Ravi S. Iyer: Worldly

Hard Times in Venezuela Breed Malaria as Desperate Flock to Mines, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/world/venezuela-malaria-mines.html , Aug 2016 This article is around four months old. But I think it is the most heart-breaking article I have read about Venezuela's plunge from an oil-money-rich country to one which is seeing its economic system plunge into a horrible depression along with very high inflation. That has resulted in many salaries from what were decently paid jobs becoming almost worthless. That in turn has lead to people having good stable jobs like computer technicians and other office workers becoming illegal diggers/panners/miners for gold in a town which is run by unofficial armed groups and where malaria is rife! A small extract from the article is given below: "Here, waiters, office workers, taxi drivers, college graduates and even civil servants on vacation from their government jobs are out panning for black-market gold, all under the watchful eyes...

The song Gulabi Aankhen Jo Teri Dekhi which was the subject of my post, Gulabi Aankhen Jo Teri Dekhi - Mohd. Rafi, RD Burman 1970 hit romantic song with racy music, http://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.in/2016/12/gulabi-aankhen-jo-teri-dekhi-mohd.html , dated 18th Dec. 2016, had racy music of 1970 Hindi (Bollywood) films. One standout aspect to me that I mentioned in that post was how the Western orchestra (Birmingham Symphony orchestra) in 2008 was able to rather closely replicate the Indian music producer's composition in Sonu Nigam's program, "Rafi Resurrected - An Evening In London", even if the music composition itself may not have been extraordinary, as viewed from today's Bollywood standards. For me (and many others) as a young adult in the 1980s, Rahul Dev Burman provided racy/fast music (for which, in all probability, he took inspiration from Western pop music). That combining with golden voice of Mohd. Rafi and emotive lyrics of song writer, Anand Bakshi, ma...

Last updated on 27th Dec. 2016 George Michael, pop superstar, dies at 53, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/dec/25/george-michael-pop-superstar-dies-at-53 . That took me down memory lane. In the second half of the 1980s I spent a lot of time in Europe and the USA where I was flooded with Western pop music both on TV (MTV was around even then) and on car radio. Two songs of George Michael that I enjoyed in those days of my youth were Faith and Careless Whisper. Looked up those songs on youtube (what a great service youtube renders to people like me; I am very, very grateful to youtube for all the great videos I have seen on it). Faith - George Michael (audio only), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9iDBkJqxNg , 3 min 11 secs. Lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/georgemichael/faith.html This seems to be the USA music video version. Note that the initial part of the video has part of another very controversial song of George Michael that was banned in some places/chan...

In my avid cricket fan days, mainly from around mid-70s to end 80s, there was one guy who walked, rather swaggered, like a king, and batted like a king (and chewed gum like a person showing to all on the cricket field who is the BOSS). That was King Vivian Richards of the West Indies. Here is one of his centuries, this one in 1988/89 at Perth, WACA, the pace and bounce wicket famed all over the cricket world. He takes the Aussie bowlers to the cleaners in true King Viv style. Note that sometimes you can see the non-striker partner of Viv Richards with a helmet. But helmets were not needed for the King even at one of the fastest and bounciest pitches in the world, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjsoRQnSb-E , around 5 mins.

Here is a reality-bite NYT article that argues that the biggest job killer in the USA (and some places elsewhere too, I am quite sure) is not China or Mexico but automation, "The Long-Term Jobs Killer Is Not China. It’s Automation.", http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/21/upshot/the-long-term-jobs-killer-is-not-china-its-automation.html , Dec. 21st 2016. It says that as automation is not a politically convenient villain like China or Mexico, no USA presidential candidate talked about it. A small extract from the article, "Technology is not as convenient a villain as China or Mexico, there is no clear way to stop it, and many of the technology companies are in the United States and benefit the country in many ways." It quotes a Harvard economics professor who studies labor and change brought in by technology, Lawrence Katz, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_F._Katz , http://scholar.harvard.edu/lkatz/biocv , as saying, "Over the long haul, clearly automati...

Donald Trump Completes Final Lap, Electoral College, to White House, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/us/politics/electoral-college-vote.html , Dec. 19th 2016 An interesting Editorial Board of NYT article: Time to End the Electoral College, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/opinion/time-to-end-the-electoral-college.html , Dec. 21st 2016 Please note that I have a PUBLICLY NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about the USA presidential elections. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen living in India, there is no question of me having voted in these elections.

Last updated on 28th Dec. 2016 Here's the GREAT Mohammad Rafi sahab singing an awesome hit romantic song with racy music, Gulabi Aankhen Jo Teri Dekhi, of the 1970 Hindi movie, The Train. Song writer - Anand Bakshi, Music producer - Rahul Dev Burman. Gulabi Aankhen Jo Teri Dekhi, Audio only, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkdHB8S15Co , 3 min. 18 secs. Ravi: I have to say that Mohammad Rafi sahab was my favourite singer during my young adult days of 1980s and early 1990s. What a voice! What feeling he could give to a song! I loved Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar too who were perhaps even more popular than Rafi. But I have to say that Rafi sahab was my favourite. I still remember a music program in my college [Ruia college, Matunga, Bombay] days in the early 1980s where a Mohd. Rafi voice impersonator sang great Rafi songs in a program titled, 'Ek Shaam Rafi ke Naam' [One evening in the name of Rafi]. Rafi died in July 1980 and this program may have been held a yea...

