it is ok..
 
(Not that I have a problem with your earlier proposal)
 
11:53 AM
lol
 
prohibited is mare attractive
or 'forbidden'
 
0
Q: What facility was our bus blocked from observing in northern Iran?

Mark MayoRecently on a bus trip from Rasht, Iran, to Tehran, Iran, the driver's assistant came down the bus aisle, ordering all the curtains closed on one side, and for a few minutes we were forbidden from looking out the window. I can only assume he didn't want a hassle with military or something with p...

I've removed clickbait
 
@MarkMayo +1
 
I know the answer!!!
 
really?
 
11:58 AM
@MarkMayo adding the military tag is wrong IMO, it is like you already know it is military related thing.
 
I'm fairly sure it's military...but I could be wrong
 
if @GayotFow says he knows, it means he really knows.. he will post the answer, and probably post an insider photos..
 
but feel free to remove it, it'll be more activity on the question, I think that makes it hot
 
fair point..
 
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