Secrets of the City

Minnesota’s latest attempt to out weird Wisconsin makes the NY Times after a Crookston plow operator drives his snow plow into the river

I’m looking forward to the peacebuilding efforts, health care and better schools, but I’ll miss the innovation, economic and military might, and being a citizen of a country that sets the global agenda.

“…but a sweet soothing hymn like the national anthem of Canada.”

And we’ll munch our milquetoast and sort of dissolve into a wintry anonymity.

While I worry about the coming war, since Texas would destroy us by themselves, I am intrigued about seeing the Vikings’ offense really flourish with the large fields that are the hallmark of the CFL.

Interesting times ahead!

hopefully Minnesotans would leartn to properly pronounce Labatts. It’s pronounced “Luh-bats” not “Luh-bots”

Reminds me of a bet I just made with someone who said that within the next couple years, Belgium would split into two countries. Not bloody likely. I gave him until 2015, and I fully expect to win that Euro from him then.

Anyone want to lay bets on this Russian guy’s speculation? Bets limited to $1.

I should mention I like Canada. If they want to influence me, I’m down with that.

But I’m not down with acquiring a Canadian accent!!!

Molson Canadian tastes better to me. I buy a 6-pack every once in awhile. There are lots of good Canadian beers.

Is that one American dollar, Jane, or one new-fangled Candamerican dollar?

There’s really nothing NOT to like about Canada.

I always thought it was Minnesota that was influencing Canada.

I thought you pronounced it LaBlatz.

Texas conquering Minnesota? I see the siege of Leningrad in Texas’s future.

I can’t wait for the Metric system. Wait how many centiliters of Gin are in an ounce?

Key graf from the WSJ piece:

Mr. Pozner and other Russian commentators and experts on the U.S. dismiss Mr. Panarin’s predictions. “Crazy ideas are not usually discussed by serious people,” says Sergei Rogov, director of the government-run Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies, who thinks Mr. Panarin’s theories don’t hold water.

Needless to say, I am in full agreement with Sergei Rogov.

I, for one, welcome our new Canadian Overlords, all under the thrall of the new White Witch of the North.

Needless to say, I am in full agreement with Sergei Rogov.

Commie.

I had a text in the early 1990s that predicted things the other way around–that the US would annex all of Canada except Quebec by 2025. That seems less likely now than it did then, but still more likely than the disintegration of the US.

Panarin says the disintegration will occur as cash-strapped states withhold federal tax money. Anybody see T-Paw doing that to deal with our own budget crisis, as well as to stick his thumb in Obama’s eye in advance of 2012? We’ve talked before about how we’re more of a “donor” state than a “receiver” in the federal tax system…

I could think of worse countries to be a part of. I welcome our future Canadian overlords!

Dammit, bob beat me to it.

Heh!

There was a book published ca. 1982 about this very thing: the dissolution of the United States into six or seven regional republics. Wish I could remember the title. [Feverishly searching Google.]

The Midwest (Ohio, Indiana, etc.) were called the Rust Belt, filled with depleted manufacturers and not much fun.

And leave behind this nuthouse? For what?

The guy’s map shows a pretty poor understanding of the US cultural divides. Especially considering that his precipitating event is the blue states withholding funds from the Feds because they’re sick of the Red states sucking at their teats.

Idaho and Utah throwing in with China? If Obama is too lefty for them, no way are they going to go with China (or Canada for that matter).

Tennessee, Kentucky and the Carolinas throwing in with New York? Would NY even accept them?

It’s amazing how well Europeans treat you when you tell them you’re from Canada…it would be nice to finally not have to lie…

How would the states “withhold funds” from the feds? The states don’t collect the money for them, and revenue sharing goes from the Feds to the states.

I suppose they could try to pass a state law prohibiting businesses that operate within the state from collecting or transferring withholdings to the Federal government, but I don’t see that working very well with interstate businesses.

Alie: So you’ve lied about your national origin overseas?

Many Brits don’t care for Canadians.

Yeah, my mom and I lied once about it in France to a snotty shop keeper in LeBeaux. We said we were from Alberta, which is practically Minnesota anyway.

I have nothing to say.

Why? It’s not like we hurt anyone…sheesh…

It’s not like he was going to spit at you or anything.

When I lived in Nicaragua people constantly thought I was German. I never corrected them unless they tried to speak to me in German, which I barely understood. The biggest plus was that I always got a side of mayo with my fries at my favorite burger place.

I think they thought I was German because a) not many Americans there b) all the Americans were either Mormons, Peace Corps or Diplomats, I was clearly none of those and c) I’m part German.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amero

No, they weren’t going to spit on us, but she was pretty snotty and my mom wanted to ask her some questions about a piece of artwork she wanted to buy. It was the only way she could get service.

Besides, since they’re known for being so nice and all, I’m sure the Canadians wouldn’t mind it.

Oh, and that was the only time we needed to do that. On the whole, the people in Provence were lovely to us and the rest of our unruly American group.

“I’m sure the Canadians wouldn’t mind it.”

I’ve probably heard Americans badmouthed in Canada more than any other place I’ve traveled.

maybe now Rush can get into the Rocknroll Hall of Fame.

I, for one, will be glad to have them here in Canada. It’s silly they aren’t already Canadian. In Toronto, I am south of Minnesota & Wisconsin, which makes my already geographically challenged head spin. Come on in folks and welcome. We are already familiar with being a backwater. That is something the U.S. will have to learn how to do, and I’m sure it will be kicking and screaming all the way. So for those other folks who might miss the craziness of being a world power. Don’t worry. That ain’t gonna last.

