Blowing Up the Crypto Cartel https://thebaffler.com/outbursts/blowing-up-the-crypto-cartel-silverman <https://thebaffler.com/outbursts/blowing-up-the-crypto-cartel-silverman

 How FTX’s collapse broke an omerta by Jacob Silverman, The Baffler, July 2023
 Despite claims of “decentralization,” the cryptocurrency industry is controlled by a powerful cartel of wealthy figures who, with time, have evolved to incorporate many of the same institutions tied to the existing centralized financial system they supposedly set out to replace.

As long as crypto is run by offshore operators using a parallel financial system that is only partly visible to regulators, law enforcement, and the general public, there will always be incentives for insiders to collaborate, exchange privileged information, and work to their mutual advantage.

there are many people in crypto, maybe even the bulk of participants, who are in it for honest reasons: they like the technology, they appreciate the novelty, they have libertarian ideas about the separation of the state and money, or perhaps they just want to gamble and try to get rich. But these people, the ones who actually bring much-needed fiat dollars into the system, are playing a different game. They are at a severe disadvantage, buying tokens at artificially inflated prices from venture capitalists and exchange CEOs who got them at friends-and-family discounts from their colleagues. As crypto critics like to say, these retail traders are the exit liquidity for the tech billionaires promising economic emancipation. They are the means by which the people running the cartel cash out. They are the marks. And they can’t be allowed to get away.

Western Ghats lost 5% evergreen forest cover, shows analysis https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/western-ghats-lost-5-evergreen-forest-cover-shows-analysis/article67079915.ece July 14, 2023
Western Ghats Spatial Decision Support System launched by the IISc also shows that interior forest constitutes only 25% of the forest landmass, depicting the fragmentation pressure, impacting local ecology

400+ Ecologists Write to Environment Minister Against Amendments to Forest Conservation Act https://thewire.in/environment/400-ecologists-write-to-environment-minister-against-amendments-to-forest-conservation-act 

for full text http://emeets.lnwr.in/index.php/4385-concerns-with-the-the-forest-conservation-amendment-bill-2023

Role of the Hindu Right in Communalising Politics and Politicising Religion: Zoya Hasan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eshoD-Fo5EA Indian Cultural ForumJun 19, 2019
A panel of speakers that included Romila Thapar, Kunal Chakrabarti, Zoya Hasan, and Valay Singh talked about the history of Ayodhya and more at the book launch of 'Ayodhya: City of Faith, City of Discord' in New Delhi.

Academic and political scientist Zoya Hasan talks about the politics of hindutva, how Ayodhya prepared the grounds for BJP's rise to power, how the Hindu right uses religious symbols, cultures and institutions to create a Hindu vote bank and move towards a majoritarian state, the collective failure of the political institutions of this country in resolving the Ayodhya conflict and more.

https://sabrangindia.in/article/role-hindu-right-communalising-politics-and-politicising-religion/ 

Ayodhya: City of Faith, City of Discord https://indianculturalforum.in/2019/12/06/ayodhya-city-of-faith-city-of-discord/ Romila Thapar,Kunal ChakrabartiandZoya Hasan December 6, 2019

Manipur -The incident was known to CM and govt then why no action? | MANIPUR VIOLENCE | PM MODI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqdNbpDPNa8  Jul 21, 2023 मणिपुर की हिंसा का असली कारण है ? क्या दोनों समुदाय मैतेई और कुकी ज़िम्मेदार हैं ? क्या ये नफ़रत की राजनीति की तार्किक परिणति है ? बता रही है सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता कविता कृष्णन What is the real reason for the violence in Manipur? Are both the communities Meitei and Kuki responsible? Is this the logical culmination of the politics of hate? Social activist Kavita Krishnan is telling

CJI Chandrachud की अदालत में मोदी सरकार के ख़िलाफ़ ये 7 मामले https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBKKHg8clWU   Ajit Anjum

Chandrachud & Modi Govt. : चंद्रचूड़ लेने जा रहे 5 फ़ैसले..बौखलाई मोदी सरकार ! Punya Prasun Bajpai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8EpCP43guE  Jul 23, 2023

CJI चंद्रचूड़ के पीछे पड़ा ट्रोल आर्मी सुप्रीम कोर्ट को कोठा कहा, SUPREME COURT, DY Chandrachur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWl4MfizwA0

From an email  22 Jul 2023 From: S V Kadam <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> To: Information Commissioner, Konkan <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

concerns regarding the recent instruction issued by the SIC (Kokan) requiring appellants and applicants to turn off their mobile phones before entering their cabin. I firmly believe that this instruction is an illegal act as there are no laws or rules that have been framed to mandate the switching off of mobile phones before meeting any official.

In today's digital age, mobile phones have become an essential tool for communication and access to information. Even the Hon. Supreme Court and
High Courts have recognized the importance of technological advancements by allowing online streaming of court proceedings, thus facilitating transparency and accessibility. Restricting the use of mobile phones without any valid legal basis contradicts the principles of openness and efficiency in public administration.

It is essential to promote transparency and
openness within the office of the SIC and provide citizens with the means
to record and document their interactions without unnecessary hindrances.

Don’t Invest Public Money in high risk Adani Coal to PVC Plant https://forms.gle/2wmceUSkmecKF1QY7
On June 20, it was reported that Adani Enterprises had secured an in-principle agreement from a SBI led consortium of banks to fund its proposed Coal to PVC plant in Mundra. Such an investment of public money in a company whose financial viability has been deemed suspect is a violation of the trust that crores of people have reposed in these public sector banks

 At a time when Adani Enterprises is overleveraged and is under an ongoing investigation, the reported attempt by public sector banks to raise ₹ 14,500 crore and the remainder by private banks, is a severe undermining of public trust in custodians of public money. According to an assessment carried out last year by CreditSights, a credit assessment unit of the Fitch Group, which points to the group's high indebtedness, over-leveraged operations and debt-driven expansion into highly capital intensive projects in a wide range of new sectors. According to this report, “excessive debt and over-leveraging by the group could have a cascading negative effect on the credit quality of the bond issuing entities within the group and heightens contagion risk in case any entity falls into distress”.

It is important to note that coal based projects became the principal line item in India’s terrifying bad loans problem, contributing to more than ₹ 1.74 lakh crores in NPAs. This Coal to PVC project has the potential to join the long list.

The coal-based manufacturing of PVC is highly environmentally damaging, emitting three times more greenhouse gases than conventional plastic production, exacerbating both the plastic waste and climate crisis. The coal to PVC plant in question, with numerous flue gas and process vent stacks, releases harmful particulate matter leading to various health problems, including respiratory issues and heart diseases.

Suggest draft of letter to Parliamentarians: whereas census 2011 identified the percentage of disabled population to be 2.21 per cent, NFHS-5 has an estimate of 1 per cent only. The lack of data on 21+ disabilities in mainstream research reports and crime records by the govt is obvious.The lack of proper data leads to deprivation, with many being left out of various social security schemes amongst others.

introduce  a mandatory registration system for disabilities. Such mandatory registration should  be done  at the level of the rural/urban bodies; anganwadis; schools; community health centres, village sanitation & nutrition committees etc.

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