Quantum Physics and Spirituality.

7 things that affect your vibrational frequency from the point of view of physics. Vibration in quantum physics means that everything is energy. Any feeling causes you to emit a vibration that can be positive or negative.

1. The Thoughts

Every thought you have....emits a frequency to the Universe and that frequency returns to the origin, in this case you! So if you have negative thoughts and sadness this will all come to you. That is why it is so important that you take care of the quality of your thoughts and learn to cultivate more positive thoughts.

2. The Company

People around you have a direct influence on your frequency. If you stand beside cheerful people, you too will enter into this vibration, now of you surround yourself with complaining and pessimistic people, be careful. For they may be lowering their vibrational frequency.

3. The Songs

Songs are very powerful. Pay attention to the lyrics of the songs you listen to and remember : you attract into your life exactly what you vibrate.

4. Things You Watch

When you watch programs that address misfortune, your brain accepts it as a reality and releases all the chemistry in your body, causing your vibrational frequency to be affected. Watch things that do you good.

5. The Environment

Whether at home or at work, if you spend a lot of your time in a messy, dirty environment, it will also affect your frequency. Improve what is around you.

Show the Universe that you are fit to receive much more. Take care of what you already have.

6. The Speech

If you complain or speak badly about things and people, that also affects you. Eliminate the habit of complaining and speaking ill of others. Take responsibility for the Choices of Your Life.

7. Gratitude

Gratitude positively affects your frequency, this is a habit you should incorporate right now into your life. Start to thank for everything.

Gratitude opens the door for good things to flow positively into your life.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. It was after breakfast that I noticed that my cellphone had lost its connectivity. It activated me to do the paperwork on the LIC policy claim too. Babu, in his auto rickshaw, was my sa'arthi all through.

My first destination was the Airtel booth where I got the SIM changed, then had gone to the watch shop to change the straps, then to the LIC office where the Manager, Preethy Nair had helped me out by listing the documents to be sent and finally to the National Supermarket to buy carrots, grocery and bananas.

My cellphone got reactivated by a half past 3.

Very touching......

A little boy said to a little girl :

I'm your BF!

The little girl asked :

What is BF?

The boy laughed and answered :

That means Best Friend.

They later dated, the young man

said to the girl :

I'm your BF!

The girl leaned lightly on the boy's

shoulder, shyly asked :

What is BF?

The boy replied :

It's Boy Friend!

A few years later they got married,

had lovely children and the

husband smiled again and told his

wife :

I'm your BF!

The wife gently asked her husband :

What is BF?

The husband looked at the lovely

and happy children and replied :

It's Baby's Father!

As they get old, they sit together

and watch the sunset on the front

porch and the old man tells his 

wife :

Honey, I'm your BF!

The old woman smiled with wrinkles

on her face :

What is BF?

The old man smiled happily and 

gave a mysterious answer :

Be Forever!

When the dying old man also said :

I'm your BF :

The old woman replied with a sad 

voice :

What is BF?

The old man answered and then 

closed his eyes :

It's Bye Forever!

A few days later, the old woman 

also passed away. Before closing 

her eyes, the old woman whispered

by the old man's grave :

Besides Forever.....

How the meaning of same

abbreviation changes with passage

of time during different phases of

life. 

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Our maid, Suma was back and on her own decided to sport her mask while she was in the house. She has returned after almost two months as she'd gone to be with her daughter for delivery and then she'd contracted Covid.

Mithun brought groceries from the National Supermarket on order.

Kittu's delightful capers.....

Old age now begins at 80.

Old age has been postponed. Biologically and psychologically, it now begins at 80, according to Ian Robertson, dean of research at Dublin's Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience.

"This leaves 30 years - roughly age 50 to 80, a period much longer than youth - for which we have to have a whole new way of living", he told the British Association science festival recently.

Robertson began to study the effect of age on the brain in 1984. Then the average age of stroke victims was 72. 

"By 1999, the average age of my patients was around 82. In just 15 short years, I saw with my own eyes how, in many of the word, people had become younger by roughly 10 years".

The human brain, he argued, at all ages was plastic. : it was shaped  by experience, learning and thinking. Ancient Romans had a life expectancy of 22, while Europeans could look forward to a lifespan of 50 years at the start of the 20th century.

A woman of 60 in Britain now expect to live, on an average, to 83. The degree to which people retained their faculties after 50 was influenced by what they did.

He listed a seven-point plan to ensure a youthful old age :-

* Aerobic fitness was probably most important. The function and structure of the brain were influenced by activity.

* Mental stimulation was vital. People could reduce cognitive decline by mental training.

* New learning was important. "The more you learn, the more you can learn", he said. "It can have profound physiological effects on the brain".

* High and prolonged stress had negative effects, particular on human memory.

* A rich social life helped. "People who maintain  a lot of social interactions maintain mental sharpness for a longer period".

* Healthy eating. A diet rich in fruit, vegetables and fish had profound effects on cognitive decline later in life.

* Finally, think young.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. 

Lekha's friend, Rajani came by to collect clothes that needed alteration.

Kittu kept us occupied with his frequent calls!  

What your mobile phone could do!

In grave emergencies, your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. This should be a must know for all mobile phone users!

1. Emergency Services

The emergency number worldwide for all mobile phones is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and your mobile will search any existing network in your area to establish the emergency number for you and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. This works on all phones worldwide and is free.

2. Locked your keys in the car?

If you lock your remote keyless car keys in the car at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button on the spare key, holding it near the mobile phone at their end. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.

Distance is no problem. You could be thousands of miles away.

3. Is your mobile phone battery flat? All hand phones have 'hidden battery power'

To activate, press the keys *3370# (remember the asterisk). Do this when the phone is almost dead. Your mobile will restart in a special way with this new reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery life. This reserve will be recharged when you charge your hand phone the next time. This secret is in the fine print in most phone manuals which we skip without realising.

4. Disabling a STOLEN mobile

To check your hand phone's serial number, key in following digits on your phone *#06#. Ensure you put an asterisk BEFORE the #06# sequence.

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen that is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it safe somewhere. If your hand phone is ever stolen, phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the SIM is changed, your hand phone will be totally useless. And even if you don't get your phone back, at least it can't be used/resold either. If everybody did this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

This secret is also in the fine print of most mobile phone manuals. It was created for the very purpose of trying to prevent phones from being stolen.

5. ATM PIN Reversal

If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM kiosk, you can notify the police by entering your PIN# in reverse. The ATM system recognises that your PIN is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you the money you requested but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to the location. All ATMs carry this emergency sequencer by law.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 6. The maid, Latha, had come and she went about her job meticulously, as usual. From Monday, the original maid, Suma will rejoin and Latha was sad that she was leaving us!

Lekha's urine culture report reached me by mail. Everything is okay. Phew!

Ramesh and his assistants had come by to set the exhaust systems of the bathrooms/kitchen right and clip the grass patch in the courtyard clipped. Lekha had taken a tumble on the courtyard, getting superficial wounds on her left hand and leg. Her new footwear had let her down as she pivoted around on the tiled stretch.

Participated in the 544th episode of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Superstitions and unhealthy practices" by Sri TKA Nair, Principal Secretary to the former PM. It was nice. 

  

To Kollam and back.

Our day had begun at 4 AM with Lekha's cellphone alarm going off. We went about our chores and were ready before 6. Sajish came soon after and we headed straight to the ATM at the east nada and then southward, to Kollam. The roads were very light on traffic at that time and we had hit the highway at a very comfortable time.

