World is Falling Apart Thread (Locked forever)

[Sload Soap]

I'm ashamed and embarrased by this whole referendum and my countrymen. That's all I can say.

[samsonlonghair]

http://www.theonion.com/graphic/case-an ... g-eu-53147

British voters will decide Thursday whether the U.K. should remain a member of the European Union. Here are the leading arguments for and against the U.K. leaving the E.U.:

FOR

-First step in returning Britain to its pre-1970s glory as an economically languishing failed colonial empire
-In the face of a resurgent Russia and increased threats from ISIS, leaving E.U. would be the best strategy for letting someone else deal with that shit
-Britons could once again refocus their hatred on internal class divisions
-One less goddamn flag everyone has to hang up
-Won’t have to take part in awkward process of denying Bosnia and Herzegovina’s E.U. membership request
-Throughout its history, Britain has always been a valiant defender of the right of smaller territories to separate from larger, oppressive governments
-Pretty airtight way for citizens to mask racism as concern for national autonomy


AGAINST

-Could lead to a chain reaction in which other member states consider leaving and then realize their economy would collapse if they did so
-Abandonment of E.U. would significantly delay transition to single totalitarian world government
-Could possibly make things awkward when bumping into Denmark or Malta at United Nations summits
-The windswept Swiss Alps! The stunning Sagrada Familia! The radiant vineyards of Tuscany!
-Never a good idea to find yourself on Luxembourg’s bad side
-Free trade agreements keep price of imported wiener würstchen low
-Fewer people for David Cameron to order around

[ElkinFencer10]

This is the death of the European Union and the start of the disintegration of the United Kingdom. Scotland will undoubtedly vote to the leave the UK within couple years given that the entire country voted to stay, and I would be surprised if Northern Ireland didn't follow suit shortly thereafter. England and Wales will probably stay together, as they historically have, but we'll probably see Great Britain split into three countries instead of two before too long.

I, too, worry for our friends across the pond. The collapse of British stocks will make things hard for everyone, but the collapse of the pound will be extremely harmful to Britons. Hopefully these are short term collapses and the British economy will rebound, but given that leaving the EU is unprecedented, it's hard to say. Let's also keep in mind that they haven't actually left yet; all they've done is let the people vote. I suspect the real economic fallout is yet to come.

If there's any silver lining to be had - as calloused as this may sound - hopefully the falling value of the pound will make importing PAL games to the United States a bit cheaper. I'd rather their economy have stayed stable, of course, but regarding the effects on our community, that's the least negative one I see.

[prfsnl_gmr]

The collapse of British stocks will make things hard for everyone, but the collapse of the pound will be extremely harmful to Britons.

Not necessarily. People tend to think that a "stong" currency is good and that a "weak" currency is bad, but that is not the case. (Many Asian economies try to keep their currencies as weak as possible.) A "strong" currency makes imports less expensive, but it makes exports more expensive. (That is, a "weak" currency is good for manufacturing.) Likewise, a depreciating currency is good for debtors (and bad for creditors) because it makes the costs of the debts relatively less expensive. (For example, if you owe someone $5 and, suddenly, $5 is worth half of what it was at the time you borrowed it, then you really only owe your creditor $2.50.)

That said, a sudden drop in the price of a country's currency signals that investors have little confidence in the country's economy. Sophisticated investors tend to be right about those things; so, a sudden drop in the value of a country's currency is often a harbinger off a downtown (even if the weak currency itself actually benefits the economy).

If there's any silver lining to be had - as calloused as this may sound - hopefully the falling value of the pound will make importing PAL games to the United States a bit cheaper. I'd rather their economy have stayed stable, of course, but regarding the effects on our community, that's the least negative one I see.

It will! I think it is time for me to order a few games from England!

[ElkinFencer10]

Thanks for clarifying that, Jordan. I don't elaborate well when I'm stressed (this move is stressing me), so thanks for explaining that in more detail than I thought to go into.

When I said that it was bad, I meant that the SUDDEN drop is bad, but, obviously, did not explain that. That's why we keep you smart city slicker types around to clarify what us country folk don't explain well.

[Ack]

This is the death of the European Union and the start of the disintegration of the United Kingdom. Scotland will undoubtedly vote to the leave the UK within couple years given that the entire country voted to stay, and I would be surprised if Northern Ireland didn't follow suit shortly thereafter.

Sinn Fein's leadership is already calling for an Irish reunification poll:

The British government now has no democratic mandate to represent the views of the North in any future negotiations with the European Union and I do believe that there is a democratic imperative for a 'border poll' to be held.

However, Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster has rebuffed the request, though it's worth noting other Irish political parties like Fine Gael, Labour, and Fianna Fáil all wanted the UK to remain. Ireland Prime Minister Enda Kenny is holding emergency cabinet meetings on how to proceed.

Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish parliament is already working on new legislation for a second independence referendum.

[Erik_Twice]

As you might expect, I'm quite devasted with the news.

All I hope is that this doesn't mark the beginning of the end of the European Union. I hope that amongst the dreadful swamp of current politics we get actual leaders that can navigate a difficult situation instead of the moronic, often bigoted wreck we currently have in the form of Le Pen, Merkel and the like.

I hope that the inevitable economic downturn that economist have predicted will be dampened by the City leaving (both voluntarily and not) to Frankfurt or Dublin. There's an European directive legislating that euro trade should take place on Eurozone ground that had not been applied so as to not damage Britain, but that's not a concern now, for better or worse.

The biggest worry is that there's a wave of elections coming soon and many anti-Eu parties are in second or third place (Five Stars in Italy, Front National in France and while not as extreme yes, Unidos Podemos in Spain). If they get elected, it's the end.

DeGaulle was right. I'm sorry.

PD: Spanish Foreign Minister Margallo said today that "The Spanish flag is now closer to flying in Gibraltar" and has proposed co-sovereignity. At this rate, the UK will crumble before the UE does.

[Exhuminator]

This is the death of the European Union and the start of the disintegration of the United Kingdom.

[Sarge]

For Britain, I don't think this is going to affect a whole lot in the long term. We're seeing short-term reactions, which is something the market is really good at, but I believe things are going to stabilize far more quickly than folks think.

Now, what this means for the EU in general, I don't know. The UK was one of the biggest economies in the EU, so them leaving could be harmful to the overall finances of the Union. I suspect the pure economics will settle out pretty quickly, though.

EDIT: Also, remember, markets respond poorly to uncertainty more than anything. And that's definitely what we've got here. As everything shakes out, things will stabilize.

[Ack]

Meanwhile...

The Stonewall Inn is now a national monument.