Friday, June 24, 2016

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye...

  • Brexit prevailed, despite indications (which I previously relayed) that the UK would remain in the EU.
  • The 'one-worlders' have got to be a little miffed today.
  • When Scotland was considering leaving the UK, I [loosely] followed that for a few weeks prior, but the Brexit vote kind of snuck up on me.  Interestingly, Scotland may have another go at leaving the UK, in favor of joining the EU.
  • Some of the reporting from EU officials suggests to me that they're a bit petulant, and want to punish Britain - maybe also warn other members who might be considering leaving the union.  Clearly, there's no Abraham Lincoln providing leadership to the organization, although the member states have taken in quite a few Ibrahims in recent years.
  • Gloom and doom predictors [correctly] predicted large drops in the stock markets if Brexit passed, but whether this is structural or transient will be figured out in due course.  I expect that it's transient - markets get skittish in times of uncertainty, but settle as the air begins to clear.
  • And, inevitably, there were and are comparisons to the U.S., including the ever-popular Texas Secede movement, now dubbed Texit in the wake of the recent Brit experience.  This kind of talk has been around for as long as I can remember - at least back into the mid '70s when [single cab] pickups sporting a model 94 in the rear window also bearing a 'Texas Secede' sticker were common sights.
  • I've tended to view the notion of Texas singularly separating from the U.S. as more amusing than serious.  What would be serious, as well as entirely viable, would be if Texas with its easterly Gulf Coast neighbors, plus a swath of the heartland, midwest and Rocky Mountain states, including western Canadian provinces similarly disaffected with Ottawa, and Alaska, cobbled together an independent coalition or nation.  Such an assemblage would be entirely self-supporting, with northwest and southeast ports, energy, agriculture, timber, minerals and other resources, good labor forces, financial centers, and few of the drawbacks associated with the decaying socio-political structures and cultures of the Northeast and the contiguous Pacific states.  Almost the reverse of the economic power disparity that existed in the 1860s between North and South during the Civil War.
  • California could maybe supply energy to WA and OR derived from its Santa Barbara channel petroleum reserves, as well as thermal energy in the form of hot air from its congressional delegation.  At least until the Big One shears it into the Pacific at the San Andreas fault.
  • I don't have any opinions yet on how this might affect Decision 2016.
  • Interesting times, indeed.
  • Duh!
  • If the Central States of America ever become reality, I propose a route for homesick Chicagoans and New Yorkers to drive to LA and San Fran: The William J. Le Petomane Tollway. Just think of all the dimes in revenue to be collected.
  • In researching for the preceding bullet point, I learned the origin of the name which I did not know, as well as that Johnny Carson had turned down the role of Hedley Lamarr prior to Harvey Korman's accepting it.

1 comment:

el chupacabra said...

It is rare I can visualise a replacement for an iconic character especially one we don't view as an actor first but yeah- I get it; Johnny could have handled that role.