@metaphil @fj

like this:

in the beginning of 1963, the town of Elten was Dutch, but on August 1, it became German

Dutch and German traders moved their trucks into Elten with all sorts of cargo in late July that was usually subject to import tax (butter, coffee, etc)

so when the borders shifted Aug 1, there was no import tax, because the goods hadn't moved

the event became known as "Eltener Butternacht": Butter Night

it was so huge they had to do road repairs

https://duitslandinstituut.nl/artikel/539/eltener-butternacht-maakte-exporteurs-rijk

@benroyce @metaphil @fj

and that is exactly *why* the EU exists (and why it was a daft idea for folk in the UK to vote to leave it and now we are all in a mess because of that decision)

@vfrmedia @metaphil @fj

The US and the UK are alike in suffering vast consequences for this far right upwelling of stupidity. We both have a lot of fixing to do. I'm pretty sure the UK will slowly rejoin the EU piecemeal

Like this:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/17/uk/britain-erasmus-european-union-student-intl

All the ignorance and lies but what makes sense still and always will make sense and never goes away. Time and clearer minds will do their thing

@benroyce

If the UK held a second referendum on rejoining the EU tomorrow then 'Rejoin' would win, but the same dark forces that campaigned for Brexit in the initial referendum haven't gone away and their reasons for leaving the EU haven't changed.

@vfrmedia @metaphil @fj

@ReggieHere @vfrmedia @metaphil @fj

"the same dark forces that campaigned for Brexit in the initial referendum haven't gone away"

and how do we fix it?

this plutocrat-bigot political axis

i'm not asking like i know the answer. it's a huge problem

@benroyce @ReggieHere @vfrmedia @metaphil @fj

Me neither but this map of it has stayed with me https://mastodon.social/@urlyman/114437610906205685