At Raj Nivas.

Our day started at 4, with Lekha's cellphone chiming away. The chores and we were ready by a half past 6. Kittu and the kittens were in attendance and Lekha had fed them before we cast off. As advised by my cousin's driver, I'd attempted a get away through the new exit beside the upcoming flyover at the kizhakkenada. It seemed to be too narrow for comfort and hence took the route via the Thampuraanpadi mukku-Kottappadi-Kunnamkulam-Thrissur.

But there was a slight mishap earlier as I scraped my Chevy's port bow on the embankment at the entrance of our gated enclosure and dampened my spirits. Lack of application on my part!

The exit from Thrissur was okay due to sparse traffic, being a Sunday. Breakfast was at the Saravana Bhavan at Paliyekkara. Saw the newly opened showroom, 'Wedlands', near the Haripad KSRTC bus station, which was inaugurated by superstar, Mammootty, a little while earlier.

Our lunch was at Hotel Annapporna at Adoor but I must confess it was because I'd missed the Padma Cafe! We reached Raj Nivas at a half past 2. The surroundings look nice as the weeds have been removed and the wild grass clipped.

Both of us had a good siesta and had a late tea around a half past 5. Spent time with my mom and dad to whom I'd explained the purpose of our visit and the duration that we were gonna be here. Heavy rain in the evening.

Lekha had recited the Ramayana and by this evening, she'd completed the 'Aaranya kaandam' (The longest of them all. She'd completed the 'Baala Kaandam' early last week). Tomorrow she begins the 'Kishkinda kaandam', which is the shortest of the chapters, as Lord Sri Rama prepares to go to Sri Lanka with the help of the 'vaanara sena'.

We'd got ready by 8, to go to my brother-in-law's house for dinner but after traversing more than half way through, it had to be aborted as a vehicle, in front of us, had crashed into an electric post and the post along with the overhead electric cables were on the road, obstructing traffic!

Lekha and I had returned and Lekha had deployed her contingency plan and we'd a sumptuous dinner of strawberry-flavoured Kellogs and bananas. 

Another of those vibrant yet quiet days!

Tailpiece.

The rains here seem to be heavier than what we'd experienced at Guruvayur over the last two days.      

An interesting phenomenon!

In Kerala, 6,000 ditched CPM for CPI in the past one year!

CPI, which sees itself as the cornerstone of the real Left, has been witnessing a large scale inflow of CPM cadre into its fold. Of the 6,000 CPM workers, 1,200 are from Thiruvananthapuram alone. The final tally will crystallise after the CPI's district conferences are over.

CPI also increased its membership by 11,000 in the past one year adding the highest number of workers in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Thrissur districts. Though people from many other parties joined, a majority is from CPM. Moreover, CPI has issued clear instructions not to induct any SDPI member.

The new members are drawn from CPM, Congress, BJP, Janata Dal (S), Muslim League and certain factions of the Kerala Congress. This is not a new phenomenon as it has happened in the past too. In fact, the migration created bad blood between the LDF allies in districts like Kannur with their district leadership openly clashing with each other.

The migration is also an indication that at least a section within the Left feels that CPI retains the true characteristics of the Communist party. There's a general impression that Cpi is ideologically better and more democratic than the CPM.

Of the two major Left parties, CPM and CPI, the latter has a more impressive track record and image. The party has not flaunted this publicly.

In a move to attract CPM rebels, the CPI has decided to give them direct party membership instead of candidate membership as is done in other cases.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

This was bound to happen because of the superiority and often, brazen attitude, shown by the CPM, towards the other parties.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10. washing machinex of the remaining set of clothes.

Drove the Chevy to the nearest petrol pump to top up with fuel and check tyre pressure. Our fruit basket was delivered at home on placement of order. My cousin, Meera and Valsala - all advocates - dropped by to spend time with us after attending a wedding at the Krishna Inn.

Participated in the 579th episode of the Aazhchakkoottam : "Short stories and their changing styles" by Shri B Murali, renowned author of short stories, from 1600 to 1700 hrs. The interaction was interesting.

Shut down The Quarterdeck in a progressive manner.

  

Timelines of a scam.

Former West Bengal state's education minister Partha Chatterjee and his accomplice, Arpita Mukherjee are being interrogated by the ED (Enforcement Directorate) regarding the amassing of wealth from the SSC (School Service Commission) recruitment. It's turning out to be a massive fraud with many more juicy details to come out.

Let's have a look at the anatomy of the scam with timelines. It's appalling to note that it took so much of time to be unearthed!

Aug 2016         SSC notifies exams for posts of group C, D and assistant teachers in government-aided schools. 

Nov-Dec 2017  Panel for group C and D published, showing candidate's score and rank.

2018                  Panel for assistant teachers published showing candidate's score and rank.  

2019                  Some candidates approach HC asking for list with all details.

Mar 2019         HC orders uploading of complete list within a week.

Jun 2019          Resulting contempt petition. SSC publishes list.

Aug 2021          Candidates spot people with fewer marks getting appointed on SSC recommendation. Writ petitions mentioning over 1,000 illegal recruitments in group D post filed before Calcutta High Court.

Dec 2021            Single bench of HC orders CBI probe. Division bench quashes it. Constitutes 3-member special committee to enquire into the issue.

Feb 2022            Single bench again orders CBI probe while hearing separate petitions.

Mar 2022           * Division bench stays CBI probe order.

                            * Single bench judge writes to the Chief Justice of India and Calcutta HC.

Apr 2022            * Division bench judges recuse themselves from hearing, release all cases related to the SSC scam.