FULL: Donald Trump Thank You Rally in Orlando, FL, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG5hXNgsV3A , 49 min 12 secs, published on Dec. 16th 2016. Please note that I have a PUBLICLY NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about the USA presidential elections. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen living in India, there is no question of me having voted in these elections.

A very disturbing article about how insecure and vulnerable to hacking Indian Internet based software systems are: Vulnerable in cyberspace, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/Vulnerable-in-cyberspace/article16835147.ece , Dec. 16th 2016

Hit 1972 Hindi Film song sung by Kishore Kumar, O Mere Dil Ke Chain - Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Romantic Song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heXQRxM2Gro , 4 min 21 secs. One of the lines goes: Maanga hai tumhe dunia ke liye - I have asked for you for the sake of the world. ------ Great 1971 Hindi movie song, sung by Kishore Kumar Sama hai suhana suhana from movie Ghar ghar ki kahani, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Mryg6U8fQ , 4 min. 34 secs. ------ A golden Hindi film oldie, Song: Tum Bin Jaun Kaha Film: Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) with Sinhala Subtitles, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta89As3Nru0 , 3 min. 26 secs. ------ Lata Mangeshkar singing the super hit song of yesteryears. I love this song and have heard it (audio only) umpteen times over the years. Saw the video for this first time today. Note the video quality is somewhat poor. Roz Shaam Aati Thi... Magar Aisi Na Thi, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxAbdEi3MSY , 5 min. 41 secs. ------ ...

A hauntingly sad song that was a yesteryears Hindi film hit song, Dil ke armaan ansuon mein bah gaye, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-uvaFibWZM , 4 min 14 secs. The actress and singer is Salma Agha, a Pakistani film actress who starred in Indian Hindi films in the 80s. The movie is Nikaah (1982). The lines below are perhaps the most piercingly sad ones. Khud ko bhi hamne mita dala magar - 2 phasle jo darmiyan the rah gaye - 2 I effaced/erased myself still the differences between (us) remained Hum Wafah karke bhi tanha reha gaye Dil ke armaan aasuon me beha gaye Even though I was faithful I remained lonely/alone The desires/yearning of the heart got swept away in (my) tears

Interesting article, Tamil Nadu after Jayalalithaa, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/Tamil-Nadu-after-Jayalalithaa/article16779332.ece , Dec. 9th 2016, by Jayanthi Natarajan veteran Indian ex-Congress political leader from Tamil Nadu. It gives an overview of Tamil Nadu political field since independence, and covers the current situation as well.

An interesting article on rural-urban divide in Europe and how rural voters in Europe are bringing populists to power in European countries: Like Trump, Europe’s Populists Win Big With Rural Voters, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/world/europe/europe-poland-populism-rural-voters.html , Dec. 6th 2016. A small extract from the article is given below: Just as Donald J. Trump rolled up a big rural vote in his unexpected presidential victory, Europe’s populists are rising by tapping into discontent in the countryside and exploiting rural resentments against urban residents viewed as elites. --- end small extract from NYT article --- [I thank nytimes.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extract from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]

Given below are the contents (slightly edited) of some recent Facebook posts and shares of mine about the recently departed (Late) former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Smt. Jayalalithaa https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi/posts/10157939077195165 , [Shri Narendra Modi, Hon'ble PM of India: Deeply saddened at the passing away of Selvi Jayalalithaa. Her demise has left a huge void in Indian politics. Jayalalithaa ji’s connect with citizens, concern for welfare of the poor, the women & marginalized will always be a source of inspiration. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of grief. May the Almighty grant them the strength to bear this irreparable loss with courage and fortitude. I will always cherish the innumerable occasions when I had the opportunity to interact with Jayalalithaa ji. May her soul rest in peace.] My FB share of above post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1828746240675278 Ravi: My prayers to Almighty Go...

Here's an interesting article, Why Blue States Are the Real ‘Tea Party’, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/03/opinion/sunday/why-blue-states-are-the-real-tea-party.html , by Steven Johnson, Dec. 3rd 2016 The article makes some astonishing statements (astonishing to me, at least) about the Electoral College mechanism that the USA uses to decide the presidential election. It states, ".. a voter in rural Wyoming has more than three times the power of a voter in New Jersey, the country’s most densely populated state"!! It links to this website, http://votes.equalcitizens.us/ , whose default settings in the home page claims that One person from Wyoming gets 3.91 votes for every one from Ohio. And it gives the calculations it uses for that equation in the lower part of the home page. The states in the equation are drop-down boxes where one can choose any USA state. Seems like the Wyoming - 3.91 - Ohio equation may be one of the, if not the, worst imbalances among voters from di...

