Friday update #2: Reaction to Brexit and more

I hope y’all have been paying attention to world news today, because one of the most important events yet this century occurred yesterday, when the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union (Brexit – British Exit). None of the 28 countries in the EU has ever left before. The UK has the fifth biggest economy in the world. The following are particularly notable, especially for us on this side of the Atlantic:

– The British pound is going to drop on world markets, which will affect the US stock market. If a recession is the result, that’s bad for Hillary and good for Trump, since the party in the Oval Office will get blamed, whether or not the blame is correctly placed.

– The UK vote had an air of rejecting the establishment and going in a different direction, even if that new direction involves considerable uncertainty and risk. If that feeling is contagious, it also benefits Trump.

– Limiting immigration was a big issue in the UK vote. That’s another mindset that, if contagious, benefits Trump.

– Scotland, which voted heavily to remain in the EU, may declare its independence from the UK. England and Scotland have been one nation since the Act of Union in 1707, and have had the same monarch since James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I of England in 1603, becoming James I of England. We’re really seeing world history being written right here before our eyes.

Keep an eye on the stock market and on polls the next couple of weeks. I like RealClearPolitics for polls because they take an average of poll numbers (both national and state) rather than relying on one specific poll.

This Brexit vote worries me. Trump has made such a fool of himself in the media that I thought Hillary would win in a landslide (popular vote, at least), but this turn of events could give him new life. Sometime in 4041 a college student will be assigned to write an essay about the causes of the beginning of the Second Dark Ages, and will list Trump’s election in 2016 as one cause, if Trump does indeed go to the White House. (The same student will list global warming as another cause.)

The Grizzlies picked Wade Baldwin last night at number 17 in the NBA draft. He was projected to be a late lottery pick but slipped down a few notches. Geoff Calkins has a summary of the Grizzlies’ draft picks here. I like the pick. We needed a point guard to back Mike Conley, and as Calkins mentioned, Baldwin has the length to also play the 2 alongside Conley at times.

Another projected lottery pick was Deyonta Davis, who tumbled down from a projected number 10 all the way to 31, where the Grizzlies negotiated a trade of picks to get him at that spot. GM Chris Wallace thinks he may develop into the best future shot-blocker in the NBA. Sounds like the Grizzlies did a great job shopping the 2016 draft.

In other Grizzlies news, former Memphis Tigers Shaq Goodwin and D.J. Stephens will play for the Grizzlies’ Summer League team. Shaq is not likely to get a call from an NBA team no matter how well he does, but he might get an invite onto a D-League team where he can slowly work his way up.

The Dean’s List is a list composed by Kevin Dean of Make Memphis, an organization shepherding ideas into action. The list profiles up-and-coming leaders in nonprofit, corporate, government and faith communities. This week the list spotlights Silly Goose owner Daniel Masters. GREAT article; I have known Daniel for 11 years and I found out a lot of things about him I didn’t know by reading this.

Interesting link: The Public Domain Review. This site is dedicated to collecting works whose copyright has expired and which have therefore entered the public domain.

When Harry Met Sally plays tonight at the Halloran Centre in the Orpheum’s summer classic movie series. Showtime is 7 PM. $8 adults, $6 children (keep in mind this movie is rated R). Romantic quizzes and drink specials in the lobby in the hour prior to the movie. This will be the first of the movie series in the Halloran Centre.

The Memphis Zombie Walk leaves Handy Park on Beale tonight at 7:30. Come early if you need help getting zombified.

There will be a party celebrating the interactive light installation at the southeast corner of Union and Main tonight at 8:30.

The Five Spot will have Flash Back Fridays tonight, a singalong with DJ Big Al spinning ’90s pop, rock, and hip-hop.

It’s Princess and Pirate Night tomorrow at the Redbirds. 6:35 first pitch, with New Orleans as the opponent.

Almost the weekend! I plan on hitting South Main Trolley Night this evening. My plans once I get down there are very tentative, using text, Foursquare, and Facebook to figure out what friends are there and if I want to meet up. Probably I will start off by defending my Earnestine & Hazel’s Foursquare mayorship, then out on the street to do a little shopping and listening to live music, then I will wrap it up at my “home away from home on the south side,” Max’s Sports Bar. That’s a hard Friday night plan to beat. Outta here, back tomorrow with more news.