Breakfast was at Ananda Bhavan, around a quarter past 8 and Lekha and I could share the 'combo' as we'd desired but couldn't during our last trip. The filter coffee was not up to the mark, though. We resumed our journey after about 20' or so.

Though there were rain alerts today, we didn't experience even a shower during the complete journey. We were at Kavanadu, Kollam by 20' to 1 and decided to go to Lekshmi's place after having our lunch. It was done at 'Arakallu', a new eatery run exclusively by women. The proprietor, Reshna, is smart and knows how to run a popular kitchen though I did give some unsolicited(?) advice at the end of it all - the dishes needed to be tastier.

I had forgotten my cellphone at the counter but by the time Lekha and I had returned from the rest rooms, Reshna was standing anxiously outside the eatery to hand it over to me.

We reached Lekshmi by about a 20' to 2. And this was the gist of it all :-

"Aniyan was diagnosed with cancer of his pancreas about a year and a half back. It was detected when he used to complain quite often about a frequent pain in the lower abdomen that finally ended up with a sharp, clutching pain at the base of the backbone.

Whether he had his apprehensions about having contracted the deadly illness wasn't known to anyone and he was by then, busy in his elevation as the District Rotary Governor, the tenure finishing in June this year. Then he was left with plenty of time to himself and there were times when he spoke to his close friends about the illness. Chemotherapy and radiations were administered during the period but it didn't deter him, Lekshmi says. 

All his three children - two sons and a daughter - were in by early November. In one of his candid talks with the oncologist at the Aster Medicity, Kochi he realised that he was lucky to have survived for 11/2 years while most succumbed within 6 months after diagnosis. But then, the doctor had spoken to him frankly because he thought his patient to be rock solid and full of inner strength. That, however, seems to have been the tipping point as he realised his end to be near.

A day after Diwali, as the pain had increased, he was admitted into a private hospital, nearby for palliative care. A heavy dose of Morphine was administered to keep the pain away till death took him away in the morning of 23 Nov".

We were with Lekshmi for about an hour or so. Leaving Lekha along with her, I had insisted upon going to the cremation spot and was chauffeured to the place by his brother-in-law, Radhakrishnan who was driving that sophisticated car for the first time and made errors galore. Damn sweet of him. Saw Aniyan's bones lying scattered in the pit reminding me, yet again, as to what life was all about.

Said a short prayer for him, as I bid my final adieu.

On return, without much ado, we left for Guruvayur. Had dinner at 'The Emperor' at Kodungallur; the wheat parathas were nice. Reached home by 2200 hrs.

Tailpiece.

Kittu was waiting for us and Lekha had ruffled up his dinner of fish and rice which he devoured in haste only to disappear into the night. These days he sleeps on the rug at our balcony.  

A few interesting information.

Why fish do not close their eyes?

Actually, they can't close their eyes because they don't have eyelids. Some types of species do not need to get any rest. These include blind, cave-dwelling fish and deep-water varieties who swim continuously. 

The theory is that sleep is a way to process information and visual stimuli from the day. Both cave-dwellers, who have no sight and deep swimmers have little to no information to process, which could negate the need for them to rest.

    *      *      *

How a camel can live without water for many days.

Camels can go up to seven months in the desert without drinking water. During such a time, they may lose nearly half of their body weight. This is partly due to the unique shape of their blood cells which are oval.

A camel's hump does not hold water - it actually stores fat....

The hump is not used for water storage but camels can go for long periods of time without water. They drink large amounts of water - up to 20 gallons at a time. This water is stored in the animal's bloodstream. They also conserve water by not sweating as much as humans. A camel's metabolism lowers at night, making its body temperature much lower than that of a human being.

      *      *      *

Pavan putra Hanuman

The son of Kesari and Anjana, Hanuman was born on the full moon day of the month of Chaitra on a Tuesday. 

Hence, devotees worship Sri Hanuman on Tuesdays.....He is also known as Pavan Putra because the God of the winds carried the blessings of Lord Shiva and conveyed the message about his birth to Matha Anjana.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 7. Called up Hameed to go across to the Rajah Hospital to fetch a urine receptacle to pass on Lekha's sample for culture, post a course of antibiotics. Hameed had wanted to be relieved at 8. I would have had to hire a second auto rickshaw.

On return, when I tried to relieve him, he said that he would take me for the second trip to hand over the specimen and had already passed on his next run to another fellow auto rick driver. (Actually, yesterday I'd told him to fetch me a receptacle during one of the numerous trips that he made towards that direction but he had missed it). 

The results of the 'culture' will be available after three days. The cause of the swelling on her left leg needs to be pinned, though it has begun to reduce.

He was only correcting himself for my sake today; damn sweet of him.

Tomorrow is gonna be a long day as we go to Kollam to offer condolences to Lekshmi and her children on the passing away of Aniyan. 

Many happy returns to me!

Today's my 66th birthday. Am reminded about the story of my birth when I'd given a lot of problems to my mother. During those days, usually the doctor or the midwife came home and performed the delivery; pregnant-would-be-mothers were seldom taken to the hospital. Delivery by Caesarean section was a rarity. My mother was howling with pain and her father couldn't bear the tension.

Meanwhile, the doctor seems to have told him that she could save only one of the two - the mother or the child. Her father seems to have exploded, "What do you mean by child? Just cut it out and remove it, we don't want it, I want my daughter, safe".

Well finally, both the mother and child were retrieved from the precarious situation, safe and sound by the expert doctor. My Muthachhan used to tell me, always rather wistfully, "You're the child that I didn't want when I saw your mother going through a lot of pain". He loved me unconditionally and was very fond of me; moreover, I was his first grandchild.

My Ammachi, pregnant and carrying my younger uncle, used to take care of me and give me my morning baths. I think the special bond that existed between her and me developed during those tender moments! 

My Appooppan was equally happy and used to visit my mom's house at Thiruvananthapuram quite often, those days from Thalavoor, for carrying me around. His wife - my Ammoomma - also used to accompany him. She used to be amused with my mannerisms like sucking the tongue and my willingness to go into anybody's arms!

My father was quite happy - like all dads - and I think he was pretty sure as to what he expected me to become when I grew big. He was a happy man when I'd joined the National Defence Academy, years later!

       *        *        *

The Red Velvet cake from the nearby Mango Bakers, arrived by lunchtime. To match the shade of the cake, we both wore red upon Lekha's insistence and from the photos taken, during the cutting of the cake, looked quite appropriate and cute.

It was a continuous pouring of greetings from friends in the form of calls, What'sApp messages and Smses which did excite me no end!

The cake was also had by the gas cylinder-delivery-boys, who'd fetched up around that time and Latha, our maid.

       *        *        *

Today's was my English date of birth and the first to wish me were my sisters, brothers-in-law, my nephew, his wife, my niece and her husband. They were followed by Bunty and Babli, our helps while we were at New Delhi. My relatives will wish me on 04 Dec which is my birthday by the Malayalam calendar.

Adieu Aniya!

Lekha's classmate from school, Lekshmi's husband, Parameswaran - known among us as Aniyan - had passed into the mist of time yesterday morning, at Kollam. He was all of 60 years. Stricken by cancer in his duodenum and diagnosed a year back, he'd succumbed to death. The last month was really bad, it seems, with his condition deteriorating steadily.

Adieu Aniya. Your kind heartedness, helpful nature and infectious laughter were your USP. Om Shanti! Sadgati. With tears and prayers. May Lekshmi and your children have the strength to tide over this terrible loss.

Will have to look up Lekshmi and the children at the earliest.

