On Einstein's Acceptance of Communist Russia and Rejection of Zionist Israel

Einstein was opposed to a separate Jewish state, opposed to a partition of Palestine, opposed even to an establishment of a Jewish government-in-exile, considered the Jewish underground movement a “disaster” and supported a bi-national self-government in Palestine with both Arabs and the Jews ruled with the consent of the Arabs.

Read More
Culture, Feminism, Religion, Saswat, Biography Saswat Pattanayak Culture, Feminism, Religion, Saswat, Biography Saswat Pattanayak

Jab Tak Hai Jaan :: A tribute to Yash Chopra

Unlike all the movies in the past that have taken up such a topic where the god is challenged, in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, the god eventually loses. Jesus would have won, had Shah Rukh died while diffusing the last bomb because Katrina had broken all her divine promises. Chopra deliberately had this unpalatable but a necessary ending where a man openly and unrepentantly challenges the divine plan, and prevails.

Read More
Communism, Media, Philosophy, Political, Publication, Saswat Saswat Pattanayak Communism, Media, Philosophy, Political, Publication, Saswat Saswat Pattanayak

Occupy Wall Street: Challenges, Privileges & Futures

The biggest challenge for the OWS is to humbly acknowledge that it is a movement driven by a specific ideology which refuses the use of violence as a revolutionary tool, demands increased taxes for the rich, envisions student debt relief, opposes the Tea Party politicians, demands “direct democracy” as a political approach, and has raised over a half a million dollars within a couple of weeks to fund its campaign.

Read More
Communism, News, Political, Publication, Saswat, Commentary Saswat Pattanayak Communism, News, Political, Publication, Saswat, Commentary Saswat Pattanayak

Wall Street Spring :: Americans Demand Democracy

Occupation movement this time around offers no immediate solution – nor does it harbor much hopes either. If the collective demand is to have Obama administration dissociate itself and the United States from Wall Street money, the collective intelligence says it is probably not possible.

Read More
Media, Political, History, Communism, Saswat Saswat Pattanayak Media, Political, History, Communism, Saswat Saswat Pattanayak

Media Lies and Libyan Lives

Cold War history has been so colored by western media propaganda that it has ceased to be Cold. As an unintended ramification and possible consequence of the old habits of generating fear psychoses and war justifications, the numbers continue to get inflated even today. In the case of Libya, before the issue is relegated to dustbins of history and before Gaddafi is eternally depicted as the dictator he was not, it is crucial to seek for answers regarding the number of actual deaths.

Read More