                            * Division bench asks CBI to probe but not to make any arrest.

                            * Single bench asks CBI to question former education minister Partha Chatterjee.

                            * Chatterjee gets relief after Division bench stays order.

May 2022           * Special committee submits report before Division bench.

                            * Division bench upholds CBI probe order.

                            * CBI interrogates Chatterjee.

Jun 2022             * ED starts probe into money trail, registers two FIRs.

Jul 2022              * CBI interrogates Chatterjee again.

                            

22 Jul                   ED raids Chatterjee's house and apartment of his close aide, Arpita Mukherjee.

23 Jul                   ED arrests Chatterjee and Arpita; recovers Rs.21.90 crores in cash from her flat, along with jewellery and foreign currencies.

27 Jul                   ED raids second flat of Arpita, recovers Rs.27.90 crores in cash, gold jewellery and bars.

My take

This is huge and my question is, have all connected misappropriations been found out? Who's the ultimate beneficiary?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10. Washing machinex of bed linen.

Lekha's sister returned to her house along with her friend and her son. Ramesh and his assistant, Kuttan clear the complete compound of weeds, trim creepers and empty the compost drum.

A quiet evening.

 

 

Nancy Pelosi's impending Taiwan trip.

Pentagon draws up contingency plan for the trip. US officials say they have little fear that China would attack Nancy Pelosi's plane if she flies to Taiwan but the US House Speaker would be entering one of the hottest spots where a mishap, misstep or misunderstanding could endanger her safety. So the Pentagon is developing plans for any contingency.

Heavy Security Cover In Place

The US would have to be prepared for any incident, even an accident in the air or on the ground. Officials said the US would need to have rescue capabilities nearby and suggested that could include helicopters on ships already in the area.

Officials have declined to provide details but said that fighter jets, ships, surveillance assets and other military systems would likely be used to provide overlapping rings of protection for her flight to Taiwan and any time on the ground there.

Biden-Xi Talks

Pelosi's potential visit to Taiwan is likely to dominate a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Joe Biden which the US president expects will take place this week.

China Warns Of Forceful Response

Beijing objects to all official contact between Taipei and Washington and routinely threatens retaliation. This time, the stakes appear to be higher.

China is warning it will respond forcefully if the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proceeds with a visit to Taiwan, the self governing island democracy it claims as its own territory.

What's Pelosi's Business In Taiwan?

Taiwan enjoys strong bipartisan support in Congress and Pelosi had said last week that it was important for "us to show support for Taiwan".

My take

A case of "damned if you did, damned if you don't" situation for the US, with the following repercussions :-

   (a) A loss of face if it were to call off Pelosi's visit.

   (b) A tremendous setback to its superpower status.

   (c) The premise that it's scared of China and can be made to behave by the red dragon gets credence!

China, definitely, seems to be in a superior position in this episode, as of now. However, it can have a severe loss of face if the US pulls off the visit because it's literally in its backyard!

Tailpiece.

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

Off to the bank to get work done. Met Rajesh, the new Branch Manager.

Lekha and Letha go to the Guruvayur and Mammiyoor temples to pay obeisance. It's the latter's last day with us on this visit.

A shot in the arm!

Boost to Indian defence industry as proposals worth Rs.28,732 crores are cleared.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared an important first step towards buying military equipment worth Rs.28,732 cr, by accepting they were necessary for the forces. The proposals have been cleared under the indigenously designed, developed and manufactured scheme to promote self-reliance. 

The council's meeting was chaired by the Defence Minister and the approvals are expected to provide impetus to the domestic small arms manufacturing industry. They come amid the ongoing stand-off with China along the Line of  Actual Control in Ladakh. 

The list consists of :-

* Bulletproof jackets with Indian Standards BIS VI level of protection were put on the procurement list "considering the demand of enhanced protection against the threat of enemy snipers for our troops deployed along the Line of Control and in close combat operations in counter-terrorism scenario". 

* About 4 lakh close quarters battle carbines for the services for conventional and hybrid warfare and counter terrorism.

* Drones are force multipliers, without doubt, in military operations. Procurement of autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarms.

* 14 Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard - with 60% Indian content - have been cleared.

* Procurement of upgraded 1,250 KW marine gas turbine generators for power generation on board Kolkota class of ships. 

* Procurement of guided extended range rocket ammunition, area denial munition Type 1 and infantry combat vehicle command - designed and developed by the DRDO. The total value of these three proposals is Rs.8,599 crores.

   

   - the extended range rocket ammo has a range of 75 km with an accuracy of 40 metres.

   - the Type 1 ammo contains dual purpose sub munitions capable of neutralising tanks and

   - armoured personnel carriers.

Courtesy. The NIE.

My take

A tremendous boost for the Indian Defence industry! Bravo Zulu to PM Narendra Modi and his team for taking such a momentous decision! And let India become an exporter of military hardware and ammunition to the needy.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10. 

Lekha and her sister go to the Paambumekkaavu temple, enroute to Mala, around a half past 2 in the afternoon and return by a half past 7.

A quiet evening.

How India Won Kargil.

Today's Kargil Vijay Diwas. Let's pause for a few minutes to remember the valiant who went down to the enemy's fire, fighting for his motherland! A chronology of events :-

* 03 May 1999

   Pakistan intrusion reported in Kargil.

* 10 May 

   Infiltrations noticed in Dras, Kaksar and Mushkoh.

* 26 May

   IAF launches air strikes against infiltrators.

