Nov 1 This week's topics: the International Criminal Court (ICC); democracy, Hong Kong style; World series and Nov 8th; undermining/overturning empires; Malheur and Standing Rock; last thoughts on Election 2016; Halloween, 2016.

The ICC. Gambia, Africa's smallest mainland nation, has joined Burundi and South Africa in beginning the process of leaving the ICC. Gambia's Information Minister accused the Hague-based tribunal of "persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans...while ignoring crimes committed by the West." Though western nations may dispute this claim, objective evidence of ostensible war crimes have not been taken under consideration. " 'There are many Western countries, at least 30, that have committed heinous war crimes against independent sovereign states and their citizens since the creation of the ICC and not a single Western war criminal has been indicted,' [Information Minister] Bojang said."

Hong Kong democracy. Officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous territory on the Pearl River Delta in South China. More than 100,000 pro-Beijing demonstrators gathered outside the Hong Kong parliament to protest against the swearing-in of pro-democracy legislators. The extent of democratic measures and candidates in this enclave has been at issue ever since the former British territory was returned to the mainland's control in 1997.

Baseball and politics. Thomas Boswell, writing in the Washington Post on the world series and November 8th: "Perhaps I am not alone in feeling that America deserves the temporary balm of this particular World Series, one which is preordained by the nature of its protagonists to have a fabulous, satisfying ending, and a loser deserving of praise, just as clearly as we don’t deserve an election that feels like a personal humiliation and a national embarrassment." The entire column is worth reading. 
      Also among the "good news" stories in this World Series, there is the business owner, a long-time Cleveland Indians fan, who gave up his seat on a red-eye Los Angeles to Cleveland flight so that Kenny Lofton, a former Indians star, could get to Cleveland to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in Game 1. A capitalist with a heart.
      Go Cubs!

Undermining an empire. In his latest book, The Price of Posterity, author Todd Buchholtz lays out what empires -- ancient and modern -- do to undermine themselves. Though today's globally connected world is different, the American empire appears to be no exception. We seem to be on Buchholtz's track to follow history's earlier examples. It is uncertain if ancint Rome or 20th century Britain are the more likely models.

Malheur and Standing Rock. Many (most?) readers may not be familiar with the take-over of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in OR by Ammon and Ryan Bundy and their followers; you may, however, have seen recent TV coverage of the demonstrations at Standing Rock, ND, by Native Americans protesting the construction of the pipeline between the ND oil shale fields and southern IL.
     In OR, after a fall-long trial the Bundys were found not guilty. In ND, many Native Americans and their supports were roughly corralled and then arrested for trespass. One significant difference in the authority's reactions may have to do with the fact that in OR, even though the charges were more serioud, the protesters were white; in ND they were mostly Native American.  ¿Quien sabe?

Election 2016. Like hundreds of thousands of my fellow Americans, I will be voting early via a mail-in ballot. Going to the public polls should be, among other things, a joyous occasion, a community celebration of democracy. However, this November my options for president are far from joyful. There are two pathetic major party choices and, here in CO, a myriad of minor, no-chance, third party candidates. The Republican choice is a misogynist, racist, blowhard, who gives new substance to the 1840s Know-Nothing party. The Democratic candidate has a penchant for admitted major screw ups, shady deals, and secrecy that make her more than eligible for a legal middle name change to Milhous.  

Halloween, 2016. It was blessedly clear and mild for the neighborhood goblins. While it is often clear here in Denver, it can be cold and a costume just looses something when it is under a ski parka.

Thank you for reading. Enjoy the week ahead.