In a very interesting interview with Rolling Stone, Bernie Sanders: Where We Go From Here, http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/bernie-sanders-where-we-go-from-here-w452786 , dated around 1st Dec. 2016, USA Senator Bernie Sanders says, "Donald Trump has rewritten the rules of politics. Let's give the guy credit where credit is due. No one thought . . . he started off as a joke, right? ... He took on the leadership of the Republican Party, absolutely took on, obviously, the Democratic Party, took on the corporate media, took on everybody, and he became the president of the United States." Of course, Sanders is very critical as well of Mr. Donald Trump USA president-elect, in this interview. But I think his above words are a very frank assessment of the 2016 USA presidential election. Please note that I have a PUBLICLY NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about the USA presidential elections. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen ...

Dil Aisa Kisi Ne Mera Toda - A famous sad Hindi film song with the GREAT Kishore Kumar singing it full of feeling, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=643S5y_E6Zo , 5 min 14 secs. The film is Amanush released in 1975 and the actors are Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore. Some lines in it with my English translation: Duba suraj phirse nikale rehata nahi hai andhera [The sun that has set comes out again; the darkness does not stay] Mera suraj aisa rootha dekha na maine savera [My sun is so angry/against me that I have not seen sunrise] Ujalano saath mera choda amanush banake choda [Sunlight has left my company and made me a (sad) non-person/dehumanized person] Dil aisa kisi ne mera toda barbadi ke taraf aisa moda [Someone broke my heart in such a way that I was turned towards ruin] Ek bhale manush ko amanush baneka choda [(It) turned a good man into a (sad) non-person/dehumanized person Dil aisa kisi ne mera toda barbadi ke taraf aisa moda [Someone broke my heart in such a...

I am an Indian living in India who is a retired international software consultant who offered free (volunteer) spiritual service to a private deemed university in India, teaching software lab. courses and acting as a technical consultant for student projects in a Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, from January 2003 to March 2012. My university campus issued designations during that period were three different designations of Honorary Staff, Honorary Faculty and Visiting Faculty. While I did not then and do not now consider myself to be an Indian academic (I was just helping the academic dept. out in my capacity as a retired international software consultant, a software industry man not an academic), I did interact closely with many Indian academics, attended dept. and campus academic meetings, and so got a lot of exposure to life in a private deemed university in Indian academia functioning under the top-level guidelines and norms of the University Grants Commission (and ...

I think that the fact that literacy rate in India was 12% when India got independence from Britain and became 74% in 2011 seems to be a good indicator of the ENORMOUS STRIDES India could make in literacy after it freed itself from British rule. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy_in_India . But some may have a view that the British paved the way for India's strides in literacy and improved education systems while India was under British rule.  The above wiki page states, "Literacy rates in accordance to British in India rose from 3.2 per cent in 1881 to 7.2 per cent in 1931 and 12.2 per cent in 1947." Some might go even further and say that if the British had not imposed their education systems in India, India's literacy levels and education systems would have been very poor. I disagree with that view. Indian historians have in the past few decades talked of prior decades Euro-centric history of India which has glorified the role of Europeans. Slowly and...

Last update on 16th Dec. 2016 We have the famous saying that history is written by the victors which I think would have been true for 19th century and earlier, dominant historical accounts of many of the 19th century and earlier wars and empires. Perhaps that holds good for some of the 20th century wars and empires/countries as well. But today in the early 21st century, especially with the proliferation of social media and independent social media writers (I like to think that in the past few years I have become one of them :-)), it is not so easy for victors either in wars, or political campaigns, or in succession struggles to business empires or even spiritual movements, to suppress truth about negative aspects of the winners and positive aspects of the losers, and provide a dominant historical narrative of their war/succession struggle/political campaign which is only their view of what happened. But for those who want to be part of the winning dispensation and enjoy and exerc...

Shashi Tharoor strikes back at the British Raj, by Salil Tripathi, http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/LaKl8M7mYQo7lfHKI7qcAN/The-empire-strikes-back.html , Nov. 29th 2016 The bald truth is — the Raj ruined us, by Uday Balakrishnan, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/books/uday-balakrishnan-reviews-an-era-of-darkness-by-shashi-tharoor/article9391768.ece , Nov. 27th 2016 Here is the webpage for the book at its publishers website, http://www.alephbookcompany.com/book/an-era-of-darkness-the-british-empire-in-india .

Last updated on 1st Dec. 2016 Today's The Hindu had extensive coverage of tributes to Fidel Castro, and some coverage of celebration in Miami USA over Castro's death. The striking article for me was this one: Cuba loses its El Comandante, India a friend by Natwar Singh, former External Affairs minister (foreign minister) of India. The article is subtitled, "India held a special place in the heart of the revolutionary icon, with a succession of Prime Ministers experiencing the warmth of his friendship". Here's the link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Cuba-loses-its-El-Comandante-India-a-friend/article16707820.ece . The author writes that Nehru surprised young Castro by going to meet Castro in the hotel in Harlem, New York city, that had welcomed him after he was denied hotel accommodation in upmarket parts of New York city, at the 15th anniversary celebrations of the UN in 1960. But it was under Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi that India and Cu...