CounterCurrents: Shock Doctrine At Work In India, Media Complicity Is Key To Blacklisting Websites,

Dear Friend,

We are living 'interesting times' (the Chinese way) in India. Is there a method in this madness? Padmaja Shaw who  retired as a professor of journalism from Osmania University analyses the events leading upto demonetisation and concludes that it resembles Naomi Clein's wonderful theory of "Shock Doctrine". Yes it is. "Surgical Strike", "Shock and Awe" these are words that can be seen profusely used to describe the recent demonetisation.  The result of this shock therapy is slowly emerging. All perceptible readers can see that the writing on the wall is not good,  perhaps ominous. 

In our #HumansOfDemonetisedIndia series "Mallika, The Daily Wage Earner" from rural Bengal says how she is affected by the sudden note ban. Plz join this campaign by sending picture stories toeditor@countercurrents.org

Washington Post's shoddy journalism, which promoted a shady group that black listed Countercurrents.org and 200 other websites including Wikileaks comes in for sharp criticism from  Norman Solomon of RootsAction.org. He brings out the mainstream media complicity in promoting these sort of 'McCarthyist' black list. Show your protest by writing a letter to Washinton Post here http://act.rootsaction.org/o/6503/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=199955

We all know that Climate Change is the most important issue of our times. Urgent action is a responsibility from our part towards our future generations. Are we able to communicate the urgency of the situation sufficiently to the genereal public? Ugor Bardi of University of Florence says, from his own recent experience, we have an information deficit and trust deficit. He puts it this way,  "I think that more than an information deficit, there is a “trust deficit” that blocks communication. It is not enough to tell people how things stand: we need to generate trust. And trust begets trust. " How do we generate trust in Climate Change communication? Let's put our heads together and think and act. 

There is a village in Bhutiachang TE of Udalguri district of Assam where villagers have found a way to co-exist and resolve the elephant-human conflict in an innovative way. Listen to their story. 

Also more stories from around the world. 

If you don't mind, and if you think the content of this news letter is critical for the dignified living and survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter herehttp://www.countercurrents.org/news-letter/. 

In Solidarity

Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org




Shock Doctrine At Work In India
by Padmaja Shaw 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/shock-doctrine-at-work-in-india/

The series of events succeeded not just in creating shock, they invariably strengthened the coercive state, undermining the Constitutional limits to its power. This is the time to sharpen our abilities to see through the shock doctrine, if we are still to survive as a democracy.





#HumansOfDemonetisedIndia: Mallika, The Daily Wage Earner

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/humansofdemonetisedindia-mallika-the-daily-wage-earner/

My name is Mallika Lohar. I am a daily wage earner from Ruppur, Birbhum, West Bengal. Demonetisation has only been inconvenience for us. Our payments have been delayed, and now there are Rs. 2000 notes only. Wherever we go, there is no change for Rs. 2000. How can we go on without change? The grocery-store person is saying I should give him the note, and keep buying from him. But don’t I need to buy other things?





The Numbers That Tell The Story Of This Standing Rock Victory
by Tracy Loeffelholz Dunn 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/the-numbers-that-tell-the-story-of-this-standing-rock-victory/

Here are some numbers Behind the Standing Rock Victory





Media Complicity Is Key To Blacklisting Websites
by Norman Solomon 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/media-complicity-is-key-to-blacklisting-websites/

We still don’t have any sort of apology or retraction from the Washington Post for promoting “The List” — the highly dangerous blacklist that got a huge boost from the newspaper’s fawning coverage on November 24. The project of smearing 200 websites with one broad brush wouldn’t have gotten far without the avid complicity of high-profile media outlets, starting with the Post.





Troubled Waters: Trump, Taiwan And Beijing
by Dr Binoy Kampmark 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/troubled-waters-trump-taiwan-and-beijing/

There was much tittering in the US-China fraternity over the casual, yet infuriating engagement US President elect Donald Trump had with Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen.  A reading of the reactions suggested meltdown, a terrifying, imminent apocalypse.  An outrageous booboo, or an typically uncharacteristic move hardly worth a mention?





The Profound Disappointment Of Angela Merkel
by John Chuckman 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/the-profound-disappointment-of-angela-merkel/

Merkel has been de facto leader of Europe during an extremely challenging period, one demanding real statesmanship. Instead, she has provided attitudes and short-term fixes married to complete acceptance of the most destructive American policies possible. Her policies have alienated large numbers of her own people and, almost more importantly, contributed mightily to the weakening of loyalties in Europe – not a record of which to be proud.





A Tale Of A Village Where Humans, Elephants Coexist Peacefully
by Shajid Khan 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/a-tale-of-village-where-humans-elephants-coexist-peacefully/

A village in Bhutiachang TE of Udalguri district of has shown a novel experiment to resolve the elephant-human conflict that started about couple of years ago and it appears to be paying dividends.





Climate Science Communication: Trust Begets Trust
by Ugo Bardi 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/climate-science-communication-trust-begets-trust/

Without going into the details of the debate, let me tell you of an event that was an eye-opening experience for me. It made me understand that there is such a thing as an “information deficit” problem, but also that things are not as simple as that. I think that more than an information deficit, there is a “trust deficit” that blocks communication. It is not enough to tell people how things stand: we need to generate trust. And trust begets trust. But let me tell you the story.





Expose, Oppose, Propose: Alternative Policy Groups And The Struggle For Global Justice – (Less a Review:More A Reflection)
by Peter Waterman 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/expose-oppose-propose-alternative-policy-groups-and-the-struggle-for-global-justice-less-a-reviewmore-a-reflection/

This is a book on such an important subject, carried out with such serious theoretical underpinnings and such an original methodology, that it might seem churlish to take issue with what it fails to deal with.





Same Chairs, Different Bottoms
by Mirza Yawar Baig 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/same-chairs-different-bottoms/

An allegorical tale that reflects the happenings in modern India






Praja, Politics And People
by Ravi Nitesh 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/praja-politics-and-people/

When PRAJA (Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance) was announced by Irom Sharmila, it signalled somewhere a ‘change’. This change was an effort to disturb the dirty stream of politics through entry of a fresh stream. As people’s say, you will also become dirty if you will join politics, but it certainly doesn’t mean that not joining politics will guarantee any self purification of already existed people, parties and ideas. In all such sense, PRAJA has definitely an upper hand to have this courage for entering as fresh stream.





Obesity And Health Hazards
by Sheikh Umar Ahmad 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/06/obesity-and-health-hazards/

Speaking all above factors regarding obesity and it’s ill effects particularly in the development of Liver cancer in a single genesis, it is a clear scientific evidence of how obesity contributes in the emergence of multitude of heath related issues with also interfering in the treatment prognosis of other diseases developing irrespective of obesity induced disorders.