* 13 Jun

   Indian Army secures Tololing in Dras.

* 04 Jul

   Tiger Hill recaptured after an 11-hour battle.

* 05 Jul

   Indian Army recaptures Dras.

* 07 Jul

   Indian Army recaptures Batalik.

* 14 Jul

   India declares Operation Vijay a success.

* 26 Jul 1999

   Kargil conflict officially comes to an end.

It was a three-phased war

First

* In the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir, Pakistan captured various strategic high points.

Second

* Indian Army's discovery of infiltration and responding to it.

Third

Major attacks by the Indian Forces to recapture most of the posts and withdrawal of Pakistani troops.

  

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 3, thanks to Lekha's cellphone and we were ready by a half past 5. Sajish arrived on the dot and we kicked off without much ado. Had breakfast of idlis and filter coffee by a quarter to 8 at Edappalli.

Reached Mallan's clinic by a quarter past 9. Lekha's dentures' review and corrections took a little over half an hour. We, then, went to Advocate Prabha Ramakrishnan's chambers and spent over half an hour with her.

Lunch at Valappad was nice. Reached The Quarterdeck by a quarter to 4 and we settled down to a quiet evening.

Economic fissures in China.

Mortgage boycott adds pressure on China's realty sector.

China's troubled property sector suffered another blow this month when frustrated homebuyers stopped making mortgage payments on units in unfinished projects. The boycott came amid many developers struggling to manage mountains of debt and fears that the crisis could spread to the rest of the Chinese and global economy.

How Big is China's Property Sector?

Colossal. Property and related industries are estimated to contribute as much as a quarter of China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The sector took off after market reforms in 1998. There was a breathtaking construction boom on the back of demand from a growing middle class that saw property as a key family asset and status symbol.

Unfinished homes in China amount to 225 million square metres of space.

Mortgages make up almost 20% of all outstanding loans in China's entire banking system., according to a report by ANZ Research this month.

Why Did it Plunge into Crisis?

As property development flourished, housing prices also soared. This worried the government which launched a crackdown.

The central bank capped the proportion of outstanding property loans to total  lending by banks to limit threat to the entire financial system. The Chinese property firms were also hit by the Covid crisis.

Homebuyers' Reaction

In June this year, a new form of protest emerged : the mortgage boycott.

People who had bought units in still-unfinished projects announced that they would stop making payments until construction resumed.

Within a month, the boycott spread to homebuyers in more than 300 projects in 50 cities across China.

The Global Concern

If the property crisis spreads to china's financial system, the shock would be felt far beyond its borders, analysts say. "Should defaults escalate, there could be broad and serious economic and social implications", Fitch Ratings wrote.

The crisis could spread and impact global trade and risk sentiment, the Fed said.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

A precarious situation that should be prevented from snowballing and affect global sentiments. 

Tailpiece.

Today marked the 31st Remembrance Day of Mrs PN Panicker, my Ammachi.

Got up around 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Saw the spectacular swearing-in ceremony of the 15th President of India, Smt Draupadi Murmu.

Washing machinex.

The evening chores. The day was, again, marred by frequent power interruptions!

The breath.

A beautiful poem about the value of the breath!

My brain and heart

divorced

a decade ago

over who was

to blame about

how big of a mess

I have become

eventually,

they couldn't be

in the same room

with each other

now my head and heart

share custody of me

I stay with my brain

during the week

and my heart 

gets me on weekends

They blame each other

"This is all your fault".

on Sundays

my heart complains

about how my

head has let me down

in the past

and on Wednesday

my head lists all

of the times my

heart has screwed

things up for me

in the future

there's been a lot 

of yelling - and crying

so, lately, I've been

spending a lot of time with my gut

who serves as my unofficial

therapist

most nights, I sneak out of the

window in my ribcage

and slide down my spine

and collapse on my

gut's plush leather chair

that's always open for me

- and I just sit sit sit sit

until the sun comes up

last evening,

my gut asked me

if I was having a hard

time being caught

between my heart

and my head

I nodded

I said I didn't know

if I could live with

either of them anymore

"my heart is always sad about

something that happened

yesterday

when my head is always worried

about something that may happen

tomorrow",

I lamented

my gut squeezed my hand

"I just can't live with

my mistakes of the past

or my anxiety about the future",

I sighed

my gut smiled and said :

"in that case,

you should

go stay with your

lungs for a while",

I was confused

- the look on my face gave it away

"if you are exhausted about

your heart's obsession with

the fixed past and your mind's

focus

on the uncertain future

your lungs are the perfect place for

you

there is no yesterday in your lungs

there is no tomorrow either

there is only now

there is only inhale

there is only exhale

there is only this moment

there is only breath

and in that breath

you can rest while your

heart and head work

their relationship out".

this morning,

while my brain

was busy reading news

and while my

heart was staring

at old photographs

I packed a little 

bag and walked

to the door of

my lungs

before I could even knock

she opened the door

with a smile and as

a gust of air embraced me

she said

"what took you so long?"

Life is in the moment.

My take

Yet, more often than not, we tend to forget this simple truth!

Tailpiece.

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

A relaxed Sunday!

The evening chores. The day was mostly sunny though we did have a few showers. There were quite a few power interruptions, however, all through the day.

A menacing social evil!

Child pregnancies on the rise in Kerala. The High Court has asked for a relook at sex education.

Expressing concern at the increasing number of child pregnancies, with at least some cases involving close relatives, the Kerala High Court observed that it is time the authorities took a relook at the sex education being imparted in schools.

