by the meltingpot: September 2011

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Indeed, what is at work in the recent return of realism is the revenge of geography in the most old-fashioned sense. In the 18th and 19th centuries, before the arrival of political science as an academic specialty, geography was an honored, if not always formalized, discipline in which politics, culture, and economics were often conceived of in reference to the relief map. Thus, in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, mountains and the men who grow out of them were the first order of reality; ideas, however uplifting, were only the second.
And yet, to embrace geography is not to accept it as an implacable force against which humankind is powerless. Rather, it serves to qualify human freedom and choice with a modest acceptance of fate. This is all the more important today, because rather than eliminating the relevance of geography, globalization is reinforcing it. Mass communications and economic integration are weakening many states, exposing a Hobbesian world of small, fractious regions. Within them, local, ethnic, and religious sources of identity are reasserting themselves, and because they are anchored to specific terrains, they are best explained by reference to geography. Like the faults that determine earthquakes, the political future will be defined by conflict and instability with a similar geographic logic. The upheaval spawned by the ongoing economic crisis is increasing the relevance of geography even further, by weakening social orders and other creations of humankind, leaving the natural frontiers of the globe as the only restraint.
So we, too, need to return to the map, and particularly to what I call the “shatter zones” of Eurasia. We need to reclaim those thinkers who knew the landscape best. And we need to update their theories for the revenge of geography in our time.
Here is the link for the whole write up.

Now at 2nd place

My view is that relations between countries in the coming decades are most likely to reflect their cultural commitments, their cultural ties and antagonism with other countries rather than other factors. Quite obviously, power will continue to play a central role in global politics, as it always does. But usually there is something else behind conflicts. In the 18th century in Europe, the issues to a large extent involved questions of monarchy versus the emerging republican movements, first in America and then in France. In the 19th century, it involved states identifying themselves through nationalism. In the 20th century, ideology came to the fore, largely, but not exclusively, as a result of the Russian Revolution. We had fascism, communism and liberal democracy competing with each other. Well, that’s pretty much over. Liberal democracy has come to be accepted, in theory at least, around the world, if not always in practice. So the question really is what will be the central focus of global politics in the coming decades? My argument remains that cultural identities, antagonisms and affiliations will not only play a role, but play a major role in relations between states. The full interview is here.

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Every citizen in the City of Richardson will be able to access 756 Kbps of internet connectivity for free, from anywhere in the city. They will be able to access the internet from their homes, schools, restaurants and parks using standard wi-fi connections which are now installed on almost every notebook computer. That is almost as fast as many so-called high speed broadband connections that one pays dearly for today, and several times faster than the various hotspots at your local coffee shops. And I should note that the tax-payers of the City of Richardson are not paying one penny for this, and in fact are going to see additional revenues as a benefit. ... At the beginning of this letter, I suggested that this would be one of the fastest worldwide rollouts of a technology ever seen. It was just 20 years ago that the first cellular systems were being built. The rollout for mesh wireless systems is going to make that look slow. There are several reasons I make this assertion. But they all center on the facts that installing mesh systems will be cheaper and easier than any previous system and the economics in both the developed and especially the developing world will be so radically compelling. Throw in the fact the any astute politician will want to be at the front of this parade (They will all want to say, "I was the man who helped bring free internet to everyone!") and the groundwork is laid for rapid deployment. In Richardson and elsewhere, MeshLinx is offering the basic infrastructure for free. This avoids all the time consuming, political budget battles in the cities. When a service is offered for free, much of the mandated competitive process is eliminated. Next is the low cost of installation of the system. As noted above, Richardson is a city of roughly 100,000 people living in 27.4 square miles. It will "only" cost about $2,000,000 today to lay the wireless blanket I mentioned above. It will cost a great deal less in the future, as MeshLinx is building the pods at a pace of 100 a month today. The maximum output of the US pilot assembly line is 500 a month. When the demand exceeds this (and it will in a very short time) discussions have been held to move volume production to China. Of course, the world will need tens of millions of pods. The cost for a pod will be a fraction of today's cost, with that installation number for a city like Richardson soon being half (or less) the cost of today. What does that $1 or 2 million get you? The infrastructure to be an internet connection, telephone, security, entertainment provider and a whole lot more company. As noted, it will get cheaper as the number of pods being made each month rises, thus lowering their costs dramatically. This technology does have scale. The cost of physically putting up a pod is not a large part of the equation, as you simply need to run a power line, attach a few bolts to a mount on the side of a building or light pole and then off to the next point. Think about the 40,000 homes and businesses in Richardson. If and (hopefully) over time when 10% decide to pay $50 a month for 10-20 Mbps high speed internet access you could see a revenue of $2.5 million a year just from internet access. Now add in all the other income possibilities (phone, entertainment, security and don't forget advertising revenue on the free service!). Think about your town or country. What would service like this be worth? If you are a small city that does not have high speed connections available, how many businesses that could bring jobs do not come your way because they need reliable communications for their work and their employees? If you are in a developing country, where internet access is difficult and expensive, it will open whole new vistas. Couple that with the various programs which want to give cheap laptops to kids in poor countries, and you could see significant social progress in a generation. Here is the link.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Ongoing blockade---Instructions from New Delhi.