Tailpiece.

Lekha had given me my 'Many happy returns' peck past midnight. Got up at a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 10. 

A quiet day otherwise.

   

Camera that can see through you.

Sci-fi is replete with references of spectacles that help the wearer see through the clothing of adversaries. Turns out the writers may have been prescient as researchers have developed a powerful holographic camera that can see through ( and around) almost anything, including corners, fog and even human flesh. The implications of the technology are significant as it could be commercially developed for vehicular, defence and even medical uses. Here's how it works.

The Technology

* This is relatively new field of research known as non-line-of-sight (NLoS) imaging and this technique can rapidly capture full-field images of large areas.

* It does so with submillimeter precision, a level of resolution that an AI-driven camera could use to see through the skin and see even the smallest capillaries working.

* An algorithm reconstructs the scattered light thrown by objects outside our line of sight and then reconstructs them on a computer.

* Due to its high resolution, the method also has potential to image fast-moving objects such as a beating heart through the chest or speeding cars around a street corner.

* It could replace endoscopes used in medical and industrial imaging by using light to see around the folds inside the intestines instead of sending a flexible camera for a colonoscopy procedure.

Prior Research on non-line-of-sight

In September, Stanford researchers had come up with a keyhole imaging technique that lets people outside shine a laser through keyhole to find out what's inside a room without going in.

The nitty-gritty

Whether it is to see around a corner or look at a pumping heart inside the body, the solutions are actually closely related, researchers said. This is because both rely on scattering media in which light hits an object and scatters in a way that a direct image is no longer possible.

The goal of the project was to intercept scattered light in order to reconstruct the information contained within the light, including its time of travel. Nothing is faster than the speed of light, so if you want to measure the time with high precision then you need extremely fast detectors.

The team wanted to find a way to get rid of fast detectors and did so by merging light waves from two lasers in order to generate a synthetic light wave. This can be tailored to holographic imaging. If you can capture the entire light field in a hologram, you can then reconstruct its 3D shape in full.

Statistics

* Built by - Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois

* Technique - Synthetic wavelength holography (SWH).

* SWH - A holographic representation of hidden or obscured targets.

* Wavelength - Infrared.

* Status - A decade away from commercial exploitation.

* Intended uses - Cars, CCTV and even as a medical scanner.

Why Earlier Attempts Were Not Successful?

Previous attempts at using NLoS techniques to recover images of hidden objects suffered from very low resolution and a small angular field. Other issues were the scan duration or the requirement of a very large probing area to measure the scattered light.

My take.

This is gonna be revolutionary!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. The maid had to get some official work done and therefore, took an off today. 

Lekha and I had gone in an autorickshaw to buy our weekly fruit basket, grocery and fresh fish for Kittu.

It has become the habit of the Kittu family to spread themselves - he, Ms Kittu and their three kittens - on the ex-barn roof, just across our balcony. They make an interesting sight!

Leaking Bucket.

* You wake up early morning trying to do your pooja/prayers/yoga but your mind is elsewhere and before you know it, you're done with it, without being mindful of it.

(A leaking bucket).

* You're very kind to outsiders/people in general and speak with them gently but with your own family you're always harsh/rude.

(A leaking bucket).

* You honour and treat your guests well but when they leave, you gossip about them and talk about their flaws.

(A leaking bucket).

* You try to read as much religious books, listen to satsang/keertan, participate in social services/sewa but you swear, insult, curse daily.

(A leaking bucket).

* You help others but you're doing it to gain something in return from them and not doing those acts of kindness selflessly.

(A leaking bucket).

* You frequently advise/preach others but practise none yourself.

(A leaking bucket).

* You slander other devout persons out of hatred/spite when your views do not meet one another.

(A leaking bucket).

* You look down on others and feel more superior than them, judging their level of knowledge, based on external experiences.

(A leaking bucket).

We struggle to fill our "lives" (the bucket) with the "earnings" of religion and knowledge (the water), hoping it will be retained inside but it is leaked by the many flaws (the hoes) that we commit daily.

An excellent reminder for all of us, to try and patch these holes up so we may progress further on this beautiful path of life.

Tailpiece.

Had reached Rema's house at Thrippunithura by a quarter past 1. The driver of the bus was good and mind you, he'd started from Thiruvananthapuram at a half past 7. Muthuraj's auto rickshaw came handy and he was a genuine guy.

By the time I had hit the sack, it was a half past 2.

Got up at a half past 6, the chores and after breakfast, we'd set off for Guruvayur by around 10 o'clock. Padmakumar had guided us out onto the main road. Had lunch at our favourite haunt, the Gokulam Sabari and it was nice to see those boys, who served us food.

Immediately on parking the Chevy at the porch, Kittu had come by and meowed. Lekha gave him his favourite food of bread and fish. He'd wiped his vessel clean and went away as quickly as he'd come.

Change of bed linen and washing machinex, our serials on television and my evening exercises prior to bath.

 

A feel good incident.

Dateline 21 Nov

Mid-air medical rescue on IndiGo by a minister, who was a passenger.

Who is Dr Bhagwat Karad? Till this morning I don't know. Now, after reading the newspapers, this Union Minister of State for Finance has become a hero to me. Dr Karad was on IndiGo flight 6E 171 from Delhi to Bombay. About an hour into the journey, a passenger took suddenly ill. The flight attendants urgently asked if there was a doctor on board. Dr Karad, a pediatric surgeon from Bombay's KEM Hospital, rose from his seat.

The passenger, a 45-year-old man, had no pulse and was unconscious. Quickly diagnosing that he was suffering from vasovagal syncope associated with giddiness and fainting due to blood pressure, Dr Karad called for the aircraft's emergency medical kit. From it he gave the passenger an SOS injection. He opened the man's shirt, massaged his chest and propped his feet on a pillow so that the blood could flow to his heart. Soon the passenger regained consciousness and was given a glass of glucose.

Dr Karad returned to his seat while all the other IndiGo passengers applauded. I have subsequently learned that the good doctor is a Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra. He owns a hospital in Aurangabad and has served in several medical positions. Before his election to the Upper House, Dr Karad was the Mayor of Aurangabad. I don't know why he strayed into politics but I am glad he did not forget medicine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is savvy with social media and handy with words, tweeted, "A doctor at heart, always!"

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, recited my prayers and turned back to sleep again. Got up at a half past 6, the chores and was ready by 9 as today's a holiday and Sunday. Aji reached home well in time and we set off for the Foundation by a half past 10. 

The follow up calls to all the guests who'd be attending this evening's function - felicitating 93-year-old O Rajagopal ji - were placed throughout the day.

Set off for the Semmangudi Hall for the function by a quarter past 4, made a brief visit to Omana chechi. The function started off on the dot, Maman's welcome speech was rambling and it took about half an hour. V Muraleedharan, the MoS for External and Parliamentary Affairs took his time too and by the time the function got over it was a quarter to 7. KK Raman Pillai chettan, TP Srinivasan, IFS and Pannian Ravindran were the others on the dais. A quick cup of tea, chatted with a few of the guests and Aji took me straight to the bus stand where I boarded the half past 7 Super Fast to Guruvayur. 

At the function, I'd proposed the vote of thanks and sung the national anthem. Everyone praised my rendition, saying that only a 'military man' could pull it off nicely. Well! 

 

Repealing the Farm Bills and Its Rationale.

Comments by Col Mool Bhargava.