"The easy availability of porn on the internet can mislead the juvenile minds of youngsters and give them wrong ideas. Educating our children about the safe use of internet and social media is absolutely essential", observed the court. The court also noted that another bench, which has been considering the issue, had observed that the state's educational machinery has fallen woefully short in imparting the requisite awareness to young children about the consequences of sexual overtures.

The court had made the observations while permitting to terminate a 30-week pregnancy of a minor rape victim. The court said the incredulous but harsh truth is that the girl was impregnated by her sibling, who is also a minor.

The petitioner's counsel requested the court to consider the physical strain being suffered by the young girl and the possible social ostracising she and her family will have to face. The court had recently granted permission to terminate the pregnancy of a 15-year old girl. 

In this present case, after considering the physical difficulties, mental agony and the medical board's opinion, the court allowed the plea for medical termination of the pregnancy.

The court permitted the petitioner - the parent - to get the girl's pregnancy terminated at a government hospital. The petitioner should file an appropriate undertaking, authorising them to conduct the surgery at her risk. "If the neonate is alive at birth, the hospital shall ensure that it is offered the best medical treatment available so that it is offered the best medical treatment available so that it it develops into a healthy child", the court said.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

This unwanted trend needs to be arrested at all costs. There are many parents who've expressed concerns about the negative aspects of internet and as to how it would affect their children whenever I've pushed across the inevitability of attaining digital literacy!

To them I narrate what my grandfather, PN Panicker had told me quite a while back on reading and he had told this to me when I tried to hide a magazine, the 'Cinema Maasika' that I was browsing through (I didn't want him to know that I was indulging on frivolous books!). And I quote, "Monay, no book is bad, every material that you read gives you knowledge. Over a period of time, you'll come to realise that there are information that are required for you and many other you do not require. That will answer your question as to which books should I read and which should I discard".

I extrapolate this logic in the context of digital literacy. One might browse porn sites and other discardable material and will, over a period of time, realise as to what should be assimilated and what should be dumped. 

I hope I'm on the right track.  

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Suma kunjamma goes to the temple and she'd to pick up an auto rickshaw from the stand.

A boisterous day!

My Income Tax Return for 2022 - '23 has been filed.

Participated in the 578th episode of Aazhchakkoottam : "Society and the Media" by Dr SR Sanjeev, HoD, Dept of Journalism and Mass Communication, Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram from 1600 - 1730 hrs. The talk was interesting and so was the interaction subsequently!

Dropped Suma kunjamma on her train around a quarter to 11.

  

Truisms.

* Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool, so I gave him a glass of water.

* I changed my password to "incorrect" so whenever I forget it the computer will say, "Your password is incorrect".

* Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

* I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive and procrastinate all at once.

* If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.

* Doesn't expecting the unexpected mean that the unexpected is actually expected?

* Take my advice - I'm not using it.

* Hospitality is the art of making guests feel like they're at home when you wish they were.

* Television may insult your intelligence but nothing rubs it in like a computer.

* I bought a vacuum cleaner six months ago and so far all it's been doing is gathering dust.

* Every time someone comes up with a foolproof solution, along comes a more-talented fool.

* If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you'll have trouble putting on your pants.

* A computer once beat me at chess but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

* Ever stop to think and forget to start again?

* When I married Ms Right, I had no idea her first name was Always.

* My wife got 8 out of 10 on her driving test. The other two guys managed to jump out of her way.

* There may be no excuse for laziness but I'm still looking.

* Women spend more time wondering what men are thinking than men spend thinking.

* Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

* He who laughs last thinks slowest.

* Is it wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly?

* Women sometimes make fools of men but most guys are the do-it-yourself type.

* I was going to give him a nasty look but he already had one.

* Change is inevitable except from a vending machine.

* The grass may be greener on the other side but at least you don't have to mow it.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores. Prem and Anita dropped by for an hour or so as they'd come to Guruvayur and were returning to Thiruvananthapuram.

Washing machinex and the attendant work. Lekha goes to town to fetch our fruit basket.

Today, Kittu was missing for the whole day. Hope he's safe.  

Adieu Iwan K Joseph and Pramod Jain!

Iwan K Joseph was in my house while he was in his 7th class and I was his House Captain, way back in 1970 in Sainik School, Kazhakkoottam. He passed into the mist of time early this week, leaving behind his wife and two children. He was undergoing treatment for cancer of his brain for the last ten years and it was being done in the best hospital in Florida, USA.

Pramod Jain is my course mate from the NDA. He was in Alpha Squadron while I was in Hunter and we got to be close during our days at the Air Force Training Team (AFTT), during Autumn '75! He passed into the mist of time in the wee hours of this morning, at Bangalore due to a massive heart attack. He'd undergone an open heart bypass surgery just about ten years back.

Would like to recall my association with the both of them as I'd the privilege of interacting closely and spent quite a few lovely moments.

Iwan K Joseph

Iwan was a quiet, rather mischievous boy - was naughty on the quiet and when caught, used to give those innocent looks - who used to be good at Academics and in outdoors. Through his methodical way of doing things, he went on to become a Captain in the IN when he took premature retirement.

He'd spent an afternoon after taking that momentous decision - he was a Joint Director in the Directorate of Personnel, looking after appointments, transfers and promotions of officers' then - and when I asked him as to why he'd decided to quit despite the fact that he was a sure shot Flag Officer, his answer was typically 'Iwanish' - "Sir, bahut ho gaya, I would like to spend the coming years with my family at Florida. Moly ( his wife, was working in a hospital there) and the kids are there and I'll pick up a teaching job which is what I like". 

