Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in March 2019
When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer).
https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2451546711728558
Nigel Farage gives the Hard Brexiteers view in the EU (Farage speaks from around 6 mins in the video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjbM4NmjLcA, around 10 mins, published 31st Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2450235718526324
Not ordinary college dropouts who found academics to be too difficult ... just guys who felt they knew enough to contribute to humanity via industry and so could drop out of academics.
[Shared FB post has pics of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg with some captions: https://www.facebook.com/baggoutcom/photos/a.374021156053591/2033836363405387/?type=3&theater]
In response to a comment, I (Ravi) wrote:
I think that both Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have contributed to humanity via the software work they led in both development and marketing - namely, Microsoft Windows and other software developed by Microsoft in case of Gates and Facebook in case of Zuckerberg. In the process, they also made huge money for themselves. What they do or have done with their money is another aspect. But my view is that with their software development (and marketing) leadership itself, they have contributed significantly to humanity via industry (as against academia).
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2449854078564488
Loved seeing this! Indian President Ramnath Kovind being welcomed by Bolivian President Evo Morales.
I am all for much closer relationship than before between India and all countries of South America.
Video is around 1 min. 30 secs.
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/PresidentOfIndia/videos/333482587373227/]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2449846961898533
British PM May's only withdrawal agreement has also been rejected with 344 votes against and 286 for, a margin of 58
So 12th April is the No-Deal "crash" out of EU deadline date now unless something changes.
[Shared article: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47752017]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2447982295418333
Interesting to see how the baby elephant's terror and anger at its plight got directed at the people who helped her get out of the canal of a dam. The guys were smart and aware of this danger and seem to have done a great job using just their own hands and feet to save the baby elephant and at the same time save themselves from the baby elephant's anger!
The dam is in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India.
Video slightly less than 1 min. 30 secs.
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/videos/413514565877477/]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2445991472284082
"The new software system is now a focus of investigators who are trying to determine what went wrong in the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air tragedy in Indonesia. A leading theory in the Lion Air crash is that the system was receiving bad data from a faulty sensor, triggering an unrecoverable nose dive."
Ravi: As a former international software consultant (I worked in the software development field for 18 years from 1984 to 2002), I have been reading such reports over the past few days, and have felt really upset.
One of the big downsides of software systems is that sometimes the software becomes the controller and the human users of it have limited ability to override the system. The banking system is one example. Prior to software systems, the branch manager could fix a lot of issues related to one's bank account, if he/she got convinced that the bank is in error. But now it is all controlled by software. The bank manager has to write about it to some software complaints cell somewhere and wait for them to act! That can be frustrating for the customer (and bank staff too).
But this airline thing is terrifying! I mean the software seems to have gone for a toss - sorry if I am using strong words but hundreds of people have lost their lives in the two crashes and so strong words may be appropriate - and decided that the plane should go lower in altitude! The pilots seems to have to tried to override this automatic faulty action of the software by trying to fly the plane to a higher altitude, but the software seems to have reversed that again (and again), as per reports I read elsewhere.
And from experience I know that if you rush software development, the probability of software errors (bugs) creeping in are higher. This software was written by human(s) and not machines, I believe. I wonder if the software Quality Assurance team also had to rush through their testing of the software!
I am sorry if some of what I have speculated above may be wrong and unjustified. But as somebody from the software development field, I felt I should frankly share my views on these two tragedies.
[Shared article: 737 MAX: A jet born of Boeing's frantic race to outdo a rival, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/737-max-a-jet-born-of-boeings-frantic-race-to-outdo-a-rival/articleshow/68550652.cms, 24th March 2019]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2444201662463063
Looks like good news. EU provides more time to UK to resolve Brexit deal issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51_K54OeDh8, 1 min. 47 secs.
The exact period of extension is conditional and seems complicated to me. But 29th March 2019 seems to no longer be the cliff-edge date for UK to "crash" out of the EU. I think that's good news. Hopefully UK parliament will use the additional time wisely and arrive at some deal which will pass through the parliament and which is acceptable to the EU.
...
UK PM May remarks, Brexit extension: 'We are at the moment of decision' - BBC News, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ9uNttunyw, around 2 mins.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2443424985874064
Will Britain go out of EU with No Deal on 29th March 2019
OR
have an extension till 30th June 2019 to decide on a deal acceptable to UK parliament (majority) and the EU?