Prime Minister Modi, in an unprecedented move, has repealed the controversial farm bills. I fully understand and endorse this step despite me being a staunch supporter on these laws. For some time, It had become a choice between a "likely" economic gain from bills versus Hindu Sikh unity. Knowing Modi and the RSS, the choice was obvious for any nationalist. Even if laws would have stayed, hostile state governments could easily keep avoiding it and make it a permanent thorn in Modi's flesh. These laws were, in fact, quite good economically but somehow, both sides of supporters had turned this into a decision by a "Hindu Government". One thought it was a law by "arrogant Hindu Government" and must go, the other thought this was a step by "strong Hindu Government" and must stay. The economic or agriculture debate about these laws had disappeared.

The bitterness was never so high in even in 90s after what all the Gandhi family did to Sikhs via Op Blue Star or 1984 riots. I joined Army in 1989 and had a large number of Sikh friends always. There used to be open discussions and they were all annoyed with the Congress but never against India or Hindus. Even at the peak of insurgency in Punjab, I was there as a military officer and villages were calm silently supporting national unity. This time, for whatever reason, many of those friends were getting quite annoyed. Many of my very nationalist Sikh friends, who even didn't turn anti India or anti Hindu in 1984, had been unhappy about these laws and considered it ham handedness.

This was fully exploited by anti-nationalist forces, very very effectively and was leading to sharp divisions in society. If these forces (anti-India) win in Punjab, we will have another Kashmir at our hand. Come what may, till now, we never had any anti-India CM on the chair in Punjab, unlike a series of those in Kashmir. So, there is no point in any financial/political or economic gain if the society breaks because of it. Lakhimpur Kheri weakened government stance, what happened there was totally unnecessary and very bad optics. It wouldn't matter much if a union minister was not involved. His idiotic son, further, made the whole BJP look Anti-Farmer and Anti Sikhs.

There are large number of silent supporters to these laws but at the end of the day, in democracy, if anyone can sustain a mass movement for one year in large numbers, they win, simple. This is a lesson for those silent majority also who did not hit the roads in support of the laws. I wish there were a few large protests in favour of the laws. BJP tried but none moved. Not even lakhs of people suffering due to roadblocks came together to throw protestors out. So, they held to their bargaining. So, they held to their bargaining power successfully. 

These noisy ones were stubbornly on roads and could not be tackled unless met by brutal force. Brutal force surely disperses crowds but rifts widen forever. Use of any brute force would have been known as Jallianwala Bagh-2 in history, with Modi being the new Dyer. Any such leader, ultimately, harms the cause of the nation and invites counter violence.

Neither Modi nor BJP can be ever as cruel as Indira Gandhi. Even in Kashmir, government can't fire on unarmed terrorists, how could they do so in front of the Red Fort with the whole world watching? Even China today cannot repeat Tianenman Square type use of force without serious repercussions, so no one should dream that Modi would ask the forces to disperse thousands of unarmed farmers using brute force.

Therefore, in my opinion, the Farm Bills had become more of a liability than credit, for the nation. NaMo has done very right by withdrawing these. Opposition may say it's been done due to elections, but I assert any nationalist would have done the same in such a situation. Announcing it on Guru Parv is no co-incidence. Modi has not done it merely for election win but Hindu Sikh unity. For all nationalists, Hindu unity (to include Sikhs and Jats) is the biggest gain. No sane man breaks his family just to earn more money. Economic, political gains can wait. 

My take

Must admit that I, too, was surprised to hear the PM announcing the repeal of the laws. Am sure that a lot of thinking has gone into it and the Colonel's arguments show the insight. A decision for the overall good of the country is what is the requirement. He has shown, time and again, that he's a leader of a different timbre!

And see the reactions of 'Tikait and gang'! It clearly points out their perfidy and hollowness. Could anyone tell me as to how a rogue like him is a leader of the farmers?

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 20' past 1, recited my prayers and turned off to sleep again. Got up at a half past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 8.

Off to the Foundation. Perused and cleared quite a few official mail. Participated in 543rd edition of the Aazhchakkoottam on "Cryptocurrency" by Anvar Sadat from 1600 to 1700 h. It was interesting.        

Parents don't die.

Parents don't die. 

We put them to death in case we 

don't maintain cordial relationship among siblings.

People say that when parents

die, the world comes to an end.

The house looks empty.

But I feel that parents live forever

and they with us.

It's us who forget them.

The matter of the fact is that

a brother has eyes of his beloved

father, a sister has the pretty face

like the compassionate mother,

a sibling smiles like dad or

a sister cooks like mom.

Parents don't die.

They never leave us.

They live among us.

They live in us.

We are the reflections of our

parents. Despite their physical

absence, they continue to live in us.

When you want to remember

parents, when you want to see

them, when you want to be with

them, simply gather your siblings

around you.

You will find the mesmerizing smile

of the mother in one sibling, the 

soothing voice of the father in

another. You will feel the parents

very close to you. All around you.

Deep inside you.....

The garden of love that parents

cultivate and grow with love, from

the time that you are born, with the

hard work of their tears and blood;

it will continue to 

bloom,.....unaffected by the cycles of

tough weathers of life.....They shelter

us in tough times......

But there are times,

when we forget all their hard work

and destroy their paradise that they

built, with our selfishness, hatred

and opportunistic attitudes. 

Parents don't die.

We put them to death.....

Love your parents.....

Love your siblings....

Continue to feed the garden that

parents cultivated with love and 

compassion so that it never stops

to bloom and blossom......

You will make

your world a living paradise on

earth....A heaven that only knows

love, compassion, care and respect.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 2, recited my prayers and turned off to sleep all over again. Got up at a half past 6, the chores and was well in time.

Ammayi continues to have bouts of pain after the fall yesterday. We left for the Foundation by 9 and I drove the car even though Manu was with us.

Worked on the biography and completed the run. Watched Chambu light up the candles on the occasion of Karthik Purnima. It was nice.  

Two horses.

Listen for my bell and I will listen for yours.  

Just up the road from my home is a

field, with two horses in it.

From a distance, each horse looks

like any other horse.

But if you stop your car or are

walking by, you'll notice 

something quite amazing......

Looking into the eye of one horse

will disclose that he is blind. His

owner has chosen not to have him

put down but has made a good

home for him.

This alone is amazing. If you stand

nearby and listen, you will hear the

sound of a bell.

Looking around for the source of

the sound, you will see that it

comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a 

small bell. It lets the blind friend

know where the other horse is, so

he can follow. As you stand and

watch these two friends, you'll see

that the horse with the bell is

always checking on the blind horse 

and that the blind horse will listen

for the bell and then slowly walk to

where the other horse is, trusting

that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell

returns to the shelter of the barn

each evening, it stops occasionally

and looks back, making sure that 

the blind friend isn't too far behind

to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two

horses, God does not throw us

away just because we are not

perfect or because we have

problems or challenges! 

He watches over us and even

brings others into our lives to help

us when we are in need.....

Sometimes we are the blind horse

being guided by the little ringing

bell of those who God places in our

lives.

Other times we are the guide horse,

helping others to find their way.....

Good friends are like that.....You may

not always see them but you know

they are always there.....

Please listen for my bell and I'll

listen for yours and remember.....

Be kinder than necessary -

Everyone you meet is fighting

Some kind of battle

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply, 

Speak kindly....

For we walk by faith and

not by sight

Tailpiece

Got up at 4, recited my prayers and turned off to sleep yet again. Got up at a half past 6, the chores and was ready by about a half past 8. Ammayi had a tumble and hit her head on the ground.

