Wages of Imperialism—In the years of British imperialism in India, the British split from India the small Gurkha- populated state of Nepal. Since the 19th century, the Nepalese monarchy has offered thousands of Gurkha troops as cannon-fodder for British imperialism.

Last month Lal Buddha, a retired member of a Nepalese unit of the British Army, where he had served 24 years, appealed to the British army tribunal.

He had been discharged two years ago for medical reasons. His army wages were over $71,000 less than his counterparts in regular British units, and his pension was 95 British pounds compared to the standard British Army pension of 515 pounds monthly. He told the tribunal he has considered becoming a beggar. He angrily said that his wife works in a motel seven days a week to support their family.

With friends like British imperialism, who needs enemies?—According to the British Army’s website, the Gurkha soldier “has proved himself to be of the closest of friends and bravest of allies that Britain has known.” The website mentions that Nepalese troops suffered 43,000 casualties in the two world wars, although of the 26 Victoria Crosses—London’s highest military honor—awarded to Nepalese units, 13 were given to British officers.

“Civilized” weapons—When Taser stun guns emerged there was much hokum about cops using them in place of guns. They are somewhat less lethal than regular guns but they deliver a high-voltage shock and cops use them quite freely. A Phoenix daily found that cops use them to avoid chases and confrontations, or simply to enforce their orders. Recently in Miami, a cop used a Taser to stun a 12-year-old girl. A few weeks earlier, a cop immobilized a first-grader with a 50,000-volt shot.

Mr. Capitalism—One of Donald Trump’s Atlantic City casinos is now formally belly-up. The bankruptcy will beat debtors out of $1.8 billion. And the shares that that fetched at $35 each are now worth 50 cents. Meanwhile Trump, said to be “worth” $2.6 billion, continues to take home $1.4 million a year. On the bankruptcy he comments “I don’t thinks it’s a failure. I think it’s a success.”

America the beautiful—Two ex-cops in Richmond, Virginia, will finally face federal charges for the savage beating of Lamont Koonce, a Black man who was pulled out of his car at a traffic stop and beaten and stomped. He was in a coma two months and suffered a fractured skull and other major injuries. He is no longer able to work. Initially, the cops said he had stumbled and fell trying to run away.  
 
 
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