Ravi S. Iyer: Worldly

Here's an article that caught my interest as I too am an Iyer, Why You Need to Learn About K. Seshadri Iyer, the Forgotten Creator of Modern Bengaluru, http://www.thebetterindia.com/88222/dewan-of-mysore-seshadri-iyer-maker-of-modern-bangalore/ , dated 21-Feb-2017. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewan , "The originally Persian title of dewan (also known as diwan or devan) has, at various points in Islamic history, designated a powerful government official, minister or ruler." ... "During the effective rule of the Mughal empire, the Dewan served as the chief revenue officer of a province. Later, when most vassal states gained various degrees of self-determination, the finance — and/or chief minister and leader of many princely states (especially Muslim, but also many Hindu, including Baroda, Hyderabad, Mysore, Kochi, Travancore — referred as Dalawa until 1811) became known as a dewan." In the context of Mysore princely state of which Seshadri Iyer was De...

As a lover of democracy I felt it appropriate to share Fox News anchor Chris Wallace's view that USA President Trump saying that the USA media (like NYT, CNN, NBCNews, CBS, ABC but excluding Fox, I am quite sure) is the enemy of the American people, is crossing the line. Wallace says that if Trump had limited his attacks to saying that USA media is biased and unfair that would be fine with him. He points out that the USA founders allowed for free media not (necessarily) fair media as a check on power. Wallace quotes Jefferson (Trump too had mentioned Jefferson but as being critical of the media) that given a choice between a govt. without newspapers and newspapers without a govt., he would choose the latter! Wallace mentions that Trump may not be hitting Fox now, but Obama was hitting Fox. So he said that it is not important whether the USA president is singling out the orgn. a particular media person represents. It is wrong to say that the (USA) media is the enemy of the Amer...

Tom Brokaw: The Offer From Nixon I Refused, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/opinion/tom-brokaw-the-offer-from-nixon-i-refused.html , Feb. 17th 2017 Ravi: I found the above article by NBC's veteran television journalist and news anchor, Tom Brokaw, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brokaw , to be quite fascinating. In 1969 USA president Nixon, through an intermediary, offered Brokaw the job of being White House press secretary. Brokaw dodged the offer taking the help of his boss at NBC and kept the offer secret till 1990 when Nixon himself revealed it by saying, "I’ve always thought Tom Brokaw was a man of very good judgment." .. "He never showed better judgment than when he turned down my offer to be my press secretary.” Ravi: The White House press secretary job seems to be an extraordinarily tricky job given the rigorous and aggressive questioning by the USA press/media.

Very important Munich security conference speech of chairman of USA Senate Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain about the challenges to the post-World War II world order (where USA has played the leading role in maintaining that world order). As Senator McCain said (paraphrased), this world order, after the worst war in human history (world war II), created an environment where many countries, especially in the West, enjoyed peace and prosperity for seven decades. I (Ravi) would include India as a country that has enjoyed significant amount of peace and prosperity, including the very vital event of India gaining independence from Britain in 1947, over these seven decades in the post World War II world order. Here's the transcript of his speech, http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/2/remarks-by-sasc-chairman-john-mccain-at-the-2017-munich-security-conference . I have given below large extracts from it: “Not every American understands the absolutely vital r...

Last updated on 20-Feb-2017 Update: An India Today report, http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pakistan-army-qamar-javed-bajwa-indian-democracy-book-the-nation/1/886833.html , dated 20-Feb-2017 quotes a tweet by Pakistani Maj Gen Asif Gharoor whose twitter profile states that he is the spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces: "News / comments quoting COAS' address to officers at Rawalpindi regarding book 'Army and Nation' is a disinformation.", https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR/status/833324851133825026 , dated 19-Feb-2017. Note that COAS seems to stand for Chief of Army Staff and refers to Pakistan's Army chief. Pakistan Army chief asks officers to read book on success of Indian democracy, http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan-army-chief-asks-officers-to-read-book-on-success-of-indian-democracy/story-wa7Ii1EiHEkBYmmiHVZTmK.html , dated 15th Feb. 2017. Very interesting. The referenced book is: "Army and Nation: The Military and Indian D...

Humko Kisi Ke Gham Ne Maara - Ghulam Ali - Ghazal Songs - Mehfil Mein Baar Baar, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpHpiiPmdRI , 9 min 39 secs. Enjoyed watching the live concert video of this song whose audio I have heard so many times in my Mumbai life. Ghulam Ali sahab is a really gifted Ghazal singer from our neighbouring country, Pakistan. ... Another Ghulam Ali ghazal hit song that I heard (audio) umpteen times in my Mumbai days but don't recall seeing a live video of, is the Chupke Chupke Raat Din song of his. I think this was perhaps his most popular song in Mumbai in the 80s and 90s. Here's Ghulam Ali sahab singing it live to a small group, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bLN85bo48s , around 8 mins. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupke_Chupke_Raat_Din , "Chupke Chupke Raat Din is a popular ghazal written by Maulana Hasrat Mohani. The music composition is based on Raga Kaafi[citation needed]. It is a classical Urdu poem that represents the culture of Ind...

Sittin' on the dock of the bay + lyrics, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISxskvJ9FwI , around 3 minutes. I used to love to listen to this song when I was driving in the USA some decades back (on some 'easy listening' FM radio station). I guess I wanted to do what the singer claimed he was doing :-). And then being born & bred in Mumbai, I have a great attraction to just watching the sea. It can be so soothing and so powerful. I could be on Juhu beach, in Mumbai, for hours, at peace with everything :-). To make things really great, there is an awesome ISKCON temple near Juhu beach where the bhajans are great as well. ----- Bob Marley & The Wailers - Buffalo Soldier, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMUQMSXLlHM , around 3 minutes. Another oldie I loved listening to typically on car FM radio in the USA. Here are the lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bob+marley/buffalo+soldier_20021701.html [I guess the lyrics may not really fit in with USA history but then one...

Last updated on 12th Feb. 2017 The abstract of the paper mentions that number of childless European women born in 1900 to 1910 was high (around 25%). But the childlessness among European women born in 1940s came down to around 10%. In later year cohorts in European women, childlessness increased to 15% and 18% in northern and western Europe respectively. But in recent times, childless women born in the 1970s in southern Europe is touching 25%! The paper tries to analyze why these changes in number of childless European women has happened over the 20th century and now (early 21st century). I think it is worth reading for those interested in demographic changes/stability and associated probable causes. I certainly found it to be very interesting. Though I must also say that I am saddened by the number touching 25% in Southern Europe now as it seems to be a reflection of difficult economic times there due to which significant number of women (and their partners) are not willing to t...

[This post's contents have been copy-pasted from my blog post,  http://ravisiyer.blogspot.in/2017/02/pope-francis-aide-says-safeguarding.html , here, on 9th Feb. 2017.] Steve Bannon Carries Battles to Another Influential Hub: The Vatican By JASON HOROWITZ, FEB. 7, 2017,  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/world/europe/vatican-steve-bannon-pope-francis.html The above article covers the opposition to Pope Francis' emphasis on an inclusive church from some others in the Vatican, referred to as the traditionalists. The article has a very interesting part towards its end, having the response of a cardinal reported to be close to Pope Francis, about Mr. Trump becoming USA President emboldening opposition to Pope Francis to make Pope Francis follow a more orthodox approach. The cardinal is reported to have responded by saying, "The doctrine is secure", and that safeguarding the poor was the mission of the church. The cardinal is also reported to have indicated to tra...