Reached the Foundation at a quarter to 10 thanks to a traffic snarl at Poojappura. Muthachhan's statue was standing shrouded at the main circle. Worked on Muthachhan's biography. Was happy to meet the entire staff of the Foundation.

Lekha had gone to Shenoy Care, met with Dr Sanjana. Padmakumar and Rema had accompanied her. She has been ordered a course of antibiotics for the swelling on her left leg.

Returned home by 6, we took Ammayi to the doctor and things have been cleared. An early evening comparatively.

At Thiruvananthapuram!

Got up at 4 thanks to Lekha's cellphone alarm, went about our chores, carried out the Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house and we were ready in all respects by a quarter past 6. Kittu had come by then and he was given his food. He had his food of fish and bread, lingered around us more than usual and meowed quite a number of times.

What was he trying to tell us? Was he trying to tell us that he'd miss us? That our frequent absences are taking a toll on him? Both Lekha and I discussed about his different behaviour this time and it exercised our minds for quite a while. Another pleasantly surprising behaviour was our neighbours' who showed a lot of concern for us, this time. Wonder why?

We'd taken our first break at the IOC petrol pump to use the rest room. And then, we headed for the Ananda Bhavan with the thought of ordering a 'combo' and split it between the two of us, as is our usual practice. Somewhere, in between, I'd gathered quite a bit of speed and when Lekha had called out that we'd indeed overshot the hotel, it was too late. The central median didn't have any break for quite a while and turning around just for breakfast was not considered a good decision and therefore, we'd pressed on.

We'd our breakfast of poori-masala at the Arya's before Kalamasserry, around a quarter past 8. And soon we were escorted by Padmakumar - I'd requested this help - as I'm still lost in that network of inner roads. And the sweet guy that he is, he always have provided that support very sportingly. Lekha was dropped at Rema's, our Chevy parked at the Sidhi Kedar slot and I went over to the Vyttila hub to catch the low floor bus to Thiruvananthapuram. 

However, thanks to the traffic congestion I missed the low floor bus of 1040 hrs and had to while away time till 1215 hrs, to board the next bus. The traffic was mad, to say the least. I'd got a good seat and the journey was comfortable but the bus was an hour late! I'd to tell my observations to the driver and the conductor - Krishnankutty and Bina - and they've noted them down, which were :-

   (a) the bus had stopped for rest room break and tea around a half past 2 at Kayankulam, after leaving

         the Vyttila hub at 1215 hrs. They needed to take stock of the elderly and the diabetics, in

         particular, and reduce this break at the earliest.

   (b) although the power sockets were available at vantage points, power wasn't available. This aspect 

         was duly corrected after my observation. My cell which was low on charge, thus, got a reprieve!

         I can't understand as to why the KSRTC need to be prodded! 

   (c) there used to be lovely music, throughout the journey, through its main announcement system but

         these days, the practice has been discontinued. Have asked them to restart the practice too without

         much ado.

Reached Thampanoor by 1900 hrs, Manu had come to pick me up and he took me to the Foundation office. Enroute, saw the agitating young lady, Anupama, in front of the office of the Women and Child Welfare Board asking for the return of her child, who has been adopted, without her consent by her parents. Due to the late hour, I didn't stop to offer my support but shall do so in one of these coming days.

We reached Maman's house by a quarter to 8, much earlier than the normal standards. Yakkitiiyak with Ammayi and Chambu and we'd a boisterous supper.

Will commence the work on Muthachhan's biography from tomorrow.

Tailpiece.

Have to complete my work as early as possible to return home. 

 

Swami saranam!

Today is the 1st of Vrishchikam, the commencement of the two month long Sabarimala pilgrimage. I shall go through a pilgrim's life for the next two months and will be a strict vegetarian but no, I shall not be going for the trek. 

Swami saranam!

How does Crypto Currency work?

An analogy in layman's terms....

Not long ago a merchant found a lot of monkeys that lived near a certain village.

One day he came to the village saying he wanted to buy these monkeys!

He announced that he would buy the monkeys at $100 each.

The villagers thought that this man must be crazy - how can somebody buy stray monkeys at $100 each?

Still some people caught some monkeys and gave it to this merchant and he gave $100 for each monkey.

This news spread like wildfire and people caught monkeys and sold them to the merchant.

After a few days, the merchant announced that he will buy monkeys at $200 each.

The lazy villagers also ran around to catch the remaining monkeys!

They sold the remaining monkeys at $200 each.

The merchant then announced that he will buy monkeys for $500 each!

The villagers start to lose sleep!.....They caught six or seven monkeys, which was all that was left and got $500 each.

The villagers were waiting anxiously for the next announcement.

Then the merchant announced that he was going on holiday for a week, but when he returns, he will buy monkeys at $1000 each!

He also said that his employee will be in charge and would take care of the monkeys he bought pending his return.

The merchant went on holiday.

The villagers were frantic and very sad as there were no more monkeys left for them to sell it at $1000 each as was promised by the merchant.

Then the merchant's employee contacted them and told them that he would secretly sell them some monkeys at $700 each.

The news spread like wildfire. As the merchant promised on his return that he would buy monkeys at $1000 each, they would achieve a $300 profit for each monkey.

The next day the villagers queued up near the monkey cage.

The employee sold all the monkeys at $700 each. The rich bought monkeys in large lots. The poor borrowed money from money lenders and bought the rest of the monkeys!

The villagers took care of their monkeys and waited for the merchant to return.

However nobody came!......Then they ran to find the employee.....However he was not to be found!

The villagers then realised that they had been duped buying the useless stray monkeys at $700 each and were now unable to sell them!

This monkey business is now known as Bitcoin!

It will make a lot of people bankrupt and a very few people filthy rich in this kind of monkey business.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. It, incidentally, had rained all through the night. The sun was out for a major part of the day. The maid had fetched up a trifle late but went about her work without much ado.

Went to the bank at 1430 h to wrap up my Life Certificate formalities and h/o our passbooks to Subha for update. Exchanged pleasantries, told Anup, the manager about my programme. Drove into the Rajah petrol bunk, topped up our Chevy and had the tyre pressure checked, on return.

The Quarterdeck was systematically shut down as we limbered up for another short journey.

Important medical numbers in everyone's life (2).

........contd.

Third tip

Play sports even when you are at the top of your preoccupation....the body must be moved, even if only by walking....or swimming.....or any kind of sports.

Fourth tip

Reduce food....leave excessive food cravings.....because it never brings good. Don't deprive yourself but reduce the quantities.

Fifth tip

As much as possible, do not use the car unless absolutely necessary....try to reach on your feet for what you want (grocery, visiting someone....) or any goal.

Sixth tip

Let go of anger.....

let go of anger......

let go of anger.....

Let go of worry.....try to overlook things....

Do not involve yourself in situations of disturbance......they all diminish health and take away the splendor of the soul. Choose a babysitter you feel comfortable with.

Seventh tip

As it is said.....leave your money in the sun....and sit in the shade....don't limit yourself and those around you.....money was made to live by it, not to live for it.

Eighth tip

Don't make yourself feel sorry for anyone, nor on something you could not achieve, nor anything that you could not own. Ignore it, forget it.

Ninth tip

Humility.....then humility....for money, prestige, power and influence....they are all things that are corrupted by arrogance and arrogance....Humility is what brings people closer to you with love.

Tenth tip

hair turns gray, this does not mean the end of life. It is proof that a better life has begun. Optimistic, live with remembrance, travel, enjoy yourself.

The last and most important advice : Have faith!

I wish you good health and happiness always.

......concluded.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. 

Lekha had ordered grocery from the National Supermarket.

