Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in or around Oct. and Nov. 2022
When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer).
To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers may have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.
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Interesting video about geography of China resulting in densely populated East China and sparsely populated West China (including Uighur and Tibet regions). The video title seems to me to be inappropriate but perhaps it was used to possibly draw more eyeballs than a more accurate title.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K1P1cxbmB8 , around 8 mins., published today.
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Terrifying to hear Russian president Putin say that world is facing most dangerous decade since WW2
Note that I am sharing this around 1 minute video only to share the Russian president Vladimir Putin's very scary words about most dangerous decade. I am neutral in this horrific and tragic war in Ukraine.
Most dangerous decade since World War 2!! My God! Those are terrifying words to hear from the leader of one of the major nuclear powers in the world.
US president Biden had also said similar words in the recent past about Armageddon risk being highest since 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
It is so sad that the world has gone back to cold war between Soviet Union and USA days, with now the cold war being between Russia and USA. A nuclear war between them means horrific consequences for the whole planet earth. That's why I find the Russian president's words so terrifying.
And there seems to be nothing happening now between USA and Russia that is aimed at reducing such tension. I mean, the rest of the world which will face horrific "collateral damage" if such a war happens, is so helpless when USA and Russia confront each other in this way.
Putin says world facing most dangerous decade since Second World War, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npTBioHIMmQ , 1 min. 16 secs., published on 28th Oct. 2022.
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Brutal questions asked of UK PM by reporters show maturity of democracy in UK
Given the bad news coming from UK finance markets for past few weeks, followed by change in the UK chancellor (finance minister), I spent some time trying to understand the situation.
As part of that, I watched UK PM Liz Truss' press conference yesterday. Here's one video of it (I saw a different video of the same event): Prime Minister Liz Truss press conference 14 October 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZv9CYhppdY , 9 min. 18 secs., published by 10 Downing Street.
Truss starts taking questions at around 4 mins. 18 secs. into the video. She took 4 questions from 4 reporters. The reporters were brutal in their questions with some of the questions effectively asking why she is not resigning!
I don't think even in the USA, reporters are so brutal towards the head of state in direct questions posed, in person and on camera, to the head of state (US president).
Truss did not lose her calm (as it seems to me) and gave some responses though they did not address the brutal questions directly.
I think this shows how mature a democracy UK is. It is not only the opposition politicians but even media reporters who can brutally challenge the head of state in person and on camera.
BTW I am politically neutral in UK politics. This post simply shares some observations I made as I followed UK PM's press conference.
Let's hope that UK financial markets become steady with the changes made in policy and also in the chancellor position.
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Great live orchestra rendition, perhaps in 2020, of 1972 Hindi film Pakeezah song - Chalte Chalte yunhi koi mil gaya tha . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYbsf-6l9iw , around 6 mins.
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One of Lata Mangeshkar's great songs - from a 1971 Hindi film ...
Update: Just came across possibly a better quality video: Jane Kyon Log Mohabbat Kiya Karte Hai (( 4K video song )) Mehboob Ki Mehandi | Lata Mangeshkar, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD8kVGPp4pA , 5 min. 26 secs. end-Update.
jane kyon log mohabbat kiya karte hai_Mehboob Ki Mehandi_Leena& Rajesh Khanna_Lata_Anand Bakshi _L P, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N40fWVY0F50 , 6 min. 37 secs.
On screen star is Leena Chandavarkar, the music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal and the lyricist is Anand Bakshi. Of course, singer is the great Lata Mangeshkar.
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Somewhat recent orchestra rendition that is pretty good: JANE KYUN LOG MOHABBAT | LATA MANGESHKAR | SANJEEVANI BHELANDE | SIDDHARTH ENTERTAINERS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQDifGWt_1Y
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Over past nine months or so (since my hospitalization in January), I have not shared/commented on world politics/military affairs but I am making an exception now. This exception has been triggered by the Ukraine-Russia war now reaching a point where some top leaders of Russia and USA are talking about nuclear weapons usage (Russia) and what reaction there will be if nuclear weapons are used (USA). Very scary! Very disturbing! But one has to deal with it. We seem to be well and truly back to the Cold War days before Reagan and Gorbachev signed the (intermediate-range nuclear) arms limitation treaty in late 1980s.