It's still not clear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2kfDz-t1Jg, 19 min. 37 secs, published by Channel 4 News on 20th March 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2437985663084663
[My share comment on FB cartoon showing a coffin and a largely empty church/hall with one person saying, "He had over 2000 Facebook friends. I was expecting a bigger turnout.":]
Ha! Ha! A reflection of the reality of FB friendship. But then I think it is a mistake if one presumes that FB friendship will translate to real-life friendship too. One should be aware that the virtual world is a different one from the real world, even if sometimes there is an intersection between the two worlds. I value my FB interactions for the intellectual and emotional stimulus they provide. I do not expect that FB friendship to translate to real life support.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2435943353288894
Strange interview of R. Kelly by CBS' Gayle King
Warning: The interview has sensitive stuff related to sex abuse allegations. Viewers who don't want to see such stuff should skip reading this post.
Prior to this interview I had not really paid attention to R. Kelly. I am not getting into taking a stand on the allegations against R. Kelly. That is for the USA courts.
The guy does not have the ability to stay calm when a seasoned media interviewer asks tough questions. Why did he and/or his managers agree to the interview! R. Kelly has demolished himself in this interview under Gayle King's tough questions in the parts where he loses his cool and gets into ranting and raving.
I saw various clips of this interview. I am sharing one of them below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07yZF2lM1y0, around 10 mins.
This interview certainly does not paint a good picture of him. Maybe all the allegations against him, some of which may be wildly exaggerated, have completely upset him.
One thing is clear - there are many people making serious sex abuse allegations against him, and want to see him rot in jail.
The allegations are mainly, if not all, from African Americans, against the African American singer star R. Kelly. And Gayle King is a well known African-American CBS interviewer. So there does not seem to be any racism angle in this.
King asked tough questions but that's what you get when you agree for an interview with a top USA TV media house. R. Kelly and his managers should have known that.
[The FB post has some comment exchanges which I have not included in this blog post.]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433673663515863
Only shared link: Attack on Kashmiris in Lucknow: 'Don't make me a hero, I only objected to injustice', https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/dont-make-me-a-hero-i-only-objected-to-injustice/articleshow/68312392.cms, 8th March 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433777910172105
Very good to see PM Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh speak of strict action against those who harm Kashmiris in India. PM Modi refers to Lucknow incident where innocent Kashmiri dry fruit sellers were targeted and roughed up by unauthorized activists. PM Modi said that strict action has been taken against those who targeted the Kashmiris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqtIm3tNP9c, 1 min. 26 secs.
My view is that innocent Kashmiris anywhere in India, who do not associate with the terrorists, must be fully protected by Indian law enforcement agencies. Action must be taken by law enforcement (and not by unauthorized activists) only against those Kashmiris who associate with the terrorists.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2434390660110830
Only share link: Business swells for vendors from Kashmir as support pours in, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/biz-swells-for-vendors-from-kashmir-as-support-pours-in/articleshow/68327444.cms, 9th Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433029530246943
Grenade attack kills teen at Jammu bus stand, suspect caught in 5 hrs: Cops, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/grenade-explosion-at-jammu-bus-stand-about-8-people-injured/story-YEuPDvXptuHZ2ieHsfQixH.html, 8th Mar. 2019
Congratulations to security forces for having nabbed the terrorist. Condolences and prayers to victims (1 dead, many injured) and their families.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433036163579613
Around 3 mins. A top police officer from Jammu explains in English how the suspect was apprehended and that the suspect confessed to his terror crime.
[Shared FB video of Times of India: https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/videos/1144257179079310 ]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433773130172583
15 year old school student was motivated to become terrorist who carried out Jammu attack according to reports published by NDTV
Class 9 Student Hid Grenade In Lunchbox, Say Sources On Jammu Attack, https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/class-9-student-hid-grenade-in-lunchbox-says-sources-on-jammu-attack-2004611, 9th Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433881576828405
My prayers to God for the two persons killed yesterday morning, Mohammad Sharik and Mohammad Riyaz, in the Jammu terrorist attack allegedly done by a 15 year old school student on instructions from his terrorist boss. May God give strength to the family of Sharik and Riyaz. May God help heal the injured.
'A deafening sound rattled the bus stand': Victims recount Jammu attack horror, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/a-deafening-sound-rattled-the-bus-stand-victims-recount-jammu-attack-horror/articleshow/68321479.cms, 8th Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2432189853664244
Liked this lady singer's rendition of Mohd. Rafi Sahab's Tumne mujhe dekha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki1unW2JyiA, 4 min. 22 secs.
