Dismay as cross-border library in US-Canada feud: 'We just want to stay open' | Hacker News Reader

Dismay as cross-border library in US-Canada feud: 'We just want to stay open'

theguardian.com

59 pointsbeardyw14 comments

> There is only one building in North America, probably in the world, where one can browse bestsellers and children’s books by crossing an international border and then sit for an amateur theatre troupe in a regal opera house with each half of your body in two different countries.

Maybe not quite specifically that, but I expected there to be similar things, given that there's borders all over the place in Europe. Sure enough, in the very first city I checked, I found a library + culture center + music academy right on the border between the Netherlands and Belgium.[1]

That is at least according to the rough border on maps. Generally countries make sure to organize things such that buildings are either in one country, or another, while sharing streets. I expect no building is treated as being in multiple.

[1] https://maps.app.goo.gl/8DFosfEJyrx7kPap9

Ha, you beat me to it - Netherlands/Belgium border has tonnes of buildings like this. I think my favourite are some bars which have different opening times depending on which side of the border they are.

also see especially Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baarle-Nassau

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baarle-Hertog

The cultural centre (containing that library) has a room suitable for lectures and concerts, so I'll bet there's sometimes theatre too.

https://cultuurcentrumbaarle.eu/evenementenprogramma/

That town considers a building to belong to the country containing its front door, but the border does run through several buildings including this one.

"The news, met with disbelief from patrons and staff, followed a closely watched visit by the US secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, in March. Touring the library, Noem said “USA number one!” and then hopped over the black tape separating the two countries and said “51st state” when she landed in Canada. She repeated the joke – echoing Donald Trump’s recent fixation on annexing Canada – three times."

Absolute insanity, clown behavior

I read that and I couldn't believe it. THE US Secretary of Homeland Security saying things like that. Who are these people.

Simply put they are human trash. The kind of people that you keep your kids away from, lest they end up trying to emulate them. They have power because a spectacle makes good entertainment, and much of our society has apparently decided entertainment is more important than competence or morals. And the bonus is that these kind of people are easy to keep in line behind authoritarian orders, because inside they know that they're hollow and that if they stop fronting it is a long way down.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico has consistently voted in favor of becoming the 51st state since 2000, but Trump is against it. https://apnews.com/article/6e16c132957e484ea96437c065ccab97

Canada should call his bluff. They would be a reliably Democratic vote.

Ten to thirteen new states.

Alternatively 10 to 14 new colonies without voting right with people getting less than citizen rights (something similar to status that Baltic states have for ethnically Russians). You have to deserve right to vote.

That is a lot to unpack. Pass.

Kristi Noem, the one who shot her own dog? I'm afraid clown-ish behaviour doesn't even begin to describe her sociopathy

I don't feel like "feud" is the right word to use. Only one party is engaging in hostilities.

The greatest border in the world, headed down the commode.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com