The following interview does not focus on Ukraine (though it does mention it) but discusses how the general world environment has drastically changed with (military) power dictating world affairs. As per the French diplomat, Europe will be facing/is already facing situations where it will have to change its strategy from what it followed during the largely peaceful post world war 2 days that Europe enjoyed. Sad but I think this diplomat is telling it like it is. And, I guess, one has to deal with this new reality or else risk facing some nasty surprises.
The title of the video is not appropriate though the ambassador does say that. I think the summary message of the video is that the ambassador thinks that diplomacy now has to change to what was practised for 2000 years in the past. And that's so sad as history of past 2000 years is full of horrific wars among kingdoms and nations, tremendous exploitation including large-scale loot and plunder of the weak/defeated by the strong/victorious, and military power almost solely, if not solely, deciding which kingdom/country/empire is the boss/looter/exploiter.
Western domination of world is 'over': Former French ambassador Gérard Araud • FRANCE 24 English, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKob-FUhnKo , 8 min. 12 secs., published by FRANCE 24 English on 14th Sept. 2022.
[My comments (slightly edited) in associated FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/pfbid02nGFMwWEFi1hq8AwmtjiDvSSnaavTnn8vsYCPD7taP9aDkmqf82ZTDRteA23Q2tFFl are given below:]
Noted your view, ---. Thanks.
In my adult lifetime (from 1980), I don't recall war tension involving Russia (or erstwhile USSR) and USA, being so high. Prior to Reagan-Gorbachev nuclear arms agreement in 1987 or so, if I recall correctly, there was lot of Cold War talk with Reagan being quite aggressive verbally, I repeat verbally. But I don't think either USA or Russia were involved in any war directly then.
Now while USA is not at war with Russia, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and later annexation of some territories of Ukraine on one hand, and USA's arms and other support for Ukraine besides the sanctions put by USA on Russia on the other hand, has, I think, got USA - Russia ties to a dangerous point, not seen since 1980 at least.
US president Biden himself has ***publicly*** said that nuclear Armageddon threat is highest since Cuban missile crisis which was in end 1962.
It is the ongoing war in Ukraine that makes the situation very dangerous. Had there been no war involving Russia or USA, and only verbal aggression between USA and Russia, it would not have been so dangerous.
War can lead to unpredictable situations where some desperate measures are chosen.
Nuclear war between Russia and USA will be catastrophic for the whole world, not just for USA and Russia.
I think somehow the Ukraine war must be brought to an end, as that will reduce this horrific tension between USA and Russia. But how can that happen? I don't read/hear anything about such possibilities as each side has dug into their positions and so meaningful negotiation seems to be impossible.
Terrifying state of affairs!
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[Contents of FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/pfbid0iTyNHwpzcjKwm2Jvzu5kwfMv3YE4pfH2rC17hYo9r3qj2i31ukukWF5a8E1Zvg4Vl which shares a pic :]
One of the great learnings I have had over the past few years since I started my social media work (from around 2011) which involves lot of reading and viewing, is that European history of the colonial era of past few centuries till late 1940s/1950s, shows that significant number of Europeans, perhaps most Europeans, of those times led very challenging lives and were quite poor. Only relatively few Europeans profited greatly from colonization (and the plunder and loot of colonies under European powers) and led lives of the super-rich.
I think kitchenware sellers in India in 1903 would have looked quite similar to below pic of kitchenware sellers in Italy!
I should add that I think the industrial revolution would have also led to some super-rich among the Europeans but perhaps not the masses. Note that industrial revolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution , is dated from "1760 to about 1820–1840".
