To Kochi and back.

Got up at 6, I'd a pleasant surprise to see Kittu in front of our door. I really can't tell you as to how happy I was to see him after his no-show last evening.

Went through the chores and was ready before 9. Sheena had come by to collect her cheque for starting a share account for me.

Sajeesh reached us by a trifle after 9 and we took our usual route to Kochi and reached there by 12. Lekha went through the registration formalities, offered her blood and urine samples for path lab tests. The junior doctor, Shweta, saw her and then, accompanied us to Dr Shenoy, for briefing.

Lunch at the Aryaa's next door and we commenced our return by a quarter to 3. Reached The Quarterdeck by a half past 5 where Kittu and Chakki were standing by. Lekha had given them their meals and watered the plants.

Spoke to Ammu on account of her 30th birthday.

Tailpiece.

Today's 31st Mar, an annual account closing date.

Clear all our misunderstandings, hurt, anger, resentment, guilt, fears, rejections, failures, unforgiven, envy, misbehaviour, mistakes and all negative feelings.

Close the account.

Forgive yourself and your loved ones.

Let go.

Tomorrow is 1st April,

Start afresh.

Begin enthusiastically and positively.

 

Back at The Quarterdeck.

Our day had begun at 4, this morning, when Lekha had got up to her cellphone alarm. We went about our chores and were ready by a half past 6. Had bid my bye, as usual, to my mom and dad. The caretaker was at hand for the loading our stuff in the car and we left by a quarter to 7. Our first halt was at the Nagaraja temple at Randalummoodu; went and accepted the 'prasad' from the priest and then continued with our journey.

Stopped at the petrol bunk at Kottarakkara and topped up the tank, checked tyre pressure.

Our next stop was at Hotel Diana, at the beginning of the Adoor bypass, for breakfast. Had appams and egg fry, the time was a trifle past 8.

The journey was quite nice, with the density of traffic well within manageable limits and around a quarter past 1. Had the traditional meals and left soon after.

Reached The Quarterdeck by about a quarter past 2. Sent Lekha for rest while I had the house opened, the clothes segregated for, the washing machine, the maid's wash and for the dhobhi.

Had tea by a quarter to 5, fully refreshed and then, went about our evening chores. Only Chakki and Chhottu had come by. Missed Kittu, wonder where he was?

It was the usual evening chores.  

Tailpiece.

Got the customary call from Shenoy Care who confirmed Lekha's appointment with the doctor tomorrow at 12. Fixed up with Sajeesh for kicking off from here at 0900 hrs.   

How will this eventually play out?

After being in solitary confinement for about seven months in Doha, eight Indian naval veterans there are "likely to get charged individually under various sections of the Qatari law" - the NIE.

In what is a major setback, as there were hopes for early repatriation of the detained officers back in India, a source in the know of the matter is cited by the report as saying, "After the rejection of the last bail plea on 15 Mar, for the eighth time in a row, the veterans were allowed to file a fresh petition on 19 Mar. It was then that they were told that the charges would be framed against them individually. Based on what the charges are, the eight naval veterans will be tried in Qatari courts.

Families of the jailed veterans are described as panic-stricken and clueless about what lies ahead. "Even though we get to meet our men - those who are not in Doha are allowed weekly phone calls - we are severely impacted by what lies ahead. We are hoping against hope  that they are repatriated back home and not tried in courts there", a family member of one of the imprisoned veterans in India is reported to have said.

While the authorities in Qatar have apparently dealt with the eight naval veterans "with civility", the uncertainty around their release is a cause for concern. 

The eight veterans in custody are :-

    * Captain Navtej Singh Gill

    * Captain Saurabh Vasisht

    * Commander Purnendu Tiwari

    * Captain Birendra Kumar Verma

    * Commander Sugunakar Pakala

    * Commander Sanjeev Gupta

    * Commander Amit Nagpal and

    *  Sailor Ragesh.

There seems to be a lot of mystery surrounding the case. Wonder why?

Tailpiece.

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

Was the hief guest for the annual day function of the Devi Vilasom English Medium Nursery and LP School, Thalavoor. Enjoyed the evening. Very many people had come and befriended me.  

Alignment of five planets.

On 28 Mar, five planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will be aligned in an arc form along with the moon after sunset, constituting a rare astronomical event. The planetary alignment is exceptionally unusual since it contains Uranus, one of the hardest planets to spot from Earth. Observers can witness the celestial display with naked eyes a few days before and after the event.

