We've got a reason to hope for reason in Kashmir, Italy acting like Italy, Republicans being Republicans and Phoenix rising to the occasion in today's Politics Corner.
The date also looks a bit odd because I've decided to adjust back. I've been posting before midnight for everyone east of Pacific Time.
More after the jump.
Let's talk about neighbors. Specifically neighbors that we really, really don't like. That have nuclear weapons. Just like us. There's a patch of land up near the back of our property that our neighbors claim as theirs. They mow half of it and they're doing it all wrong.
That's sort of the story of Kashmir which is claimed by both India and Pakistan. Complicating matters further is that Pakistan ceded a bit of difficult terrain to China which also manages another chunk that falls on the Chinese side of the mountains. Another complication is that India and Pakistan were once united under British rule. The biggest complication is that the border is also the border between Hinduism and Islam. India and Pakistan are both trending fundamentalist these days. They are taking turns raising the stakes and it's a matter of time before those poker chips are replaced by missiles.
BBC News offers an overview along with video and links.
Italy is down one Prime Minister and might lose a government to boot. I'm not sure if this qualifies as news. It's not like they'll try to outdo Belgium which simply did without a government for a while when they couldn't form one.
CNN International has the basics.
We're still finding new ways to be cruel on our own borders. Now we're refusing flu vaccinations for immigrants in custody. The excuse is the "short term" that people are in custody. This displays incredible ignorance of how disease spreads. Unsanitary conditions and lack of care on top of proximity will lead to a health disaster.
Climb The Hill to get the story.
In the wake of Trump wavering on background checks, Republicans have all but killed any meaningful gun control in the Senate. Politico checks the background. And Senator Johnson? I've been listening in Wisconsin too. Wisconsinites want background checks at gun shows just like 90% of everyone else. In the cities where we are more deeply impacted by gun violence that percentage rises to near 100%. That's not to say there aren't responsible gun owners. I'm friends with several and they all want background checks.
There is a city that's doing something about police accountability. Phoenix is set to require police officers to explain why every time they point a gun at someone. That's before any bullets are fired. .
Back to CNN for video and story.
All of this talk of Greenland reminds me that Leif Erickson is one of my neighbors. I have no idea why there is a statue of him in the park across the street. He never made it as far as Milwaukee but there he is:
Political discussion welcome.
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