While I don't know the details, a correspondent had shared that in the 19th century (18xx) some Scandinavians had died of hunger! Perhaps it was only in the 20th century that vast numbers of European masses were lifted out of poverty, with industrialization and modernization being a key driver of such uplift. And that has been an extraordinary achievement of Europe.
[My comments (slightly edited) in above post:]
Just added to the post some additional thoughts about Europe.
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Hmm. Very sad to know. I had read a little about Victorian workhouses earlier but did not know the details. I remember Oliver Twist of Charles Dickens part of which we were taught in school. But I think I did not realize then, as a boy, that such was the condition of many of the poor in England then.
Other than in wartime (as pre-colonial India is full of wars) and in treatment of prisoners of war (some of whom were made slaves), I don't recall reading about such horrific treatment of the poor in Indian kingdoms, or even under British rule in India.
Yes, there was lot of poverty even in pre-colonial times India, I think, with famines happening from time to time. And then there was untouchability among Hindus with the so-called lower castes (Dalits) being treated badly by the higher caste people. But I think the poor were not so ruthlessly exploited as these Victorian workhouses.
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--- Good to know your grandparents did OK. Indian cities with their slums were quite bad for the poor even some decades back (now I think they would be better). I have read in past few years about poor living conditions for poor in cities of Europe and USA.
Interesting point about post WW2 being the period where Europe's living standards went up in a big way. If I get the time, I will see if I can get some Internet references for it.
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[My comments on public post: https://www.facebook.com/eve.gardener.980/posts/pfbid029njpCPcrRSs3RCGbqtdfb8ZqoHPTFWngF1AXz8NkYF5mSvUHHi7c3ZZMxAnQETC2l ]
Scary! Armed drones have shown how horrific they can be in war. Imagining or thinking about armed drones equipped with powerful AI is very, very scary.
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In case you want to see some views on how dangerous the combination of armed drones and AI can be, here's a 2021 DW (German news channel) video which covers some of it: How AI is driving a future of autonomous warfare | DW Analysis, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpwHszy7bMk , 27 mins. I have seen 17 mins. of it and plan to see the rest of it later.
Even viewing the initial half of the video shows how dangerous the situation is with nobody having the power to stop such weapons developing further & further.
The video was made before the Russia-Ukraine war, and focuses on the Azerbaijan-Armenia war where armed drones seem to have played a decisive role. Now we see how armed drones (Kamikaze/suicide type) launched by Russia are battering Ukraine which seems to have limited capacity to counter or prevent the drone attacks. And as these drones are said to be significantly cheaper than missiles, Russia has been able to batter Ukraine by large number of drone attacks. I am neutral in this Russia-Ukraine war. I am mentioning it from point of view of seeing how armed drones & AI combo is devastating when used in a war.
The DW video has an expert talk about possibility of autonomous (meaning robotic) anti-drone system being used to counter drone attacks but which could accidentally trigger a war! That is truly terrifying given the massive damage that modern weapons (even non-nuclear ones) can create.
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How Russia's ‘kamikaze’ drones are changing the Ukraine war - BBC News, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkVlM8ZvSL8 , around 5 mins. published day before yesterday (22nd Oct. 2022).
I am sharing the above video for the coverage of kamikaze drones part of it. I have no comments on the international politics part of the video.
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I await the coming of Prema Sai Avatar (when he starts his mission as Avatar) though I do not know if I (in this body) will be around then.
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Oh! I have full faith that Prema Sai Avatar will come within the next decade or two/three decades. How he will be able to put humanity on the path of goodness, peace and love - about that I do not know. But come he will, and he will surely have a significant impact on the world. Note that Sathya Sai Baba also had a significant impact on the world with millions benefiting even if the world as a whole did not change into a peaceful and loving world.
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The Bhagavad Purana (Srimad Bhagavatam) which is Hindu holy scripture but not precisely the Veda, does talk of a future Kalki avatar. But I don't know when he is expected to come.
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Well, the world has quite a lot of depravity now.
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