And he did just that till his very end. Cancer was literally eating away his brain and he was on treatment for the last ten years. He went through the ordeal, admirably well, never losing his sense of humour.

A great guy and a man for all seasons!

You shall always be in my heart, Iwan because you'd grown up to be a fantastic human being and I feel proud of the fact that I, too, had a part in shaping your persona!

Pramod Jain

An effervescent and soft spoken guy among the Air Force mates of our course. We really got close to each other during our times at the AFTT at the NDA during our 6th term. He used to laugh at my PJs and share many of his personal thoughts with me!

And after passing out of the Academy, during our elementary flying days at Mohammadabad Bidar, our interactions got to be more often. Whether it was about Sergeant Kurup's missives on the drill square or our individual trysts with our flying instructors, our guffaws resonated within the confines of our living blocks and even in the crew room, where a modicum of decorum was expected of each of us.

The beauty was that he always got caught while laughing at my PJs and he could laugh so easily. 

Met him a couple of years back during one of our course get togethers and he told me as to how he was enjoying his flying in the civil airlines after leaving the IAF. And yes, he said one more thing about getting back to either AFTT or EFS, Bidar with me so that we could keep laughing for ever! (Did he say that off the cuff, for conversation's sake, or did he really mean it? I'll never ever know! I'd like to believe that it was the latter!).

A great guy who was humility personified!

I'll miss you Pramod, you are my soul mate.    

Adieu Iwan and Pramod! My salutes with tears and prayers. May your near and dear ones have the strength to tide over these stressful times.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and got the sad news about the passing away of Group Captain Pramod Jain. Sajish had come down to give me an early morning haircut.

The bed linen were changed and washing machinex was carried out.

Went to Rani Menon's Eye clinic to order a bifocal for myself.

Lekha and her sister went to Kunnamkulam, in Suraj's auto rickshaw for purchases. Suma kunjamma had fetched up by 8 PM and she'll be with us till Saturday. The Quarterdeck has suddenly become noisy and crowded! 

A tough crisis for Italy.

Italy has seen dozens of governments since the end of World War II, so it's very used to political crises but the tumult now roiling its political parties is playing out differently as Premier Mario Draghi's fate, as the nation's leader, hangs in balance. Draghi has offered to resign after a coalition partner, the populist 5-Star Movement, boycotted an important senate vote.

An Unusual Coalition

President Sergio Mattarella tapped Draghi to form a national unity government in Feb 2021 to help revive Italy's pandemic-battered economy.

Draghi took the helm of the premiership from Giuseppe Conte, the 5-Star who chafed at losing his post as he struggled to get Italy's Covid-19 vaccination program running smoothly.

Draghi leads an unusual coalition, of often-squabbling rivals, including parties on the right, center and left, as well as the 5-Stars.

The Showdown

Mattarella has invited Draghi to go before Parliament to explain why he wants to resign. While other coalition parties are expected to press Draghi to stay, the 5-Stars have been spatting over what to do. Draghi has said he won't govern without the populists in his coalition.

Voice of Europe

The crisis comes at a particularly crucial time - for Italy and Europe. High inflation and skyrocketing energy costs are punishing consumers and industry.

Draghi has positioned himself as one of the loyal backers of military and other aid from Europe for Ukraine, as that country defends itself from the war.

With political crisis in Britain and France and the absence of longtime German leader Angela Merkel, Draghi has established himself as a reliable voice of Europe.

If Draghi Exits, What's Next?

The outcome of the debate in the legislature will help determine if Draghi will stay in office. If he resigns, Mattarella could ask someone else to try to form a government but Draghi's is already the third government since the election to Parliament in 2018.

More likely, the president will dissolve Parliament, triggering early elections as soon as late September. Such a move would likely be in the interests of the far-right. EU-skeptic Brothers of Italy, which opinion polls indicate could be the top vote-getter, propelling its leader Giorgia Meloni into the premier's office.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

The brood of politicians in every country can be painted with the same brush. Self-centred and ambitious, they are least bothered about their country's interests! Sad!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9. Madhu, Sudha, Venugopal and Saloni had dropped by and spent time with us.

A quiet day, otherwise.

Deliveries by Harisree Supermarket and the vegetable shop vendor after teatime.

How's India doing in the current global environment?

Stay cool. We're doing well, much better than many other leading economies.

External Debt

US                  $30.4 Trillion

China             $13 Trillion

UK                 $9.02 Trillion

France            $7.32 Trillion

India               $620 Billion

Foreign Reserves

UK                 $200 Billion

France            $245 Billion

India               $588 Billion

External Debt to GDP Ratio

India               21.1%

UK                317%

France           256%

US                  101%

Figures don't lie!

       *      *       *

!0 Fun Facts

   1. You can't see your ears without mirror.

   2. You can't count your hair.

   3. You can't breathe through your nose, with your tongue out.

   4. You just tried no.3

   6. When you did no.3 you realised that it is possible, only you look like a dog.

   7 You are smiling right now, because you were fooled.

   8. You skipped no.5

   9. You just checked to see if there is no.5

 10. Please pass, so that others can also have fun.

Tailpiece.

Reached Kunnamkulam by a half past 4. Thanked Sunil, the driver and Girija, the conductor as I got off the bus and they were impressed that I remembered their names! It was cute to see the conductor preening herself, periodically, and taking selfies!

Got Rajesh's auto rickshaw as I walked through the light rain with my umbrella. Reached home at 5 and finished unpacking. Washing machinex of the soiled clothes.