The planetary alignment usually happens when some planets get close to each other on one side of the sun at a particular time. Alignments comprised of the same planets are considered rare in comparison to just any planetary conjunction.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 4, to go round the corner and sleep just did not fetch up. The chores and was ready by a half past 7. Vishnu, the sa'arthi was erratic and so, we finally, left by a half past 8. Picked up Rema and Padmakumar from Pidavoor and we were off to Tvpm.

Breakfast was at the Vazhiyorakkada' short of Kilimanoor and we reached Mini's house at Vanchiyoor by a half past 10, with Kannan briefing us on the route. Offered our condolences to Mini's mom and younger brother. 

On our return, picked up Rema's medicines and lunch was at the Padma cafe at Kottarakkara. Dropped Rema and Padmakumar at Pidavoor and reached home by a quarter to 3.

Siesta followed by a quiet evening.   

Lies.

True lies!

Maximum Lies

have been told in court

with the holy book in hand.....

Maximum Truth

have been told in bar with 

a glass of whiskey in hand.....

World's biggest lie men say :

No need to ask my wife. My decision

is final.

World's biggest lie women say :

I will ask my husband and tell you....

My take

Simplicity is elegance!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, lit the lamp in the puja room, opened up the house. The music from the Kusappilli temple was appropriate for the occasion. Dawn to dusk hymns went on all through the day!

Lunch was brought in by Syamala, the caretaker's wife.

Siesta.

Today is Lekha's dad's 7th remembrance day. The day had started off with a 'thila homam' at the Padinjaattinkara Shiva temple. Went there in the evening. Earlier, had corrected our cellphones and Lekha had bought socks for herself!

Had a long chat with Anand after his return from Nigeria. He's on an upswing regarding his work. Good for him!   

The will of Amrita Pritam.

The will of Amrita Pritam....so beautiful and meaningful....only Amrita can pen these lines....

                  The Will

Fully conscious and in good health, I am writing today my will :

After my death

Ransack my room

Search each item

That is scattered

Unlocked

Everywhere in my house.

Donate my dreams

To all those women

Who between the confines of

The kitchen and the bedroom

Have lost their world

Have forgotten years ago

What it is to dream.

Scatter my laughter

Among the inmates of old-age

homes

Whose children

Are lost

To the glittering cities of 

America.

There are some colours

Lying on my table

With them dye the sari of the girl

Whose border is edged

With the blood of her man

Who wrapped in the tricolour

Was laid to rest last evening.

Give my tears

To all the poets

Every drop

Will birth a poem

I promise.

Make sure you catch the youth

Of the country, everyone

And inject them

With my indignation

They will need it

Come the revolution.

My ecstasy

Belongs to

That Sufi

Who

Abandoning everything

Has set off in search of God.

Finally,

What's left

My envy

My greed

My anger

My lies

My selfishness

These simply Cremate with me....

Amrita.

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle before 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 10. Breakfast before bath.

Maman, Ammayi, Chambu chauffeured by Aji fetched up around 3. A short siesta.

Went across to the Kusappilli temple after 7. The felicitation program was nice with me given the honour of distributing the prizes to the winners. Interacted with Muttathe Kamalamma chechi and many others..

Yoga.

Modern Yoga - distortion of a sacred Hindu practice!

The reach and spread of Yoga in the last few decades have been phenomenal. It has become the swanky new panacea for all problems of the modern world.

However, Yoga is no longer practiced as a method of self - enquiry as it was intended to be.

The practice has been heavily commercialized and distorted beyond recognition. There are also constant attempts to strip this sacred practice of its Hindu roots.

If Yoga is to be truly beneficial to the world, it needs to be reclaimed from the clutches of economics and expediency.

Yoga must be brought back to its rightful pedestal of being a stepping stone to Kaivalya or liberation.

My take

Yes, there's too much of commercialization of Yoga. It needs to be retrieved!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, lit up the lamp in the pooja room and opened up the house.

Lekha had got ready and left by Kunjumon's autorickshaw, at a quarter to 9, for Kottarakkara to :-

   * book the 'thila homam' on her dad's name at the Padinjaattinkara kshetram, for the 27th being his

      7th remembrance day.

   * pray at the Kottarakkara Maha Ganapathi kshetram.

   * get her footwear from Bata.

   * get her cellphone corrected and  

   * buy grocery from the More Supermarket.

A heavy drizzle around late afternoon. Wet the dried clothes on the line outside.

At Raj Nivas.

Got up at 4, thanks to Lekha's cellphone alarm. Went through the chores but whatever one had tried, we could set off for Kochi only at a 10' past 7. Kittu and Chakki were in attendance to see us off. The traffic wasn't much and we pressed on to the Ananda Bhavan at Chalakkudy where we ordered for a 'combo', as usual and washed it down with a filter coffee.

