Benchmark: timing 100000000 iterations of .*, ^>...
        .*: 1437 wallclock secs (1432.85 usr +  0.06 sys = 1432.91 CPU) @ 69788.05/s (n=100000000)
        ^>: 645 wallclock secs (645.23 usr +  0.06 sys = 645.29 CPU) @ 154969.08/s (n=100000000)
       Rate   .*   ^>
.*  69788/s   -- -55%
^> 154969/s 122%   --