Once the British Empire was the mightiest in the world. Uncontested it ruled the waves and dominated, by extension, the land. It exported it's values and built an incredible trading network around the world. Historian argue over what was the cause of its precipitous rise but one idea comes up again and again. That we were an island nation, and were as sea faring nation, and through our ships we grew our network. Of course there are a myriad of other reasons but there seems little doubt that being on an island at that point in history was a huge advantage. However. How-ever, today as the Brexit vote is attempting to erode and degrade our connections with Europe, suddenly it seems being stuck on an island feels like a huge disadvantage. Connections and the network are the new source of prosperity and wealth, and it makes me incredibly sad to write the British are stuck in the past, stuck on an island, stuck in time. Sad times.