This may sound a bit dramatic but let me say it---

How is Manipuri society's destiny got so tangled up with the ongoing blockade?

We are talking about our destiny because the hardships heaped on us, and the profound questions thrown up, by this ongoing blockade may help us open up our eyes to the true personality of the Indian State in action.Once the majority of our populace reach that point,we may come face to face with our destiny.

On the 51st day of the ongoing economic blockade, let me make a list of the intructions sent down by New Delhi to the blockade sponsors.

In other words,the list portrays the dirty war being waged by the Indian State against the helpless and innocent people of Manipur.

1)The first is not exactly the intruction sent down to the blockade sponsors but nontheless an instruction.

I can't the remember the date but it was in the early days of the ongoing blocakde when Assam Rifles sepoys beat up blockade supporters on the highway 39.There was a huge commotion in the Sardar hills in protest against the AR sepoys.

New Delhi instructed the AR to show the way to the Manipuri society by its example:BEAT UP THE BLOCKADE SUPPORTERS AND OPEN UP THE BLOCKADE.

2)The second episode is also similar to the first one but this time Assam Rifles convoys promised safe passage to some Manipuri truckers by letting them mingle with the AR trucks on the NH39.But they somehow let the blockade supporters burn down 4 trucks.

Then, they again beat up some blockade supporters.

This time--more passionate case of leading by example:BEAT UP THE BLOCKADE SUPPORTERS AND OPEN UP THE BLOCKADE.

3)This was 3rd September 2011.And it was in Keithelmanbi.

As a positive response to the appeal made personally in a public meeting held in Sardar hills by the president of a prominent civil Society organization,the last of the series of public meeting called by the Sardar Hills district Demand Committee in Keithelmanbi announced the suspension of the econonmic blockade.Even as it was being announced,suddenly there arose a fracas within the meeting.And,the announcement was kept in abeyance so that it could be confirmed by the following day.

It was a clear case of an intruction to scuttle the announcement by New Delhi to the
underground outfits currently engaged in Suspension of operation with it.

It is to be noted here that from the beginning of the series of public meetings in four different places(the last being Keithelmanbi),there was a very positive vibe that the economic blockade might be suspended.So, the Indian STate had got a plenty of time to prepare the instruction to scuttle the announcement in Keithelmanbi.

4)12th September 2011.

The Sardar Hills District Demand Committee announced that the existing Sardar Hills
boundary should be kept in tact--no redrawing,no tweaking.

This is huge change in the stance of the Committee.

Previously,in all the public meetings(in even one held in Imphal)they wanted district first--boundary question could be discussed later on.

Now,it's not the question of districthood---but the question of "Kuki land".

On another instruction from New Delhi,the functioning of the Committee was hijacked by the underground elements and the demand for a districthood morphed into an ethnic issue.

5)15th September 2011.

Mr P Chidambaram,the Home Minister,Union Of India,daintily came out to the floor of the conference of top cops in New Delhi and heartily announced that his Union has just now begun to face the newest problem--BLOCKADE ON THE HIGHWAYS.

It took the very presence of the honorable Home Minister himself to give blessings to their henchsmen on the highways of Manipur!Come on,New Delhi!!

6)20th September 2011.

As if to celebrate the 50th day of the blockade,Mr Wungnaoshang Keishing,the Phungyar MLA,began running front page ads in major Imphal dailies.

We have to remember here(as my last post had discussed in detail) that the ongoing blockade aka the newest dirty war by the Indian State,was enunciated by an instruction given to Mr Keishing.Now, we have just seen Mr Keishing recieving the second instruction.

So,what might be the second instruction by New Delhi to Mr Keishing?

Provocations on the highways won't do. Now,bring the provocations to the heart of Imphal Valley--Konung Lampak(Palace compound).

So,Mr Keishing dutifully announced in his ads a political conference of Phungyar
constituency at Konung Lampak on the 5th of October 2011!He is inviting 'headsmen,pastors,leaders of the students union and women union,social workers and well wishers of the Phungyar constituency'.

The ads continue their second day run on the front pages of today's major dailies.

Amidst the dramatic price rises,so much uncertainties and so much pent-up feelings,a lone ranger might throw a rock towards the conference.Then,a minor scuffle.Then,a bigger one.Then,somebody might get hurt and then,God forbid it,somebody might get killed.Then,we have the spark of an ethnic clash.

Clearly,Mr Keishing is instructed to aim for that spark in Konung Lampak--the spark so far proving illusive despite such intensive and prolonged provocations on the highways.

New Delhi is becoming desperate for a spark of an ethnic war in Manipur.

by the meltingpot

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Now at 2nd place

This is the 3rd