Heavy rain in the evening.

Important medical numbers in everyone's life(1).

  1. Blood pressure                 120/80

  2. Pulse                                   70 - 100

  3. Temperature                        36.8 - 37 degrees Celsius

  4. Respiration                          12 - 16

  5. Hemoglobin                         13.5 - 18 (Males)

                                                   11.5 - 16 (Females)

  6. Cholesterol                           130 - 200

  7. Potassium                                 3.5 - 5

  8. Sodium                                 135 - 145

  9. Triglycerides                         220

10. The amount of blood in the body : 5 - 6 lts

11. Sugar                                       70 - 130 (Children)

                                                      70 - 115 (Adults)

12. Iron                                           8- 15 mg

13. White blood cells                 4000 - 11000

14. Platelets                           1,50,000 - 4,00,000

15. Red blood cells                           4.50 - 6 million...

16. Calcium                                      8.6 - 10.3 mg/dL

17. Vitamin D3                                20 - 50 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter)

18. Vitamin B12                             200 - 900 pg/ml

Tips for those who have reached over :

the 40

the 50

the 60

And above

May God bless you with obedience, health and wellness....

First tip

You have to do cupping every year, even if you do not feel sick or have any illness.

What is cupping?

Cupping is an ancient healing therapy that some people use to ease pain. A provider places cups on your back, stomach, arms, legs or other parts of your body. Inside the cup, a vacuum or suction pulls skin upward.

Cupping is a form of traditional Chinese and Middle Eastern medicine. 

Second tip

Always drink water even if you don't feel thirsty or need it.....the biggest health problem and most of them are from the lack of water in the body.

.......to be continued.

Tailpiece.

Got up at quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

It was a quiet Sunday and the maid had come for work. The sky was overcast throughout but the rain was less.

For your information......

Also put across as FYI in short form!

1. In the 1400s a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.

Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'.

2. Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only....Ladies Forbidden'....and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

3. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history :-

    Spades      -  King David

    Hearts       -  Charlemagne 

    Clubs        -   Alexander the Great

    Diamonds -   Julius Caesar

4. In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on.

Hence the phrase........'goodnight, sleep tight'.

5. It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink.

Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the 'honey month', which we know today as the honeymoon.

6. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts.....

So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts and settle down'.

It's where we get the phrase 'mind your Ps and Qs'.

7. Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim or handle of their ceramic sups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service.

'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.

8. In 1696, William III of England introduced a property tax that required those living in houses with more than six windows to pay a levy. In order to avoid the tax, house owners would brick up all windows except six. (The Window Tax lasted until 1851 and older houses with bricked-up windows are still a common sight in the UK). As the bricked-up windows prevented some rooms from receiving any sunlight, the tax was referred to as "daylight robbery"!

Now, there you have the origin of these phrases. Interesting isn't it!

Tailpiece.

Got up by a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Washed down our Chevy in the rain.

Conducted the 542nd edition of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Artificial Intelligence" by Mr BS Bhasi, Chairman, Universal Edutech Campus, Thiruvananthapuram from 1600 - 1715 hrs. Quite an interesting interaction!

 

Adieu Binoy!

Got the sad news that Binoy, all of 38 yrs, the driver-cum-peon of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (Kollam) had passed away. He had hung himself to death at his house. He leaves behind his wife and two small children. His family life was not smooth and there used to be frequent fights between him and his wife, which took its toll, I'm told.

Adieu Binoy! Om Shanti! Sadgati.

I shall recollect my brief yet good association with the youngster. On taking over as the Chairman of JSS (Kollam) in Nov 2015, he used to chauffeur me whenever I used to visit Kollam on official duty. The white Toyota Qualis and Binoy were my inseparable companions on those trips and he knew that I was a stickler for time. 

Soon after my taking over the organisation, I'd got a call from my dad's sister, Varadamma appachi, who was staying at Kavanad, Kollam one day asking me to help out a poor chap - an excellent driver and who was badly in need of a job. And she'd ended her conversation by saying and I quote, "I'll feel safe if he were to drive you around".

Consequently, I'd spoken with the boy and had my first journey with him, behind the wheel, from Thiruvananthapuram to Kollam. He, indeed, drove well, was never rash and drove with a relish. His countenance that satisfied me was that he genuinely enjoyed driving and drove with pride, when he had the chairman on board!

On such trips, I used to ask him about his family because he had got married soon after he'd got the job and a few months later, his wife was in the family way. They belonged to the fishing community in coastal Paravoor and seemed to be doing well till an accident, one evening, turned his world upside down. 

He was on a personal errand on his mobike when he was hit by a car around 2000 hrs, one evening and the culprits did not have the basic courtesy of tending him and providing medical aid (Using the organisation's reach and our contacts, we were able to help the police nab the culprits, subsequently). Binoy was badly hit, was bedridden for almost five months at the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram and at the time of discharge from the hospital, he had steel rods in his right leg which had assumed a hideous appearance. The leg gave him trouble during his last days, I'm told.

Throughout the period of hospitalisation, his requirements were looked after by the organisation and he'd recouped well and got back to work.

I still remember the manner in which he took care of me and Sasi, the director used to tell me that he felt comfortable because he was with me. 

Will miss you, Binoy and you've given me a lot many good memories. I'm still baffled as to why you had to take your life, which I consider as an act of cowardice. May you find eternal peace and here's wishing that God gives adequate strength to your near and dear ones to tide over these difficult times!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. After finishing my work, I'd driven to the Geeyem Motors in town to have the front-bumper-liner of the Chevy tucked in properly.

Had returned by lunchtime. Naveen, my customer-service-advisor, is poised to leave for Poland for work. Had congratulated the lad. He was still feeling sorry for the heavy expenses that I'd incurred on my car - for repairs - in the previous months.

The arrogance of seniority! (2).

........contd.

Although display of star plates and flags on private cars is forbidden, many officers feel insecure without their use and openly flout the orders. There are many commanders who insist that the mules that they ride in mountainous terrain must be duly embellished with stars and flags- a ridiculous sight indeed. Similarly, it was a shocking sight to see a Chief flying his flag and displaying four stars on his golf cart in New Delhi.

Recently, a photograph was circulated on the internet that showed caddies wearing jackets with stars prominently displayed on their backs to indicate ranks of the players they were assisting. Can there be a more ludicrous demonstration of disgraceful obsession with ranks?

Another absurd practice that has gained currency in the recent past is to present golf caps and tee-shirts to all participants with their ranks duly indicated through embossed/embroidered stars. It is a comical sight to see officers playing golf with their ranks duly advertised. It appears that senior officers are unable to swing their clubs unless adequately supported by the trappings of their ranks.

In another case, a garden umbrella at a divisional tennis court had two stars prominently displayed on it to indicate that it was exclusively for the Divisional Commander and his wife. As human ingenuity has no limits, there are numerous such examples wherein display of rank has been carried to preposterous extent.

Many senior officers complain that they never demand such displays and that some over-enthusiastic juniors take initiative of their own accord. This explanation holds no water at all. Unless the junior officers are convinced that their initiative would fetch them a pat, they would never take the risk. Additionally, senior commanders can always order stoppage of such practices if they so desire. The fact is that they relish such treatment as it boosts their ego, gives them a 'kick' and makes them special.

Finally

Informal interaction between officers of different ranks should always be governed by the dictum that 'a good senior does not flaunt his seniority all the time while a good junior does not forget his juniority at any time'. That should be the basis of healthy social equilibrium.