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FB post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2431714347045128
Disturbing but they are allegations and not proven in a court of law. It is hard to know what the truth is, in such high-profile cases. So I do not jump to the conclusion that accused is guilty, especially when the accused is no longer alive to refute the accusations. Therefore I give MJ the benefit of the doubt.
‘Leaving Neverland’: Viewers React With Shock at Disturbing Accounts of Life With Michael Jackson, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/03/arts/television/leaving-neverland-recap.html, 3rd March 2019
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A person provided this link: What You Should Know About the New Michael Jackson Documentary, https://www.forbes.com/sites/joevogel/2019/01/29/what-you-should-know-about-the-new-michael-jackson-documentary/, 29th Jan. 2019
I (Ravi) responded (slightly edited): Interesting article giving the view from MJ defenders' side. Thanks --Name-snipped--.
Ravi wrote (slightly edited): Pravin Wagh Here's a video of MJ's nephew Taj defending MJ in a recent interview with Britain's Sky News channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWYMPF00q2k, 11 min. 25 secs.
Taj speaks well and in a controlled manner without any emotional outbursts against HBO. He says the HBO documentary is a one-sided one (against MJ) and asks why they did not include the other side (defending MJ) in their documentary.
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Ravi wrote: What is clear is that media houses in the West make big money when they make documentaries or programmes like this, alleging sexual abuse of children by famous figures. They perhaps know that if they are challenged in court, the freedom of speech laws in the West will not hold them guilty of defamation of the famous figure. Further, such a legal challenge will be massive advertisement for their documentary/programme and will lead to them raking in even more money!
So it is a win-win proposition for them to take sexual abuse allegations against famous figures which cannot be proven in a court of law, and convert them into money-spinner documentaries and programmes.
What a terrifying thing it is to be a famous figure in today's world! There are people who are out to get the famous figure, in any number of nefarious ways, and achieve money and/or fame for themselves in the process!
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A person commented: Ravi S. Iyer
The news reported here a few days ago the Jackson's family is suing, as well they should.
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I responded (slightly edited): Thanks for the info. --Name-snipped--.
A person wrote: Both of these scoundrels testified in court on Michael's behalf and then changed their stories once he was dead. Pathetic.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2434549240094972
HBO is nobody to judge MJ. I refuse to accept HBO documentary's views (I have not seen the documentary and I don't have to). Such judgements have to be done by a court of law where there is due process.
Here's a great MJ performance and great MJ mania: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (30th Anniversary Celebration) (Remastered Widescreen), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCA3qQkqso, 8 min 6 secs.
Just see how the crowd is totally into it and has a great time. MJ was an awesome music performer, a super star!
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2436704069879489
Over yesterday and today, I saw the 4 hour documentary 'Leaving Neverland', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaving_Neverland, available as two part youtube videos (I am deliberately not providing the links). I also saw video clips of MJ family and former lawyers for MJ rebutting the accounts of Wade Robson and James Safechuck pointing out that Robson and Safechuck had previously said in court that MJ did NOT abuse them.
My stand continues to be that in such super sensitive cases, it is the court of law that has to decide whether a person is guilty. I am NOT willing to judge MJ as guilty of child sexual abuse based on a documentary.
But I do think that we should work towards a world where child sexual abuse is prevented from happening, and in cases where there are credible complaints of child sexual abuse, the police and other agencies of law enforcement should investigate such matters thoroughly, and act against any perpetrator with the full force of the law of the land.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2437246919825204
Thriller was released in end 1982. It's quite a mad video clip but its music and dance moves are very catchy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V90AmXnguw, 3 min. 21 secs.
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[Above FB post has some comment exchanges including a reference to "Indian Thriller" which I not included here.]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2437258106490752
Bad got released in Aug. 1987. I think I first saw this song on MTV while I was in the USA around that time.
The main theme of the lyrics - I am Bad - felt rather weird to me. However, the aggressive but fluid dance moves of the whole gang of dancers including MJ, and the furious pace of the music and song, were very catchy. It seemed to cast a spell. The subway location also added to the aggressive theme of the song and conveyed a sense of danger as muggings were not uncommon in some subways like New York city subway.
