New York Times On Warrantless Surveillance and Wire-Tapping

A recent editorial in the New York Times on the case against warrantless wire-tapping


New York Times editorial on warrantless wiretapping

Eric Alterman on the American Elections and the Media Circus

When one thinks the mainstream media coverage of the American presidential elections couldn't possibly get any worse, it does. Here's _The Nation's_Eric Alterman on the hows and the whys of the abysmal state of affairs:

Eric Alterman on the media coverage of the American elections

President Obama on "the Indispensable Nation"

Some years ago Madeleine Albright claimed that the United States was the "indispensable nation". Not sure what the dispensable nations thought about this claim. During the so-called debates, President Obama sort of recycled the same words of wisdom by reassuring voters that his nation's status was still the same. As he put it,

“America remains the one indispensable nation...." President Obama

The dispensable nations are still not sure about what to make of this claim. Since they are quite dispensable, it probably does not matter what folks in those nations, think.

Homi Bhabha and Indian languages

Apparently Prof. Homi Bhabha of Harvard University, born and brought up in India where he graduated from with his first university degree, is not quite at home with any major Indian language. Strange, but as he himself admits it, all too true.

"Do you feel incapacitated because of a lack of access to major Indian languages?

Yes, I do. There is not much I can do about it. And I can't blame the West for it."

homi bhabha on linguistic options

the toilet rights movement in India

Unsurprisingly, narratives of India shining do not include the fact that a majority of the people in India have no access to toilets. This fact should naturally create a stink, but it mostly does not because the people who are excluded from this basic right are not from the urban middle-class. However, open defecation can be witnessed, and smelled, not just in remote rural areas, but along the railway tracks as well as other wooded areas in all major and minor Indian cities. The problem is particularly acute for women in the rural areas who, due to obvious safety concerns - from other predatory humans as well as snake-bites - have to hold it until it's dark or get to it before dawn breaks. As a result of this inhuman exercise of patience, thousands are afflicted with serious urinary tract infections. The situation is simply beyond belief, but not really on the radar screen of the official policy makers since it obviously does not affect them directly.

Farah Naqvi A Loo of One's Own

Toilet Museum in India

Malise Ruthven on the stink in India

The fact that an Indian sociologist -  Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak - is doing something about it through his Sulabh International, is a good start. And the fact that Mr. Jairam Ramesh, an Indian minister, who unlike most other politicians is actually focusing on this issue helps too.

Sociologist Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak

It is however, the proverbial long battle. But the lack of action on this critical issue generates more than stench and stink. It is a serious health issue that affects millions. It is also an issue of basic human dignity.

Governor Pawlenty becomes a lobbyist for Wall Street

Given other global and local events, this bit of news did not get much air-time, but Tim Pawlenty, the ex-Governor of Minnesota who was hoping to be selected as the VP running mate of Mitt Romney, quit as the co-chair of Romney's campaign to become the chief executive for Financial Services Roundtable, a Wall Street lobbying company.

 C. Wright Mills would have been surprised!

Governor Pawlenty becomes a wall street lobbyist

"WASHINGTON - Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Thursday ruled out a run for political office in Minnesota in 2014, leaving Republicanswithout a top prospect in what are expected to be competitive races for U.S. Senate and governor.

Advisor Brian McClung told The Associated Press that Pawlentyruled out the races as he prepares to take a new job as chief executive of The Financial Services Roundtable, a Wall Streetlobbying group."  (www.newsday.com)

"Pawlenty was rumored to be a contender for both the Republican president and vice president nominations during the 2008 election, and he officially sought the 2012 Republican presidential nomination from May to August 2011. After withdrawing from that race, he became a finalist to join his party's nominee on the 2012 ticket as its vice presidential candidate.^[2] Pawlenty was not selected as Mitt Romney's vice presidential candidate, but served as co-chair of Romney's campaign. He subsequently quit Romney's campaign to become a Washington lobbyist for financial institutions.^{[3]" (wikipedia)}

the american presidential debates

it seems a tad unfair to expect the public to ponder weighty issues such as divining the "winner" of the american presidential debate. sure, self-appointed commentators on the airwaves do provide the necessary cues for the clueless, both before and after the debates. still, given the existence of exacting standards for pretty much everything in this world, it seems a bit odd that the participants in the debates are not graded by non-self-appointed experts according to strict, objective and of course scientific criteria. as the following from a recent BBC report indicates, the general public appears uncertain and confused.

