Ravi S. Iyer: Worldly

This blog post has been copy-pasted from https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2016/04/sathya-sai-discourse-to-indian.html on 29th April 2016 [Last copy-paste update done on 30th April 2016.] In the Aradhana function (Mahasamadhi day function) held in Prasanthi Nilayam (Puttaparthi) on 24th April 2016, the morning program had a discourse clip of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba where Bhagavan is very critical of wealth and power craze (Artha trishti adhikaara drishti) of people today. This can be viewed from around 2:25:30 in the video,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h09a02UdDpc , Aradhana Mahotsavam Morning Programme - 24 Apr 2016. I tried to locate the discourse text (English) corresponding to this discourse using Google search on sssbpt.info but failed to locate it. It seems to be a birthday discourse as Bhagavan is wearing a white robe. So if somebody shares which year the discourse was given, it should be easy to locate the discourse text. While doing this Google search on sssb...

Please note that the views espoused in the transcript snippets below are that of Ms. Carly Fiorina. I (Ravi S. Iyer) prefer to take a neutral stand and simply note her views. From around 6:45 in the video, Cruz announces Fiorina as choice for running mate, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpZPL0VBMHU , published on April 28th 2016, Ms. Carly Fiorina says, Listen, as someone who has challenged the status quo all my life - that's what I have done; that's how you get (from) secretary to CEO, you challenge the status quo. It is actually the only way you solve festering problems and Lord knows we have festering problems in Washington D.C. The only way you solve festering problems is you actually have to challenge the status quo. And I will tell you something about challenging the system and the status quo. You do more than ruffle feathers. You do more than rock the boat. You make enemies. So I am reassured and I am proud of some of the enemies that Ted Cruz has made. It means ...

Last updated on 30th April 2016 Paul Ryan invites India's Modi to address Congress, http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/28/politics/paul-ryan-indias-modi-address-congress/index.html , dated April 28th 2016 The above CNN article quotes USA Speaker Paul Ryan as saying, "The friendship between the United States and India is a pillar of stability in an important region of the world." and "This address presents a special opportunity to hear from the elected leader of the world's most populous democracy on how our two nations can work together to promote our shared values and to increase prosperity." Ravi: I applaud and thank USA House speaker Paul Ryan for the above honour being extended to my country's (India's) Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. I do look forward to seeing PM Modi's address which would, I am quite sure, strengthen USA-India relationship. The Times of India (a mainstream Indian newspaper) has provided the full text of the lette...

The United States of Trumperica, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-on-us-presidential-polls-2016-the-united-states-of-trumperica/article8528991.ece , dated April 28th 2016 A couple of sentences from it: Thus it has come to a point where Democrats, the American people, and the rest of the world watching the spectacle of the election may have to ponder a question that most wouldn’t have dreamt of asking a year ago: What would the United States and the world look like under the reign of President Donald Trump? ... [Ravi The Hindu editorial going by the policies Mr. Donald Trump has outlined in his campaign speeches and media interactions, has this sentence as the concluding one in its view of the prospect of a Donald Trump USA presidency:] Internationally, no nation would be more isolated than the United States of Trumperica. --- end short two sentences extract from The Hindu editorial on 28th April 2016 --- Please note that I have a NEUTRAL informal-student-o...

Here's the youtube video of what the following report links seem to be talking about: Donald Trump uses terrible Indian accent ,Trump: impersonates Indian call-center worker, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi1ctogT9Ao , 0 min, 41 secs, published April 22nd 2016 Note that the impersonation of an Indian call-center worker is just one sentence, "We are from India." (unless I missed something in the video). In the same clip, Mr. Trump says, "I am not angry with Vietnam, India, all these countries." ... "And India is a great place. And I am not upset with other leaders. I am upset with our leaders for being so stupid." In the past few days, there have been a slew of articles in the Indian media about Mr. Donald Trump mocking (impersonating) an Indian call centre worker. Yesterday & today there have been a slew of articles about (former) Secretary Hillary Clinton's campaign slamming Mr. Trump for mocking Indian call centre workers. Here ar...

Is it not possible for other parties to be formed and win a majority in the Congress or the Senate, and even win the Presidency? These questions have cropped up in my mind as I am doing my informal study of this USA presidential election. Here are a couple of links that give some answers to these questions: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/american-politics/why-america-is-a-two-party-system/ Points 6 and 7 in the above link seem to be very insightful. Essentially they say that the winner take all system in the USA general election (in almost all states of the USA, barring two states) makes it very difficult for any party (or independent candidate) other than the Democratic or Republican parties to win the presidency. Effectively, the other (serious/significant) candidates act as spoilers for the Democratic or Republican candidate, as they themselves stand very poor chances of winning. To make it even tougher for third party candidates, appealing aspects of the campaign of ...