Caught up with my work and cleared the backlog.

A quiet evening, thereafter!

 

   

Are there people among us who wish that India burns? (2)

........contd.

They knew the vaccines would catch up sooner or later. But first they wanted India to stand with hat in hand, begging the West for vaccines. Go to China and beg, some of them said. Their desire to see India humiliated was insatiable.

But India held. We did not go under. And it drives them crazy. They cheer each other up with promises that the final destruction of India is not far away from now. Each morning you can find them on social media, coiled like serpents around some random talking point and hissing. Hunger index, happiness index, press freedom index, anything to assure them that it is all over for India. It is called confirmation bias. Then there are the reports from "think tanks". A report from a European country that calls India "authoritarian" can sustain a liberal for an entire week.

They pester visiting foreign diplomats with questions : tell us something India did wrong. Tell us why you hate India. Give us something we can put in a headline. But no matter what they get, whether big or small from America or from Turkey, they are always burning on the inside.

When they have a half an opportunity to humiliate India, they pounce on it with unholy relish. Did India have to say no to wheat exports after making an earlier pronouncement about feeding the world? Such U-turns are not uncommon in an uncertain world, ravaged by war and pandemic, where America is scrambling to get food for their babies. But still, India having to just a little on this issue made them squeal madly with delight.

Is there war in Ukraine? Look, India is neutral. That means they must be standing with the aggressor. India is fascist and "morally corrupt". We told you so, they say to their friends around the world.

But because the real India refuses to go under, the reality frustrates and unnerves them. That is where the wild fantasies come in. Political instability in Britain? Prime Minister ousted by his own ministers? Modi will meet the same fate one day, they say. Or he won't because India is under fascist rule. Did protestors in Sri Lanka take over the presidential palace and burn down the prime minister's house? Modi will meet the same fate one day. Or he won't because India is "morally corrupt".

Like conspiracy theories, the wild fantasies can live on very little or nothing at all. Did Biden just dodge a hug from Modi in that frame? That should be enough to sustain the ecosystem for a day. Oh no, Biden just walked up to Modi from behind, sought him out and exchanged greetings. Never mind. Did you see that capture where PM Modi seems to be bending before some Sultan? Told you the Arabs are going to deny oil and finally, crush our country. Yeah, the same Sultan who came to confer his country's highest civilian honour on our prime minister.

There is a difference between hating the prime minister and wishing for evil on the country. If you want to understand difference, check with BJP supporters when their favourite party was in opposition for decades. Go find out how many of them raised slogans of "How's the Jaish" after a terrorist attack on our soldiers. Indeed, in all the decades of India being under ruinous Nehruvian socialist rule, it is the BJP supporters who often foolishly spoke of a coming awn that would make India a superpower. The BJP supporters always dreamed of great things for India, not ruin.

There are many states in India where BJP is in the opposition. But you won't see a BJP supporter standing with a m

Maoist or a jihad terrorist, just to spite the government. Not now, not before, not ever. Eight years have passed since Modi came to power. Not everything has gone right nor could it have. But despite war and pandemic, India has made it to the position of the 5th largest economy in 2022. With a little bit of luck, we will go past even Germany by 2024. A bit of luck I said which every liberal in this country wishes we never have.

Liberalism in this country is not dead because after two back to back defeats, liberalism in India has become the ideology of the "un-dead". Its followers prowl the streets and the airwaves, looking for shreds of human misery to feast on. Whatever they eat, whether it is too much or too little, only makes them more hungry. The fire in their heart never dies down. It burns brighter each day that this "morally corrupt" nation is still alive.

.........concluded.

- Abhishek Banerjee in OpIndia 

My take

I subscribe to the points articulated by Banerjee. Some people's hatred towards Modi has to be seen to be believed! 

Tailpiece.

Got up around 4, washed and recited my prayers before turning off to sleep yet again. Maman woke me up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 8. Headed straight for the VJT Hall (now called 'Ayyankali Hall'). Organised the reception for the participants in the Quiz competition and their chaperones.

The All Kerala Quiz competition began at 10. The performance was good overall.

Lunch at Hotel Aruna, the same place where I and my classmates had lunch during the UPSC exams for the NDA, in Jun '72.

The valedictory function went off well. Headed for the bus stand and hopped on to the 2130 hrs low floor bus to Kozhikode. Approaching Kayamkulam, as I punch in this post. 

Are there people among us who wish that India burns? (1)

Yes, PM  Narendra Modi's critics!

"What is left for a virus to kill in a morally corrupt nation?" she tweeted on Twitter in Mar 2020. At the time, the pandemic was only beginning. The terrible news from China could no longer be suppressed. The devastation of Europe was unfolding. There was no denying this anymore. We have heard about the world wars. We have watched sci-fi movies about the end of the world. Now something terrible was about to happen to humanity during our lifetimes. For real.

America was already in the grip of the virus. India trembled. Soon it would be our turn.

What did you think about at that time? Perhaps you thought about your family and your livelihood. If you have faith, you might have turned to god. You might have reflected on our place in the universe. Or the meaning of life, family, community, nation and all of humanity. Were we going to be wiped out?

But not everyone felt this kind of anguish that makes us think about our existence. Rather they spoke as if uttering a curse on India. What is there for the virus to kill in a morally corrupt nation, they asked.

In their eyes, India had committed a sin by voting out their patrons. By doing so, the nation had become "morally corrupt". And for this sin,, India must pay. India must burn.