I would have been in my mid twenties then and quite new to USA. I felt maybe that's how it is in the USA. So I kept aside my odd feeling about the 'I am Bad' lyrics and went with the rest of the song video. What a hit it was! What a music superstar MJ was then! King of Pop was not an understatement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsUXAEzaC3Q, 4 min 19 secs. Note that there is a longer version of the song video which gives good context for the song and which makes it clear that MJ is not glorifying 'Bad'. But what I, and I am quite sure many others in USA and in many other parts of the world, saw was the short video, and formed our impressions about the song based on this short video.
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In response to a comment on above post that said that the bad used in the song should not be interpreted as the bad of good and bad, but as a slang expression not meaning bad, I responded (slightly edited):
Well, did you see the longer version of the video, --name-snipped--? If I recall correctly, that shows the background of MJ being asked to participate in a mugging in the subway (before the song starts) by his old friends (MJ attends a 'fancy' school) who think his 'fancy' school has changed him. I think his friends ask him to prove that he is bad like them by participating in the mugging. MJ backs out and helps the potential victim (an elderly white guy if I recall correctly) escape. And then he confronts his old friends and the song sequence starts.
The lyrics of the song other than the 'I am Bad' refrain talks about people changing their ways, showing that the song does not glorify Bad. So maybe there is a pun on the word Bad here, in one context it means literal bad (like mugging) and in another it means the slang that you refer to.
...
And I don't think it is related to the 'my bad' expression that seems to be in vogue now in the USA.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2451546711728558
Nigel Farage gives the Hard Brexiteers view in the EU (Farage speaks from around 6 mins in the video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjbM4NmjLcA, around 10 mins, published 31st Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2450235718526324
Not ordinary college dropouts who found academics to be too difficult ... just guys who felt they knew enough to contribute to humanity via industry and so could drop out of academics.
[Shared FB post has pics of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg with some captions: https://www.facebook.com/baggoutcom/photos/a.374021156053591/2033836363405387/?type=3&theater]
In response to a comment, I (Ravi) wrote:
I think that both Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have contributed to humanity via the software work they led in both development and marketing - namely, Microsoft Windows and other software developed by Microsoft in case of Gates and Facebook in case of Zuckerberg. In the process, they also made huge money for themselves. What they do or have done with their money is another aspect. But my view is that with their software development (and marketing) leadership itself, they have contributed significantly to humanity via industry (as against academia).
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2449854078564488
Loved seeing this! Indian President Ramnath Kovind being welcomed by Bolivian President Evo Morales.
I am all for much closer relationship than before between India and all countries of South America.
Video is around 1 min. 30 secs.
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/PresidentOfIndia/videos/333482587373227/]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2449846961898533
British PM May's only withdrawal agreement has also been rejected with 344 votes against and 286 for, a margin of 58
So 12th April is the No-Deal "crash" out of EU deadline date now unless something changes.
[Shared article: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47752017]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2447982295418333
Interesting to see how the baby elephant's terror and anger at its plight got directed at the people who helped her get out of the canal of a dam. The guys were smart and aware of this danger and seem to have done a great job using just their own hands and feet to save the baby elephant and at the same time save themselves from the baby elephant's anger!
The dam is in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India.
Video slightly less than 1 min. 30 secs.
[Shared video: https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/videos/413514565877477/]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2445991472284082
"The new software system is now a focus of investigators who are trying to determine what went wrong in the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air tragedy in Indonesia. A leading theory in the Lion Air crash is that the system was receiving bad data from a faulty sensor, triggering an unrecoverable nose dive."
Ravi: As a former international software consultant (I worked in the software development field for 18 years from 1984 to 2002), I have been reading such reports over the past few days, and have felt really upset.
One of the big downsides of software systems is that sometimes the software becomes the controller and the human users of it have limited ability to override the system. The banking system is one example. Prior to software systems, the branch manager could fix a lot of issues related to one's bank account, if he/she got convinced that the bank is in error. But now it is all controlled by software. The bank manager has to write about it to some software complaints cell somewhere and wait for them to act! That can be frustrating for the customer (and bank staff too).
But this airline thing is terrifying! I mean the software seems to have gone for a toss - sorry if I am using strong words but hundreds of people have lost their lives in the two crashes and so strong words may be appropriate - and decided that the plane should go lower in altitude! The pilots seems to have to tried to override this automatic faulty action of the software by trying to fly the plane to a higher altitude, but the software seems to have reversed that again (and again), as per reports I read elsewhere.