It must never be forgotten that the officers who fail to make to higher ranks are not competent. It is just that the steep pyramid-like structure provides limited promotional avenues. Many brilliant officers suffer due to the shortage of vacancies and retire as Colonels. Supersession impacts their psyche and they show signs of social withdrawal. Instead of reassuring them, social discrimination adds to their discomfort through shameless display of inequities. Worse, 'social apartheid' is widening the gulf between the top brass and the others.

Senior commanders would do well to remember that humility is the hall mark of a good leader and a meta-virtue. A self-effacing demeanour indicates maturity and not meekness or timidity. Humility is all about maintaining one's pride about one's worth and achievements but without arrogance. It is an old saying that 'those who achieve the most flaunt the least'.

.......concluded.

- Author unknown

My take

I'd observed this trend even in 2013, as seniors kept themselves away from their juniors during functions, celebrations and dinners. There were separate counters for different groups based on seniority. Such a separation was necessitated because of the following reasons - and this is my opinion, on the basis of my observations:-

 (a) Seniors were weary of interacting with their juniors owing to lack of confidence in themselves

       or was it because of the 'couldn't care less' syndrome - what does one achieve from interacting

       with the juniors?

 (b) The guys 'looking up' found it easier to put across their thoughts to the top brass by reducing the             number of people to interact hoping that they would gain advantage in the proverbial rat race.

 (c) The basic idea was to eliminate healthy competition.

 

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready for Sajish, to give me my monthly haircut at a half past 7. The usual chores after that and was ready by 10.

Hameed took us to the Mango Bakery, the fruit shop at the west nada and to the National Supermarket. Purchases were made and we returned by lunch time.

A quiet evening thereafter. 

 

The arrogance of seniority! (1).

We all have been through the mill of juniors and seniors. It seems there is a chasm developing. Hope the authorities in the armed forces take note of it and set it right. I'm sure Gen Naravane, Adm Karambir Singh and ACM Chaudhari are seized of the malaise and have taken actions to rectify this trend and God, they need to succeed!

There was a time when senior officers and their wives made use of social occasions to interact with junior officers and their wives to get a feel of their morale and establish informal rapport with them. On the other hand, junior officers and their wives learnt a great deal by watching the way the senior officers and their wives conducted themselves. Thus, social functions were considered to be excellent occasions to build cohesion in an informal manner. Additionally, military norms, ethics and values were passed on to the new-inductees.

Unfortunately, social functions have become highly stratified events. There is no interaction between the seniors and the juniors. Separate areas are earmarked for them. Exclusive seating for VIPs has become a standard practice. Senior commanders and their wives remain surrounded by their staff officers and cronies. They make no effort to walk up to the juniors to exchange pleasantries. At times one gets an impression that the senior brass considers it below their dignity to mix with subordinate officers.

There are three reasons for this obsession for exclusivity. They are :-

(a) Senior officers get special treatment in terms of quality of liquor and food.

(b) They get hospitality free whereas they should be paying for their drinks and food like other officers.

(c) The current top brass is so self-seeking that it has no concern for others' sensitivities and social niceties.

Earlier, all guests were treated at par and served the same food and drinks, irrespective of their rank. The only privilege that a senior officer enjoyed was that he was served his drink by the steward/waiter and did not have to walk up to the bars like the others. Today, not only the type of whisky but also the goblet - crystal for seniors and Borosil for others - are rank based.

A few months ago, an Air Force Station had organised a social evening after an event and invited a large number of officers from the services. Prior to the serving of dinner, an announcement was made requesting all officers of one-star rank and their wives to have dinner in the hall while the others were asked to move to the tents on the side. It was such an insulting move that many officers and their wives walked out without dinner. One fails to understand how such petty mindedness has crept in the services' culture. If a Brigadier or a General has dinner along with others, will it lower his dignity?

At a post-tournament dinner at an officers' institute, the Army Commander, after showing his face for a few minutes, withdrew to an exclusive chamber along with his 'Nav Ratnas' (Major Generals) to enjoy the evening and exclusive hospitality. Others were left outside to interact with each other - a reminder of the grand old Mughal tradition of 'Diwane Khaas' and 'Diwane Aam'.

Protocol golf is another innovative measure that displays haughtiness of seniority. In case senior commanders want to play golf after a conference, the golf course is declared off limits for others. It is a disgraceful sight to see 4 to 5 commanders playing golf on an 18-hole golf course with staff officers who are detailed to accompany them. It shows arrogance of the poorest order. Do the senior commanders find it demeaning if Colonels and Majors are also playing at the same time? Arrogance of rank cannot be carried to such limits.

Flaunting of Ranks

It must never be forgotten that badges of ranksworn by the soldiers represent national symbols - the Ashoka Lion and the five-pointed Indian Star. The nation has bestowed its greatest honour on its soldiers. Every officer understandably takes pride in his rank by displaying the stars and flying the flag that he is entitled to. However, it must be done with due decorum and as per the laid down norms. Their sanctity should never be demeaned. Of late, a tendency has been discernible among the senior officers to flaunt their stars and flags in the most unbecoming manner.

.......to be concluded.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10. Earlier, the Wednesday 'arathi' was conducted.

Seena, Lekha's beautician, had come by around a half past 3 for the needful.

A quiet evening. 

  

Funny but sad!

My house was about to be locked.......

On the 29th of November 2018 just because I was not able to pay the rent.

I posted it on Facebook seeking assistance but all I got were 2 likes and zero comments.

So I sent 250 messages to my contact list requesting for a loan of $1500.

Sadly, only 10 people replied. 6 out of the 10 claimed they couldn't help. Only 1 out of the 4 who said they could help actually gave me some money but the rest only gave me excuses and never picked my calls.

In the end, my door was locked. I had nowhere to sleep.

I walked in the dark seeking options and sadly, a thief stole my empty purse with my identity card in it.

He was badly hit by a fast moving car as he was running away, so he died.

Fast forward >> The next day, news quickly spread around that I had died.

About 2,500 people posted on my wall how they knew me. How great I was!

A committee was formed by my loyal friends who contributed $18000 to feed the guests at my funeral..

My colleagues at work teamed up and brought another $4500 for a coffin, tents and chairs.

I was to be buried in a coffin worth $1500 - the same amount I needed for rent.

Relatives also met. It was a rare occasion for them to meet, so they met and contributed an extra $3000.

Everyone wanted to volunteer in order to appear they were helping. They printed T-shirts with my image.

Each T-shirt costing $2,50, so the T-shirt man made about $25000 from my presumed death.

Everyone wanted to speak at my funeral. There was drama all over from people who never knew how I survived.

There was even a rumour that I was murdered by my friends.

Speeches were made on how talented I was, even by those who never attended my events.

The few friends who supported me didn't even get the chance to speak during my funeral - although they new the truth.

In fact, they were prime suspects for my 'death'.

You could imagine how the scene turned after I showed up alive.

Some thought I was a ghost. 

This is the irony of life; we love the dead more than the living.

- Author Unknown

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle after 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. 

The maid had come to do up the work and she went about systematically, seeking Lekha's directions from time to time. Meanwhile :-

  * the newspaper franchisee came to collect the monthly dues and gave us Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi calenders of 2022 and has taken down my demand for a Guruvayur diary.

  * Rajith of Black Swan came to collect the clothes for dry cleaning.

  * Jayan brought grocery from his supermarket. 

 

The wisdom of refusing a vaccine (2).

.........contd.

While Pfizers's intellectual property (IP) rights are impregnable, if Pfizer itself is sued for infringement of someone else's IP rights, it is Brazil which has to bear all costs of legal defence and damages. And Pfizer in no way guarantees that its product does not violate third-party IP or that it needs additional licences.