As our neighbour Sri Lanka collapses, as their prime minister flees and protestors take over the presidential palace, our liberals watch hungrily. Why is India not facing such a situation? You can feel it in their tweets. They crave the total destruction of India. The "morally corrupt nation" must pay.

This is a relatively new sense, something that has been around only since 2019. Why 2019? Because until then, they were willing to believe that 2014 was an exception. That the Congress would soon come back to power. Now they realise that it is no longer really possible. Now they just want India to burn.

So each morning they wake up and wish for something bad to happen to India. War, pandemic, terroristic attack, assassination, anything. Whenever they can, they try to stop something somewhere in India. It could simply be a metro line in Bombay. It must be stopped. Nothing is too small that it can be ignored. Is there a way to reopen Khalistani wounds and make India bleed again? They will go for it. Nothing is too big that they will worry about touching it. Anything to make the "morally corrupt" nation pay.

Did a mob storm the Red Fort in Delhi and plant their own flag? A way to show the morally corrupt nation its place. Is there another foreign newspaper that called India "fascist" today? They live for these moments. It does not heal their wounds but it gives them short sighs of relief.

Is the President of the United States visiting India? What if there were huge columns of smoke rising from the Indian capital that day? Would it make India cover with shame before the whole world? Yes, it would. The thought of that makes them happy.

And when the pandemic came, it gladdened their hearts like never before. Like ghouls, they danced around our crematoriums. They flew drones to get a better look at our burning flesh, to strip it off one last bit of dignity that they could seize and sell to the West for money.

The vaccines made them angry. No, India couldn't manufacture and administer so many vaccines, they said. Every time India set a new vaccination record, they screamed like their hearts had been torn out. How many dead, they asked endlessly? It can't be just a lakh. That is not nearly enough to satisfy their thirst for revenge on the "morally corrupt" nation. They wanted to hear 4 million, if possible 4 crore or even 40 crore.

........to be continued. 

Tailpiece.

Today was the penultimate day of the 26th Reading Day/Reading Month celebrations which commenced on 19 Jun. 

We were off to the Foundation by 10 o'clock. A lot of groundwork was carried out for today's and tomorrow's activities.

The 4 o'clock meeting M Vijayakumar (former minister-former speaker), Anathalavattom Anandan (State CITU President), Adv VS Harindranath (former PSC Member), Jomon Puthenpurakkal (the man who brought out the closure to the Sister Abhaya case), Muralidharan Nair (vaastu acharya). The speeches made by the second and third speakers were touching and straight from their hearts!

Wished Ansuiya many happy returns!

Went across to the VJT Hall and got the hall ready for tomorrow's all Kerala quiz competition.

At Thiruvananthapuram.

The day had begun at 4, when Lekha had woken me up. Went through the chores and was ready well before 6. Kittu and the two kittens, were also given their food before I was leaving for the railway station. Suraj was my chauffeur, for a change, as Anto was carrying out another medical assignment. The crowd was less when I'd entered the station, bought the ticket for Thrissur, collected the day's newspapers and boarded the closest coach from the entrance.

The passenger train to Ernakulam - that I'd boarded - was delayed a bit because the train from Madras Egmore was late. Half an hour later, I was on platform 1 at Thrissur Railway Station. Had breakfast - Lekha had packed lovely vegetable sandwiches - and boarded the train at 0820 hrs. But while boarding, disaster struck in that my bifocals fell off through the gap between the train and the platform. Looked desperately for the specs and I'd have picked it up by squeezing myself through the gap, but unfortunately it just couldn't be sighted!

So, it was with a heavy heart that I'd commenced my journey to Thiruvananthapuram, this time. Had the aisle seat out of the twin seats which was only confirmed by about a quarter past 6, by Paulson. The journey saw us passing through places like Kottayam, Chenganasserry and Kayamkulam that had heavy rain. Reached the destination by a half past 1. Since both our drivers had gone out for lunch, I'd reached the Foundation in an auto-rickshaw whose driver, Rashid was cribbing about his luck that he'd got a commuter like me who owed him just Rs. 30/- as the fare thanks to the pre-paid auto stand's rules.

His demeanour changed when he saw the way I was welcomed at the Foundation and I'd given him Rs.50/- for which he was profusely thankful and guilty for having blurted out his chagrin!

Had the lunch packed by Lekha along with Maman and I shared the egg masala with him. The meeting commenced by a half past 3, inaugurated by the affable Kummanam Rajasekharan. I, too, chipped in with my memories of Muthachhan: the crowd warmed up to the stories!

Maman and I had gone to the nearby Saastha kshetram. My visits there always take me down memory lane and today was no exception. Left for home by about 9.

Tailpiece.

Chatted with Ammayi and Chambu, before I turned in for the night.

   

Take aways for India : I2U2.

The first summit of I2U2 - India, Israel, the US and the UAE - took place virtually, yesterday coinciding with the visit of the US President to Israel.

After summit discussions with President Biden (US), PM Yair Lapid (Israel) and President Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE), PM Modi had announced that the group has identified joint projects and prepared a roadmap to move forward covering six key areas viz.:-

      * Water

      * Energy

      * Transport

      * Space

      * Health and 

      * Food Security.

The PM's home state, Gujarat will be the biggest beneficiary of the investments announced during the Summit, which include :-

      * $ 2 billion on developing food parks

      * $ 300 million to set up an advanced hybrid renewable energy project.  