And from experience I know that if you rush software development, the probability of software errors (bugs) creeping in are higher. This software was written by human(s) and not machines, I believe. I wonder if the software Quality Assurance team also had to rush through their testing of the software!
I am sorry if some of what I have speculated above may be wrong and unjustified. But as somebody from the software development field, I felt I should frankly share my views on these two tragedies.
[Shared article: 737 MAX: A jet born of Boeing's frantic race to outdo a rival, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/737-max-a-jet-born-of-boeings-frantic-race-to-outdo-a-rival/articleshow/68550652.cms, 24th March 2019]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2444201662463063
Looks like good news. EU provides more time to UK to resolve Brexit deal issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51_K54OeDh8, 1 min. 47 secs.
The exact period of extension is conditional and seems complicated to me. But 29th March 2019 seems to no longer be the cliff-edge date for UK to "crash" out of the EU. I think that's good news. Hopefully UK parliament will use the additional time wisely and arrive at some deal which will pass through the parliament and which is acceptable to the EU.
...
UK PM May remarks, Brexit extension: 'We are at the moment of decision' - BBC News, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ9uNttunyw, around 2 mins.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2443424985874064
Will Britain go out of EU with No Deal on 29th March 2019
OR
have an extension till 30th June 2019 to decide on a deal acceptable to UK parliament (majority) and the EU?
It's still not clear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2kfDz-t1Jg, 19 min. 37 secs, published by Channel 4 News on 20th March 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2437985663084663
[My share comment on FB cartoon showing a coffin and a largely empty church/hall with one person saying, "He had over 2000 Facebook friends. I was expecting a bigger turnout.":]
Ha! Ha! A reflection of the reality of FB friendship. But then I think it is a mistake if one presumes that FB friendship will translate to real-life friendship too. One should be aware that the virtual world is a different one from the real world, even if sometimes there is an intersection between the two worlds. I value my FB interactions for the intellectual and emotional stimulus they provide. I do not expect that FB friendship to translate to real life support.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2435943353288894
Strange interview of R. Kelly by CBS' Gayle King
Warning: The interview has sensitive stuff related to sex abuse allegations. Viewers who don't want to see such stuff should skip reading this post.
Prior to this interview I had not really paid attention to R. Kelly. I am not getting into taking a stand on the allegations against R. Kelly. That is for the USA courts.
The guy does not have the ability to stay calm when a seasoned media interviewer asks tough questions. Why did he and/or his managers agree to the interview! R. Kelly has demolished himself in this interview under Gayle King's tough questions in the parts where he loses his cool and gets into ranting and raving.
I saw various clips of this interview. I am sharing one of them below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07yZF2lM1y0, around 10 mins.
This interview certainly does not paint a good picture of him. Maybe all the allegations against him, some of which may be wildly exaggerated, have completely upset him.
One thing is clear - there are many people making serious sex abuse allegations against him, and want to see him rot in jail.
The allegations are mainly, if not all, from African Americans, against the African American singer star R. Kelly. And Gayle King is a well known African-American CBS interviewer. So there does not seem to be any racism angle in this.
King asked tough questions but that's what you get when you agree for an interview with a top USA TV media house. R. Kelly and his managers should have known that.
[The FB post has some comment exchanges which I have not included in this blog post.]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433673663515863
Only shared link: Attack on Kashmiris in Lucknow: 'Don't make me a hero, I only objected to injustice', https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/dont-make-me-a-hero-i-only-objected-to-injustice/articleshow/68312392.cms, 8th March 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433777910172105
Very good to see PM Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh speak of strict action against those who harm Kashmiris in India. PM Modi refers to Lucknow incident where innocent Kashmiri dry fruit sellers were targeted and roughed up by unauthorized activists. PM Modi said that strict action has been taken against those who targeted the Kashmiris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqtIm3tNP9c, 1 min. 26 secs.
