I don't know, Jack. There's enough bad puns and word plays here to set comedy back 500 years. The Brits have done a lot of damage with this type of humor, and I say it's time to stop the madness.

Maybe the Economist people should look closer at their native England before they put us down and start with telling the Royal Family to shove off.

How come it was wrong for Saddam to have all those palaces, but these pompous slackers go right on with all theirs and nobody complains? It's a Middle Ages freak show.
I like the new girl, Kate, but I have some advice for her: Run. Look what they did to Diana.
Monarchies - even symbolic ones - are over and it's just a matter of leaving the concept in the dustpan of history.
Hosni should have said, "I get it now. 30-year-rulers are over. Dictators are over. Kings and Queens are over."
Instead he made The. Worst. Speech. Ever.
It's all about progress. Egypt doesn't need the Muslim Brotherhood. They need the Muslim Sisterhood.
Oh, and England needs to put Ricky Gervais in charge and kick these pompous nitwits out.

It's all pretty depressing. But at least there was a Thomas Pynchon reference for ironic flair.

With all due respect Mr. Bill McDonald,

Have you ever read The Economist? And did you indeed read both articles related to that cover in that issue? I can tell you do not and have not. They are as tough on jolly ol' England as they are on the US and are the only truly impartial newspaper left.

Frankly I thought the map was brilliant. Truth hurts I guess.

I thought this reader response the Economist published on its Letters page the following week (Feb 5) was a clever rejoinder:

SIR – Right back at you across the pond: Sprain, Bad Reportugal, Inkland, Direland, Not-so-Niceland, Greece Trap, Francid, Itally, Wild Turkey, Check Republic, Repoland, Slowvakia. You started this.

Veggo Larsen
Palmetto, Florida

StuB,
Regarding my reading "The Economist", you write: "I can tell you do not and have not." Sorry, but that comment alone puts your analytical skills straight in the loo. I've read the magazine for years and, by the way, your opinion that it's "truly impartial" is also ridiculous. It does have good writing though. I like the sentence, "The stage is set for a savage spring."
I just thought the humor on the map sucked but if you think it's brilliant that someone could think of "Ohno" to describe Ohio, that's your right. I just think "North Carloana and South Carloana" sound stupid, especially since car loans aren't necessarily a bad thing. Did you ever see Punch Magazine? I thought the drawing and humor in that was much more likely to be brilliant. I could see a group of 4th-graders coming up with these names on this map. Okay, maybe not the "North and South Debt Quota" one, but seriously, would you really want them to?
Oh, and it's not because the map is imparting some truth that hurts so that I don't appreciate the comedy. The truth does hurt. I know we're in bad shape as a country. I get that.
Maybe that's it. I just don't find our economic condition all that amusing right now.
It is going to be a savage spring.

I'm sorry about my tone. I have to watch my temper when I discuss these economic matters anymore. Oh well. Arsenal beat mighty Barcelona in a shocker so England's had a good day.

Monarchies - even symbolic ones - are over and it's just a matter of leaving the concept in the dustpan of history.

Indeed, it will be interesting to see just how enthusiastic the British public will be for another coronation after Elizabeth is gone.