Futile EU gestures will have to end some day

THE never-ending comedy that is Europe’s sovereign debt crisis has reached its Otter moment.

That’s when the world realises the fundamental principle guiding every important government decision is this: “I think this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.”

The quote comes from the 1978 movie Animal House. After the dean of the fictitious college tells the Delta House boys he’s expelling them all, the fraternity’s smooth-talking Eric “Otter” Stratton delivers those famed words of inspiration to his downtrodden brethren.