My view is that innocent Kashmiris anywhere in India, who do not associate with the terrorists, must be fully protected by Indian law enforcement agencies. Action must be taken by law enforcement (and not by unauthorized activists) only against those Kashmiris who associate with the terrorists.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2434390660110830
Only share link: Business swells for vendors from Kashmir as support pours in, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/biz-swells-for-vendors-from-kashmir-as-support-pours-in/articleshow/68327444.cms, 9th Mar. 2019
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Grenade attack kills teen at Jammu bus stand, suspect caught in 5 hrs: Cops, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/grenade-explosion-at-jammu-bus-stand-about-8-people-injured/story-YEuPDvXptuHZ2ieHsfQixH.html, 8th Mar. 2019
Congratulations to security forces for having nabbed the terrorist. Condolences and prayers to victims (1 dead, many injured) and their families.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433036163579613
Around 3 mins. A top police officer from Jammu explains in English how the suspect was apprehended and that the suspect confessed to his terror crime.
[Shared FB video of Times of India: https://www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/videos/1144257179079310 ]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433773130172583
15 year old school student was motivated to become terrorist who carried out Jammu attack according to reports published by NDTV
Class 9 Student Hid Grenade In Lunchbox, Say Sources On Jammu Attack, https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/class-9-student-hid-grenade-in-lunchbox-says-sources-on-jammu-attack-2004611, 9th Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2433881576828405
My prayers to God for the two persons killed yesterday morning, Mohammad Sharik and Mohammad Riyaz, in the Jammu terrorist attack allegedly done by a 15 year old school student on instructions from his terrorist boss. May God give strength to the family of Sharik and Riyaz. May God help heal the injured.
'A deafening sound rattled the bus stand': Victims recount Jammu attack horror, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/a-deafening-sound-rattled-the-bus-stand-victims-recount-jammu-attack-horror/articleshow/68321479.cms, 8th Mar. 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2432189853664244
Liked this lady singer's rendition of Mohd. Rafi Sahab's Tumne mujhe dekha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki1unW2JyiA, 4 min. 22 secs.
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FB post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2431714347045128
Disturbing but they are allegations and not proven in a court of law. It is hard to know what the truth is, in such high-profile cases. So I do not jump to the conclusion that accused is guilty, especially when the accused is no longer alive to refute the accusations. Therefore I give MJ the benefit of the doubt.
‘Leaving Neverland’: Viewers React With Shock at Disturbing Accounts of Life With Michael Jackson, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/03/arts/television/leaving-neverland-recap.html, 3rd March 2019
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A person provided this link: What You Should Know About the New Michael Jackson Documentary, https://www.forbes.com/sites/joevogel/2019/01/29/what-you-should-know-about-the-new-michael-jackson-documentary/, 29th Jan. 2019
I (Ravi) responded (slightly edited): Interesting article giving the view from MJ defenders' side. Thanks --Name-snipped--.
Ravi wrote (slightly edited): Pravin Wagh Here's a video of MJ's nephew Taj defending MJ in a recent interview with Britain's Sky News channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWYMPF00q2k, 11 min. 25 secs.
Taj speaks well and in a controlled manner without any emotional outbursts against HBO. He says the HBO documentary is a one-sided one (against MJ) and asks why they did not include the other side (defending MJ) in their documentary.
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Ravi wrote: What is clear is that media houses in the West make big money when they make documentaries or programmes like this, alleging sexual abuse of children by famous figures. They perhaps know that if they are challenged in court, the freedom of speech laws in the West will not hold them guilty of defamation of the famous figure. Further, such a legal challenge will be massive advertisement for their documentary/programme and will lead to them raking in even more money!
So it is a win-win proposition for them to take sexual abuse allegations against famous figures which cannot be proven in a court of law, and convert them into money-spinner documentaries and programmes.
What a terrifying thing it is to be a famous figure in today's world! There are people who are out to get the famous figure, in any number of nefarious ways, and achieve money and/or fame for themselves in the process!
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A person commented: Ravi S. Iyer
The news reported here a few days ago the Jackson's family is suing, as well they should.
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I responded (slightly edited): Thanks for the info. --Name-snipped--.
A person wrote: Both of these scoundrels testified in court on Michael's behalf and then changed their stories once he was dead. Pathetic.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2434549240094972
HBO is nobody to judge MJ. I refuse to accept HBO documentary's views (I have not seen the documentary and I don't have to). Such judgements have to be done by a court of law where there is due process.
Here's a great MJ performance and great MJ mania: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (30th Anniversary Celebration) (Remastered Widescreen), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCA3qQkqso, 8 min 6 secs.
Just see how the crowd is totally into it and has a great time. MJ was an awesome music performer, a super star!
