“Libertarians vs. the Sahel” would probably make a great comedy; though you couldn’t, in good conscience, send a camera crew into that sort of security situation.
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This might just be the cutest and least harmful act of colonialism evar.
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Today of all days, you’d think someone would know where his Tawil is.
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Ah yeah, I was looking at the map wrong. Well, the lack of coastal land probably explains why the Valley Bros aren’t into it. There’s not even some beachfront that would look good in a photo mock up for the web.
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Hey, it’s just like Burning Man on the Playa. How hard could it be…?
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I’d recommend asking either the French or the British; but we both know that techbros would never listen to European regulators if it can possibly be avoided.
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As with many badly drawn borders, it starts with the British
From “Puckoon” by the late, great Spike Milligan - on the drawing of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland through the fictional (but hilarious) village of Puckoon:
But back to now. On a show of hands, they accepted his suggestion. In what was meant to be a solemn moment, all hands held the pencil and pulled slowly across the map. All was silent, the room was filled with suspicion. Occasionally a gasp rent the silence as they all strained for the advantage.
‘Steady, someone’s pulling to the benefit of Ulster.’
‘Lies, all lies.’
‘Who gave that jerk?’
‘Ah! I felt that.’
‘Swine!’
Finally the pencil reached its destination. Faces broke into relieved smiles, and a series of rapid unplanned handshakes ensued.
‘His hands feel nice,’ thought Angel.
Some time later:
‘Yes!’ Mr O’Toole jumped to his feet. ‘This boundary affects me, terribly. My pub is all in this side of the border, all except two square feet in the far corner of the public bar.’
‘Is that a hardship?’ asked Father Rudden.
‘Is it? That two square feet is in Ulster, where the price of drinks is thirty per cent cheaper. Now, every night, me pub is empty, save for a crowd of bloody skinflints all huddled in that corner like Scrooges.’
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(ducks, runs)
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The NI/Eire border has become a problem again since brexit, as it runs through farms, houses, and down the middle of roads. If a hard boarder was implemented you’d have to get your passport out just to overtake.
There’s also the town(s) of Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog on the Netherlands/Belgian boarder where the border is practically fractal
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India and Bangladesh used to have a similar problem, including a bit of India inside a bit of Bangladesh that was inside a bit of India that was inside Bangladesh
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There was another good episode of Map Men about that.
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The whole thing faltered fairly quickly, as I dimly recall? There’s a documentary on the subject.
Didn’t watch that myself, but I read about it Ryan North’s charming new book, where he discusses the practical impossibilities of setting up a sovereign nation.
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