The UAE has committed to invest $ 2 billion to develop a series of integrated food parks across India that will incorporate climate smart technologies to reduce food waste and spoilage, conserve fresh water and employ renewable energy resources. The initial list of food grown under this include bananas, potatoes, rice and onions. This will help the small and marginal farmers and also generate employment opportunities. The two states that have shown interest in this are Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

US and Israeli private sectors will lend their expertise and offer innovative solutions like hydroponics that would contribute to the overall sustainability of the project. These investments will help maximise crop yields and in turn, help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and West Asia.

My take

More countries have shown an affinity to work closely with India, on various projects, probably because they realise that their efforts would yield positive results because of the existing environment and nurture long standing friendships!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Earlier, Lekha had groomed me. Kittu, these days, shows a reluctance to go away from the house.

Lekha and her sister went to the Rani Menon's Eye Hospital at Ayyanthole to get the latter's treatment done. They left around a half past 12 and returned by a quarter to 6.

A quiet evening as I got ready for my move tomorrow.

    

The goings on in Sri Lanka.

The latest that one hears is that ex-President Gottabaya Rajapakse has fled to Singapore, he and his family did shopping - obviously with the money that he'd plundered from the national exchequer - and then sent in his resignation. WHAT A CHEAPO? He will have to ultimately answer his people's court for his shenanigans and see as to what they give him as retribution!

Military Urges Political Resolution

Sri Lanka's military and police requested the Speaker of Parliament to call an all-party leaders' meeting and inform them of the steps they will take to ensure a political resolution to the "current conflict". The Chief of Defence Staff made a special appeal to the people to support the three forces and the police to maintain law and order. Earlier, the troops stood with their weapons lowered in the grounds of the prime minister's office doing nothing to halt the huge mass of people wandering through the compound.

No Medicines, Don't Get Sick or Injured, Lankans Told 

That's the advice doctors in Sri Lanka are giving patients as the country's economic crisis leaves its health care system short of drugs and other vital supplies. A few doctors have turned to social media to try to get donations of supplies or the funds to buy them. They are also urging Sri Lankans living overseas to help. Sadly there's no sign of an end to the crisis.

Opposition Asks Ranil to Step Down

Sri Lanka's opposition has asked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to quit.

My take

What a sad situation! An orderly country has suddenly become chaotic with no mature yet firm leadership that can take the country out of the morass it has let itself in. It's gonna be a slow and painful exercise to get back to normalcy with more than adequate help from the rest of the world, through a UN-backed plan.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, to heavy rains. The chores and was ready by a half past 9.

A quiet day. Lekha and I had gone out to town to buy grocery, fruit basket and other sundries around 11 o'clock.

Lekha and her sister went to the Guruvayur temple, at 4 in the evening, to have a 'darshan' and returned after about an hour and a half. 

All about the 'James Webb Space Telescope'.

The most powerful space telescope ever built, James Webb, has begun to deliver its first full colour scientific images to the world. An overview!

More than 6.5 metres

The centre piece of the observatory is its huge main mirror, measuring more than 6.5 metres in diameter and made up of 18 smaller, hexagonal-shaped mirrors.

Four Scientific Instruments

The observatory also has four scientific instruments : cameras to take pictures of the cosmos and spectrographs which break down light to study which elements and molecules make up objects.

Lagrange Point Two

It took the spacecraft almost a month to reach this region, called Lagrange Point two, where it remains in a fixed position behind the Earth and the Sun to give it a clear view of the cosmos.

Minimum Fuel

At the Lagrange Point two, the gravity from the Sun and the earth balance the centrifugal motion of a satellite, meaning it needs minimal fuel for course correction.

Light from Earliest Stars

In astronomy, the farther out you see, the deeper back in time you're looking. Webb's infrared capabilities are what make it uniquely powerful - allowing it to detect light from the earliest stars which have been stretched into infrared wavelengths as the Universe expanded.

A Collaboration

Webb is an international collaboration between US space agency NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), involving more than 10,000 people.

Protection of Instruments

The mirror and the instruments are protected from the light of our Sun by a tennis-court sized thermal shield made of five superimposed layers. Each layer is hair thin and together they ensure the telescope operates in the darkness needed to capture faint glimmers from the far reaches of the Universe.

Million Miles Away

Unlike the Hubble telescope which revolves around the Earth,Webb orbits around the Sun, nearly 1.6 million kilometres from us or four times the distance from our planet to the Moon.

$ 10 Billion

The lifetime cost to NASA alone will be approximately $9.7 billion, according to an analysis by the Planetary Society or $ 10.8 billion adjusted for inflation to 2020 dollars.

13.8 Billion Years

This lets it peer further back in time than any previous telescope to within a few hundred million years after the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago.

The First Revelations

An international committee decided the first wave of full-colour scientific images - that were released yesterday - included the Carina Nebula, an enormous cloud of dust and gas 7,600 light years away, as well as the Southern Ring Nebula, which surrounds a dying star 2,000 light years away.

Courtesy. ExFiles * Space of the NIE 

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10. Earlier, the customary Wednesday 'aarathi' was carried out. Kalliani - wife of my classmate and friend, CK Karunakaran (Roll no.398) - passed into the mist of time, this morning, due to a brain hemorrhage, consequent to high blood pressure. It's just days after her dad had passed away! My tears and prayers. Will remember her demure and dignified countenance. 

Power interruption for the entire day and I'd forgotten to inform Lekha about it! I mean the message, conveying the news, had come on the cellphone yesterday.

The three of us had gone to the Thriprayar Sri Rama kshetram this evening, at a half past 4, returned after a good 'darshan' by a half past 7. The temple was getting ready for the 'Karkkidaka Maasam' from the 17th. Sajish was the chauffeur.