The Camerida Olympic ice hockey team is going to be awesome.

This doesn’t bode well for the I-35 Evangelical Superhighway.

OTOH, we’re pretty much Canadians already…but with guns.

If nothing else, hopefully this would mean the Twin Cities cable systems would include CBC…it was my favorite TV station growing up on the Iron Range.

Also, hope the Russkies have a nice chilly gulag for that Palin idiot.

“we’re pretty much Canadians already…but with guns.”

And testicles.

Little Joke. That’s all.

I guess this means I will be able to take home more fish and get decent cigars on the trip up north!!

Also, hope the Russkies have a nice chilly gulag for that Palin idiot.

They named the baby Tripp.  I don’t think they are aware that that is a nickname for someone that is the third (III) with the same name.

Oh and the Canadians have plenty of guns they just tend to not shoot each other so often with them.

Then what the hell are the guns for?

Holy cow. Finally found the title of that book:

Nine Nations of North America, by Joel Garreau (1981)

ISBN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Nations_of_North_America

From the author’s Web site:

http://www.garreau.com/main.cfm?action=book&id=3

I was wrong about the “Rust Belt;” ’twas called “The Foundry” in the book.

ISBN: 0380578859

For the time being, no need to lie about being from the US; Europeans are thrilled Obama was elected. That was the only political conversation I had in two full weeks there: how great it is he was elected. Oh, and how much W sucked (past tense–heh).

I estimate 30 different people expressed this. Small sampling, but still.

Even the young guys who I later found out were Nazis (for real) said they didn’t like Bush. Realized later they didn’t specifically say they liked Obama.

Looking forward to better access to BC bud!!!!!

p.s. if this split does happen, I call dibs on Obama being our leader. Canada won’t mind, right Lilian Nattel?

“Europeans are thrilled Obama was elected.”

Yeah, they seem to be.

@Rat – didn’t you predict that McCain would win Europe?

Investor’s Business Daily did that.

I’ve been corresponding recently with a high school classmate who has lived in Greece for almost 20 years. She’s Chilean but mingles about the ex-pat crowd. Her observation, after the election, was that the Greeks were thrilled that Obama was elected but more telling for her were the opinions of the American ex-pats she knows. Several, who moved themselves overseas many years ago for a variety of reasons, were seriously considering moving BACK to the US because of Obama’s election.

Re: Garreau’s book. It’s not so much a work of fiction or speculation as it was an exploration of what differences did, and still do, actually exist between the various North American enclaves. It’s very nostalgic now — and still fascinating — to read his chapter about the Breadbasket:

http://www.garreau.com/main.cfm?action=chapters&id=46

A sample: “There are few natural reasons for Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its only God-given advantage to speak of is that it is as far north on the Mississippi as navigation is practical, although that’s true only during the months when the river isn’t frozen solid, which are not many …”

“If the 550 U.S. corporations with sales in excess of $1 billion were distributed among states according to population, Minnesota would have one. Instead, it in fact has twenty-four. They are epitomized by such highly sought-after organizations as 3M, Honeywell, and Investors Diversified Services (IDS).

“More theater and concert tickets are sold in Minneapolis-St. Paul than anywhere other than New York City. Beyond that statistic, the place is loaded with real, live, ordinary people who animatedly, and with fresh memories, discuss the last play they went to.”

Wait a minute? Am I just dumb or don’t parts of the Mississippi river stay as open water?

Nood, three different people told me they are now interested in traveling to the US. They are all non-US folks who’ve traveled a fair amount (one very extensively) who’ve never been here.

Alie, I think the river freezes too much for river traffic, but does not freeze solid. Maybe DouglasG can tell us, or someone else who works/lives right by the river. Including any hoboes who might be reading this.

So, Jane: With Obama as president what do expect that’s different?

Sorry: What do they expect TO SEE that’s different.

Drive along Shepard Road/Warner Road in St. Paul when the temperature has been at or below zero for a couple of days and you will witness a completely frozen Mississippi River.

@jane: It’s unconscionable the amount of political damage the Bush II administration did the past 7 years to American esteem abroad. Not that we’ve ever really been angels but think of what many of us thought the USSR (”the Evil Empire”) was all about during the Cold War … and we’d be in the running against them for the “world’s bad guy” gold medal.

You are honestly comparing the United States of today to Soviet Russia?

Beats me what they expect to see. We didn’t get into specifics, they just said they were glad about it.

Rat, are you by chance banging your shoe on a table as you ask that?

Whazzat mean?

Sorry, it was an attempt at a reference to Kruschev banging his shoe all angrily. Just to pull together the Soviet references and to tease you a little.

@Rat: I’m am comparing world opinion of the US during the Bush II years with the prevailing opinion we had of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

FWIW, there have been semi-serious discussions over the past 20 years to create “Cascadia” out of southern B.C., WA, OR, northern ID. There is substantial commonality in imports, exports, commodities, govt-financed hydropower and natural resources. From personal experience, Washingtonians love BC’ers and vice versa, and certainly more than Oregonians (esp. in college FB). We also could share in the bounty of Asian immigrants thronging BC — provided they can prove a net worth of $1M. (Hey, maybe that’d be a way to restrict Hispanic immigrants with “soft power.” Any takers?

I eagerly await the return of the Canadian Wheat Lords. ‘nuf said.