May 11, 2002
Rally round the Bar Code, mes braves!
In the "good old days," I wouldn't have laughed at the EUro-weenies, even when they acted very silly, but now it's irrestible! Tee-hee-hee!
Look at this poor excuse of a "design" for the new EU flag, from that cradle of Taste, Artistry and Refinement: Europe.
How fitting that it looks like Universal Bar Code for a confederation that loves to condemn Globalization early and often.
If once-proud nations like France, Italy and Austria allow this dimestore beach towel to become their rallying standard, I will indeed be convinced that Fortress Europe has turned into the world's biggest Starbuck's.
(Inside I weep when I recall the outright love the French have had for over 200 years for the Bleu, blanc, rouge.
I mourned the death of the French franc when it was replaced by the Euro on 1/1/02, now this. Affreux!)
At least the royal blue and gold-starred design they have now is tasteful and "plausible" as a pan-European symbol; it looked like the kind of flag one imagines for a Hollywood movie version of the flag of the United States of Futuristic Europe, like that for the global "Corporation" in the film "Rollerball" (and no, I don't mean the new "Rollerball" but the old, classic one with James Caan and John Haussman!).
Which all goes to prove that old adage once again: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Beep goes the bar code reader! Long live the EU! Would you like paper or plastic?!