It is significant that these terms are not part of Pfizer's contracts with the EC and the US. In fact, the US flatly rejected many of the indemnity clauses.

If, in spite of all these watertight conditions, a dispute arises, it will be resolved not in a public court but by a panel of three private arbitrators. Brazil has to keep even the existence of this tribunal - and of course all proceedings, decisions and awards - secret. Pfizer, it would seem, is above the laws of Brazil. Brazil is prohibited from making "public announcement concerning the existence, subject matter or terms of (the) agreement" or commenting on its relationship with Pfizer without written permission from the company.

Thus, Pfizer has silenced a national government. But, for the EC and the US, this non-disclosure provision applies to both parties - the government needs Pfizer's consent to speak and Pfizer, the government's.

India has been down this road before, in the 1990s, when it signed a contract with Enron to build a power plant at Dabhol, Maharashtra. It was because of a vigilant media and citizen activism - and finally Enron's spectacular meltdown in 2001 - that we escaped relatively unhurt. But it remains a dark chapter in India's foreign investment story.

This time round, the government has been remarkably astute. Pfizer seems to have carried out a big campaign that millions of Indians would be affected if the vaccines were not imported on Pfizer's terms. As a very senior corporate executive, who is a friend, put it : "This is the narrative.....There is a shortage of vaccines. Pfizer's is the best. So India must at once accept Pfizer's conditions and pricing. By not agreeing, the administration is proving that it is heartless". But the government held firm.

And, cleverly, it never said a clear "no" to the company. It did not leave the negotiating table and the official stance was that it was in discussions with Pfizer. Because it knew that by the beginning of August, domestic vaccine supply should increase dramatically and the delivery mechanism of the states should also be ramped up. 

That is exactly what happened. Production and procurement shot up. Vaccination numbers consistently beat targets that the government had set for itself. Data from countries administering the Pfizer vaccine also showed that it was not the magic bullet it was hyped to be, much superior to Covishield or Covaxin. Today, the experts who had batted for Pfizer do not even mention the name. They have shifted to petulantly complaining that the billion vaccine mark could have been achieved faster.

India stood its ground against the greed of Big Pharma and refused to be held to ransom. Its stand has been fully vindicated.

........concluded.  

- Sandipan Deb

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle late, the chores and had breakfast before bath. Went about my work that had to be done.

The day was dull with an overcast sky and frequent drizzles.

Another quiet day, otherwise.

The wisdom of refusing a vaccine (1).

It is amply clear now that one of the best decisions that the Indian government took for its covid vaccination programme was something it did not do. It did not sign a contract with American Pharma giant Pfizer for vaccine supply. At the time, many commentators had been highly critical of this, some even predicting that our streets would be piled up with bodies. While some of them surely acted based on their own reading of the situation, others may have been influenced by Pfizer's forceful spin doctors.

The Narendra Modi government was not ready to accept the terms that Pfizer insisted on, the main, the main sticking point being a sovereign indemnity demanded by the company against any problems that might arise in the future from the use of its vaccine. The full details of the indemnity were not made public by any government that signed the contract but these things don't stay hidden for long. Over the last few months, Pfizer's contracts with various governments have been leaked. The picture is not pretty. The contract that Brazil accepted seems to be the most one-sided among those that have been uncovered.

Brazil completely waived of its sovereign immunity and took on 100% of the risk. So, if the Pfizer vaccine does not work or is even proven to be the cause of deaths, it's the Brazilian government's headache and not the vaccine maker's. If Brazil defaults on payments, Pfizer has the power to seize state assets - for instance, Brazil's parliament building or its defence systems - and then, monetize them to recover its dues.

In fact, it can even seize assets as a "Precautionary measure".

If that is not enough, Pfizer has "sole discretion to determine additional terms and guarantees for (the company) for the company to fulfil indemnity obligations". In effect, Pfizer can demand whatever it pleases  of Brazil.

There are no penalties if Pfizer does not deliver vaccines on time. The company is free to adjust its delivery schedule and Brazil "shall be deemed to agree to any revision". And if there is a shortfall, Brazil can neither accept donations of Pfizer vaccines nor buy them from other countries without the company's permission. If it does, it will be considered an "uncurable material breach" of the agreement.  Pfizer can immediately terminate the agreement and Brazil will have to pay the full price for any remaining contracted doses.

......to be continued.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, thanks to Lekha's cellphone alarm. Rema, Lekha and Achu went by a cab to complete the puja formalities. They'd returned by lunch time. 

They left for Thrippunithura by a half past 3.

 

Sanjukta Parashar, IPS.

Dateline 06 Nov

Sanjukta Parashar, armed with an AK 47, who sent 16 terrorists to death and arrested 64 more entering a dense forest should be known to every woman in the country who assumes herself to be abla.

A strikingly good looking lady, her ferocity in battle is hard to imagine. When an ordinary woman achieves something that even millions of ordinary men can't, her paeans are better sung on Social Media, but for the diehard habit of some to always back the wrong horse. Reason why Sanjukta Parashar's Facebook page doesn't beget millions likes like actresses who if played her role in a Bollywood movie would do.

Sanjukta was posted as Superintendent of Police in Bodo infested Sonitpur district of Assam in 2014 while the district was in utter chaos. Hundreds of people were being killed. Engaging with them in the dense forests of Assam was an invitation to certain death. An inspiration to the men she leads, they would swear by her leadership. Used to a regular wave of death threats she holds her head high with an enviable record of killing 16 terrorists and arresting 64 in her term of 30 months.

Presently in Delhi, her goal is to completely eliminate terrorism in the country.

My take

Viva Sanjukta parashar! May there be many more of your tribe!! Here's me wishing you the very best in all your endeavours!!!

    *       *       *

O Me! O Life!

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions  of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and 

who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle

ever renew'd,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see

around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me 

intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring - What good amid these, O me,

O life?

                Answer.

That you are here - that life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

- Walt Whitman

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle before 6, said my prayers, the chores and was ready by a half past 8. 

A day of travel.

Was at The Quarterdeck by a half past 7.

A hotchpotch.

123456789

Can you say quickly and without using a calculator how much 4% of 75 is? Or 18% of 50? Ben Stephens suggested recalling a simple life hack. There's nothing revolutionary in this principle. It can be formulated as "X percent of Y equals Y percent of X".

So if you can't count 18% of 50 in your mind, just count 50% of 18 and get the same number.

   *       *       *

Who is your life partner?

Mom?

Dad?

Wife?

Son?

Husband?

Daughter?

Friends?

Not at all!

Your real-life partner is your body.

Once your body stops responding no one is with you.

You and your body stay together from birth till death.

What you do to your body is your responsibility and that will come back to you.

The more you care for your body, the more your body will care for you.

What you eat, what you do for being fit, how you deal with stress, how much rest you give to it; will decide how your body is going to respond.

Remember your body is the only permanent address where you live.

Your body is your asset/liability, which no one else can share. Your body is your responsibility. Because you are the real-life partner.

Be fit. Take care of yourself. Money comes and goes. Relatives and friends are not permanent.

Remember, no one can help your body other than you.

Pranayama - for lungs.

Meditation - for mind.

Yoga - for body.

Walking - for heart.

Good food - for intestines.

Good thoughts - for soul.

Good karma - for the world.

- Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Tailpiece.

Got up around 6, the chores and was ready by 9.

Another quiet day! Started off as a sunny day but quickly changed into a rainy day.