Sanders campaign, New York officials cry foul after New York voters report issues, http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/19/politics/new-york-primary-voter-problem-polls-sanders-de-blasio/ , dated April 20th 2016 The article quotes Senator Bernie Sanders as saying, "It is absurd that in Brooklyn, New York -- where I was born, actually -- tens of thousands of people as I understand it, have been purged from the voting rolls". New York City mayor Bill De Blasio who has been reported to be a Hillary Clinton supporter, is quoted by the article as saying: "It has been reported to us from voters and voting rights monitors that the voting lists in Brooklyn contain numerous errors, including the purging of entire buildings and blocks of voters from the voting lists" and has asked for the purge to be reversed. He also said, "The perception that numerous voters may have been disenfranchised undermines the integrity of the entire electoral process and must be fixed". ...

Given below are the contents of my Facebook post (slightly edited), https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1731733707043199 . From http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/19/politics/new-york-primary-results-recap/index.html , dated April 20th 2016 : With 93% of the vote in at 12:15 a.m ET, Trump was in the lead at 60% while Ohio Gov. John Kasich was at 25.2% and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was at 14.8%. With 94% of the Democratic vote in, Clinton was leading Sanders 57.7% to 42.3%. --- end short extract from cnn.com --- Ravi: Big day for both the frontrunners, Secretary Hillary Clinton and Mr. Donald Trump. Looks like a tough road ahead for the challengers, Senator Sanders and Senator Cruz. For the democrats, coming Super Tuesday results which includes Pennsylvania may decide whether Senator Sanders will take the fight right up to California or not. Mr. Trump's victory speech, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OarcEO_d_A , around 12 mins (speech gets over around the first 8 minut...

http://edition.cnn.com/election/primaries/states/ny/Rep states that on the basis of an estimated 94% of the results in for New York state, Mr. Trump has won around 60% of the Republican primary vote. Trump seems to have swept to victory in almost all the counties of New York state (shown in orange in the map in the link given earlier). According to this link, Mr. Trump has won 89 of the 95 delegates of the state. Gov. Kasich has won 3 delegates. Very ironically, the only county he seems to have lost is Manhattan!!! Mr. Trump lives in Trump Tower in (midtown) Manhattan in New York City, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Tower_(New_York_City) , and, if I recall correctly, launched his 2016 USA presidential bid in the same Trump Tower in Manhattan. Results for Manhattan from the above cnn link (estimated 99% results in): Kasich 45%, Trump 42% and Cruz 13% [Note that you have to hover the mouse around where Manhattan is on the map, for the figures to show up. As it is a small area ...

Here's a Facebook post share https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1728379924045244 , where USA Senator Bernie Sanders is quoted as saying, "Pope Francis has forcefully reminded us that greed, and the worship of money, is not what human existence should be about." The post also quotes Senator Sanders as saying, "The pope is right in saying all of us must address the grotesque income and wealth inequality we are seeing throughout the world." Please note that I have a 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 voting in these elections. On the above-mentioned Facebook post, I was asked a question about my views on wealth & income gap between richest of the rich and poorest of the poor. I responded as follows (slightly edited): Sairam brother --name-snipped--. Thanks for your comment. My thoughts on this...

Please note that some of the videos below may be disturbing as they show USA police officers body-slamming young school girls as a prelude to arresting them. Given below are the content of a Facebook post of mine, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/1726889117527658 , dated April 7th 2016, and some comment exchanges on it (slightly edited). SAISD Police Officer Body Slams 12-Year-Old Middle School Girl On Concrete Floor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__GRdC_J_ng , around 30 seconds. .. This report, http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2016/04/texas_school_officer_under_inv.html , states that there are some allegations that the 12 year old girl kicked the police officer. But as can be seen from the video, the Police officer had her in his grasp completely (he was lifting her) before he body slammed her onto the floor (brick floor?). Going by the video, I think the body slam of the 12 year old girl onto the floor was excessive force which could have hurt the kid grie...

In my international software industry days, I recall that General Electric, GE in short, was referred to as God's Enterprises. It was that big a company and had that big a reputation. So I found these USA Senator Bernie Sanders vs. General Electric Chairman & CEO Mr. Jeffrey Immelt arguments to be quite fascinating. In TRANSCRIPT: Bernie Sanders meets with the Daily News Editorial Board, April 1, 2016, http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/transcript-bernie-sanders-meets-news-editorial-board-article-1.2588306 , we have Sen. Sanders saying, "And General Electric, doing a very good job avoiding the taxes. In fact, in a given year, they pay nothing in taxes. That's greed. That is greed and that’s selfishness. That is lack of respect for the people of this country." In GE CEO: Bernie Sanders says we’re ‘destroying the moral fabric’ of America. He’s wrong., https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ge-ceo-bernie-sanders-says-were-destroying-the-moral-fabric-of-americ...