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2436704069879489
Over yesterday and today, I saw the 4 hour documentary 'Leaving Neverland', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaving_Neverland, available as two part youtube videos (I am deliberately not providing the links). I also saw video clips of MJ family and former lawyers for MJ rebutting the accounts of Wade Robson and James Safechuck pointing out that Robson and Safechuck had previously said in court that MJ did NOT abuse them.
My stand continues to be that in such super sensitive cases, it is the court of law that has to decide whether a person is guilty. I am NOT willing to judge MJ as guilty of child sexual abuse based on a documentary.
But I do think that we should work towards a world where child sexual abuse is prevented from happening, and in cases where there are credible complaints of child sexual abuse, the police and other agencies of law enforcement should investigate such matters thoroughly, and act against any perpetrator with the full force of the law of the land.
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2437246919825204
Thriller was released in end 1982. It's quite a mad video clip but its music and dance moves are very catchy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V90AmXnguw, 3 min. 21 secs.
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[Above FB post has some comment exchanges including a reference to "Indian Thriller" which I not included here.]
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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2437258106490752
Bad got released in Aug. 1987. I think I first saw this song on MTV while I was in the USA around that time.
The main theme of the lyrics - I am Bad - felt rather weird to me. However, the aggressive but fluid dance moves of the whole gang of dancers including MJ, and the furious pace of the music and song, were very catchy. It seemed to cast a spell. The subway location also added to the aggressive theme of the song and conveyed a sense of danger as muggings were not uncommon in some subways like New York city subway.
I would have been in my mid twenties then and quite new to USA. I felt maybe that's how it is in the USA. So I kept aside my odd feeling about the 'I am Bad' lyrics and went with the rest of the song video. What a hit it was! What a music superstar MJ was then! King of Pop was not an understatement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsUXAEzaC3Q, 4 min 19 secs. Note that there is a longer version of the song video which gives good context for the song and which makes it clear that MJ is not glorifying 'Bad'. But what I, and I am quite sure many others in USA and in many other parts of the world, saw was the short video, and formed our impressions about the song based on this short video.
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In response to a comment on above post that said that the bad used in the song should not be interpreted as the bad of good and bad, but as a slang expression not meaning bad, I responded (slightly edited):
Well, did you see the longer version of the video, --name-snipped--? If I recall correctly, that shows the background of MJ being asked to participate in a mugging in the subway (before the song starts) by his old friends (MJ attends a 'fancy' school) who think his 'fancy' school has changed him. I think his friends ask him to prove that he is bad like them by participating in the mugging. MJ backs out and helps the potential victim (an elderly white guy if I recall correctly) escape. And then he confronts his old friends and the song sequence starts.
The lyrics of the song other than the 'I am Bad' refrain talks about people changing their ways, showing that the song does not glorify Bad. So maybe there is a pun on the word Bad here, in one context it means literal bad (like mugging) and in another it means the slang that you refer to.
...
And I don't think it is related to the 'my bad' expression that seems to be in vogue now in the USA.
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FB post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2431586640391232
Science and technology have dramatically changed human life including addition of new ways of creation of children (human life).
A small extract from the article:
"The first documented post-mortem sperm removal was reported in 1980 and the first baby conceived using the procedure was born in 1999, according to medical journals. Usually, the request comes from a surviving spouse."
In this particular case, the deceased youngster had said that he wanted raise 5 children. So the parents are wanting to have his sperm removed in the hope that their son may live on in children created from that sperm!
Just mind-boggling stuff!
Parents of a 21-year-old West Point cadet who died after a skiing accident retrieved their son's sperm for 'the possibility of preserving some piece' of him 'that might live on', https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-of-dead-west-point-cadet-retrieve-his-sperm-2019-3, 5th March 2019
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FB post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2431586640391232
Science and technology have dramatically changed human life including addition of new ways of creation of children (human life).
A small extract from the article:
"The first documented post-mortem sperm removal was reported in 1980 and the first baby conceived using the procedure was born in 1999, according to medical journals. Usually, the request comes from a surviving spouse."
In this particular case, the deceased youngster had said that he wanted raise 5 children. So the parents are wanting to have his sperm removed in the hope that their son may live on in children created from that sperm!
Just mind-boggling stuff!
Parents of a 21-year-old West Point cadet who died after a skiing accident retrieved their son's sperm for 'the possibility of preserving some piece' of him 'that might live on', https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-of-dead-west-point-cadet-retrieve-his-sperm-2019-3, 5th March 2019
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