Sunday 31 May 2015

Superpowers.

America.

Two news reports:

Independent analysts have revealed that the actual number of people killed by police officers is about twice what official figures show. It seems the official figures are compiled from stats supplied by police departments, which raises an obvious suspicion about police departments. The report also shows that the number of deaths among unarmed black men is disproportionately high. No doubt liberals and conservatives will be going for each other’s throats on this one, while a disproportionately high percentage of the population will sit on the fence and nothing will change. At least, that’s how it usually works.

A man in Hawaii saw a swordfish swimming in the sea, so he leapt into the water and speared it. The fish turned around and speared him back, straight through the chest. The man is dead – unsurprisingly since all intelligent people must be aware that swordfish are pretty good at spearing things – but there was no mention of the fish’s condition. That’s a shame, since I would very much like to know that it swam off and continued its life of not bothering anybody.

Russia.

The Russians have banned eighty nine EU politicians, diplomats and military figures from visiting the country. They’ve given no reason so far and EU leaders are said to be ‘furious.’ I can’t see why. When you look at the kind of things the leadership says and does, and the kind of people and regimes it chooses to support, you get the impression that Russia isn’t the sort of place you’d want to visit anyway. Pity the poor Russians who have no choice.

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