Subcontinental standoff

In language scarily reminiscent of the Cold War – and particularly of 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis – India has warned residents of the Kashmir region to prepare for nuclear war.

Both India and Pakistan claim portions of Kashmir. After increasing hostilities between the nations, India advised Kashmiris last week to “construct basements where the whole family can stay for the night,” The New York Times reported, quoting from an advisory in a Kashmir newspaper. In a nuclear attack, the advisory adds: “Stay down after the initial shock wave, wait for the winds to die down and debris to stop falling. … Expect some initial disorientation as the blast wave may blow down and carry away prominent and familiar features.”

An India civil defense official downplayed the advisory as more routine. But it followed the decapitation of an Indian soldier whose body was found after a skirmish with Pakistani soldiers.

Both India and Pakistan have conducted nuclear tests and are believed to have nuclear weapons.

Frightening.

Hoosiers’ Super Bowl pipeline

Hoosiers and millions of other Americans will divert their attention Sunday to the Super Bowl. Though neither the Colts nor Hoosier favorite Peyton Manning is playing, the game still has a big Indiana connection.

The coaching brothers Harbaugh, both Toledo natives, are close to their brother-in-law, IU men’s basketball coach Tom Crean. San Francisco 49ers’ coach Jim Harbaugh was starting quarterback for the Colts from 1994 to 1997, taking the team to the playoffs twice, including a trip to the AFC title game. Jim Harbaugh was traded after the 1997 season to – who else? – the Baltimore Ravens, now coached by big brother John Harbaugh. The older of the two spent the 1997 season as an assistant coach for the IU football program.

Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m., and there will no doubt be a lot of attention paid to halftime entertainer Beyoncé. (Live or lip-sync?) Oh, and yes, there will be commercials.