"Half of uncommitted voters in a CBS poll said Mr Biden had won the encounter, with Mr Ryan receiving 31%. A CNN poll of registered voters said that Mr Ryan was the winner by 4 points."

how could this be? in the age of smart phones and drones that can be controlled from thousands of miles away, such fuzziness is not simply inexcusable but possibly not good for such a vibrant and healthy democracy. there is no reason why a commission, funded by the same corporate conglomerate that sets the rules and organizes the debates, to study the feasibility of creating metrics necessary for calibrating and grading each performance should not be struck. the criteria could of course include a whole range of variables - from whether the candidate does or does not make total eye contact with the camera while making a weighty point, to the measurement of facial contortions when making snide remarks or smirking. since the debates are recorded, the results based on objective fool-proof evaluation could easily be made available immediately after the jousting is over. like the photo-finish at the olympics. perhaps even faster. at some point, cheer leaders too could be added to enhance the super-bowl festive atmosphere. but, in the interests to objectivity and detachment, this ought to be done only after the technology to factor out the cheer leaders' sounds from the technological grading has been developed and refined enough to prevent bias.

in the unlikely event of a technological glitch, there's always the fool-proof totally objective criterion: "which candidate can you imagine having a beer with with?" quiz to fall back on.

an unlikely capitalist

an unlikely capitalist, but not quite. many others in the past have realized that the current trajectory unregulated capitalism will eventually ruin everyone and everything, including the environment and of course, the capitalists too. as marx put it, it's really a choice between  'socialism or the common ruin of all'. for the moment we seem to be on course for the latter outcome....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL8OfEKXRoE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmbwc5NznDo&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXVPSLrC5rs&feature=related

the American presidential debate

Apparently the so-called presidential debate was "lost" by Obama because he did not look directly into the camera while making some point or the other. The political theatre, as most everyone knows, is heavily choreographed, with advance agreement on topics that can and cannot be touched and discussed. Yet, everyone also loves a show and reality TV. Besides, the airwaves and newsprint columns need to be filled by intricate analyses of style or lack thereof. So it goes. More "debates" to follow.

Michael Ignatieff on the annals of political science

Michael Ignatieff:

"America's empire is not like empires of times past, built on colonies, conquest and the white man's burden ... The 21st century imperium is a new invention in the annals of political sciences, an empire lite, a global hegemony whose grace notes are free markets, human rights and democracy, enforced by the most awesome military power the world has ever known." 

The absurdity of his proposition was quite obvious at the time he made it, so no comment is necessary...except for the fact that the hyperbole "new invention in the annals of political science" appears to be his favourite. Here he is, writing about a decade later on Syria:

"A loose alliance of struggling capitalist democracies now finds itself face to face with two authoritarian despotisms—Russia and China—something new in the annals of political science..."

new in the annals of political science

Eric Hobsbawm 9 June 1917 – 1 October 2012

Cliched though it may sound, the passing away of Eric Hobsbawm represents the end of an era. It is not very often that the death of an historian is covered by all the major dailies in the world, particularly if the historian in question happens to be an unrpentant Marxist. But then again, it is not very often that the work of an historian so dramatically influences how we think about our past and about ourselves.

"Social injustice still needs to be denounced and fought," he said. "The world will not get better on its own."

Almost all major newspapers in the world published obituaries and remembrances of this incredible thinker. And not unexpectedly, the most important of all Indian dailies _The Hindu_ carried not one, not two, but four appreciations of his life and work:


Remembering Eric Hobsbawm The Hindu

Eric Hobsbawm Times Literary Supplement

Eric Hobsbawm The Guardian

The Times of India

The Toronto Star

Eric Hobsbawm Washington Post

Eric Hobsbawm Montreal Gazette

Eric Hobsbawm Hindustan Times

Eric Hobsbawm BBC

Eric Hobsbawm The Nation

Eric Hobsbawm in quotes