Something other than US politics

CNN International/BBC Keep us well informed!

While river cruising we are able to watch CNN and BBC.  We're very interested in today's vote (June 23) in Britain with respect to their stay/leave the European Union.  Analysis is all engaging and broadens our understanding. Holy Cow, the Brits voted to leave the EU! We cannot believe this....

We're watching our own House of Representatives behave (mis-behave?) while "discussing" gun control.

We see sports and so the football/soccer tournament is fascinating, especially the hair-do's!

How we get opinions about each country:

Each of our staff on board our ship is from a different region:  Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Poland and other nearby countries. As we pass thru the Balkans the cruise folks offer us speakers who share history and politics of the area.  We've heard from the Serbian speaker who explained the Ottoman surge, the fall of Austria-Hungary, the rise of Yugoslavia, the Balkan wars, and finally today's relative peace.

Today, June 23, we will hear the Croatian side.

This was before!






















For the history buffs (who will surely find reasons to correct the following) --
Yugoslavia was born at the end of WW2 as the merging of 6 nations.  

• Each nation/region had a president, with Tito rising as the first above equals.  We've heard the Orwell quote quite often:  "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

• Then came the break-up.  Lots of claiming and reclaiming territories.  "this really belonged to us and we're taking it back."

• Ethnic relocation is a euphemism for genocide.

• Each of our staff on board our ship is very polite and circumspect in their comments and speak generously and forgivingly about others.  

Bottom line:  this area is about ethnic racism and territorial ownership.  These attitudes have prevailed for centuries.  These attitudes have acted out in genocides beyond the realm of even Messers Hitler and Stalin.  These attitudes continue to be present today.

My personal opinion:  it's like the weather in Washington.  If it's not raining just wait.  If it's raining you know it.  Apply this maxim to the violence and chaos. So today this is The Balkans,i.e.. former Yugoslavia