1. India has put a probe in orbit ‘round Mars. Impressive, but this important new The National Interest essay The India Myth” explains why India is not going to become a new superpower anytime soon. And its geo-strategic weaknesses vis-à-vis China are starker than you think.

2. Indeed, the essay makes me worry whether in these coming decades of Democracy in Retreat in the developing world, and in visible elite-fostered Decline in the West, that a pro-China, and down-on-democracy dictator could do well in India. Or elsewhere in Asia. That is, assuming a continued U.S. policy of dilly-dallying from behind, the first nation to “break faith” with the loose collection of nations that seem to be becoming semi-allied against Chinese bullying, i.e., Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Japan, could reap real rewards. We know Australia, Taiwan, and Japan never would, and have strong reasons to think the same with Vietnam. But if things go very badly in India or South Korea with modern democracy, I can imagine other calculations eventually. The Philippines is perhaps too America-connected to become China-allied, but it seems very exposed. I know too little about Indonesia to opine one way or the other.

3. The band/web-phenom Postmodern Jukebox is on tour this fall. A very talented group of musicians who have attracted attention with what you might dismiss as a gimmick, their covering current pop hits in a vintage styles from the 20s to mid 60s, and especially in swingy styles from the 30s–40s window. Here they are revealing the inner strengths of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” somehow redeeming the I would have thought inherently wretched “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus, and here they are with a cover of Lorde’s (good enough to actually be superior in the original) “Royals.” If nothing else, their site will give you a good chuckle or two, but the real point is the music. I meant to write on them some time ago, to try to relate their musical work to my some of my Carl’s Rock Songbook scribbling, but Mark Judge did a good job on their basic significance, and I at least want to call attention to them while they’re on tour. The main thing is they have excellent taste in musical (and adjectival!) style, and the chops and arrangements to deliver. Too bad in C-Ville they’re not booked in a venue with a dance floor.

4. Since I’m in retro musical mode here, the new Allah-Las album, Worship the Sun, is another one I’d recommend. Not as strong as the debut but with its own groovy-loose kind of ’66 charm.

5. There’s a fine Chronicle essay by Geoffrey Vaughn, “Town and Gown: What Great Cities Can Teach Higher Education.” t sort of suggests that just as the whole “cities are dying — the future is entirely suburban” idea you sometimes heard in the 60s-to-90s proved wrong, the idea that college education is going to become massively online will likewise prove. And it’s a bad idea to begin with. As Léon Krier could tell you — or show you — in day-to-day life people need places to center themselves ‘round. That likely applies to educational life as well.