We'd entered Vyttila by about a 10' past 10 and reached Satish Bhat's clinic by about a half past 10. The doctor had gone to the bank in pursuit of his daughter's - I met her, Ankur by name and she's looking at a college in Pennsylvania - educational loan. She was thrilled when I told her that I'd be keeping track of her studies from her dad.

Left his clinic by a quarter past 12 and headed for the Aryaa's at Panampilly Nagar to have lunch. What pleased me about my visit to the doctor were the following that he told me :-

     * my blood sugar levels have been brought under control.

     * my weight is almost steady at 62.5 kgs and

     * my HBA1C has been steady at 6.6.

The lunch of fried rice and Gobhi Manchurian was super. We shot off from there at a fairly high speed and reached Shenoy Care by a 10' past 1. Our thrill was short lived as the reception told us that we could meet one of the juniors at the 'lupus clinic' but not Dr Padmanabha Shenoy. Lekha, then, took another appointment on 31 Mar insisting on meeting the doctor.

We drove straight for Raj Nivas and reached home by a half past 4. Passed through a light drizzle in certain places, closer home. Enroute, Lekha had picked up groery and fresh fruits and vegetables from the 'More' outlet.

Spoke to mom and dad and briefed them about our program.

Watched the television while I wrote the blog and my diary.

 

Execution not about pain but retribution.

The Supreme Court searches for a less painful method of execution than death by hanging and wishes to scrutinise if such deaths are proportional.  The world has experimented with firing squads, gas chambers, electrocution, hanging and lethal injection. Each is a dreadful, uncivilised and inhuman method of ending life with legal sanction. In all these cases, the last living moments of a prisoner being led to the execution chamber are full of torment. Firing at the convicts leads to a painful and slow death by bleeding unless the heart or brain is punctured. In a gas chamber, the convicts try to hold their breath in vain and suffer an excruciating death. In electrocution, the convicts are conscious while the body burns. If hanging doesn't lead to instant neck dislocation, the convicts die of painful asphyxiation.

Crafted or engineered death is painful. Persons in death throes undergo trauma and pain beyond human endurance apart from the anxiety and anticipation of death. Imagine the plight if something goes wrong with the execution procedure and death is prolonged. But this is what death is all about when awarded as a punitive sentence - the anticipation of death and experiencing dying is the punishment.

Convicted persons are expected to realise how much pain they may have inflicted on their murder victims. That, philosophically, is meant to be their redemption, though ironically, the convicts have no chance of reforming once they escape the pain. In that sense, the judiciary's principle of reformation is denied them. If the bulwark of legal punishments is to bring erring people back on the right path, those who get the death sentence are exempt. In this case, a less painful death is merely a matter of detail.

Today, science has answers to a painless execution. Drugs can put convicts to sleep, paralyse their muscle systems and finally stop their hearts. In this case, the patients are not conscious hence unaware of the pain. The argument is if convicts don't feel the pain of death, what is the point of execution? As to the proportionality of a death sentence to a crime, it is subjective and not measurable. It is retributive though. Alternative sentences like life without parole exist but if the Indian judiciary an look for a humane execution, it is only a step away from questioning the death penalty.

My take

The simple answer to this vexed question is to dump capital punishment! But I, on a personal thought, believe that the painful death is the retribution for the crime committed.

Tailpiece.

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

Lekha had gone along with the maid to the ration stand to collect our monthly dues. Had then, gone to the nearby petrol bunk to top up the Chevy with fuel and check tyre pressure.

The Quarterdeck was systematically shut down after lunchtime.

The evening chores and Lekha helped me in washing down our Chevy.

The plight of Ukraine-returned Indian medicos.

Delay in releasing transcript certificates from Ukrainian universities has put the Indian students pursuing medical courses in Georgia, through a transfer program, in distress.

Though the Ukrainian government, in the wake of the war, established a mobility and transfer program for Indian medicos to continue their education in other European countries, many varsities, including the Kharkiv National Medical University are yet to distribute the mark sheets and transcript certificates to students.

The educational agents earlier informed the students that they needed to submit the transcript certificate only after joining the class. However, many universities in Georgia have insisted on producing the same at the time of admission itself, putting the future of thousands of students in a dilemma.

The ability of the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, to exert pressure on the universities is limited. Ukraine's health minister will meet with the university officials soon. Only then can an outcome be expected.

Dilemma

(a) The educational agents earlier informed the students that they needed  to submit the transcript certificates only after joining the class.

(b) However, many universities in Georgia have insisted on producing the same at the time of admission itself, putting the future of thousands of students in a dilemma.

(c) The medicos are worried about losing an entire academic year if they fail to submit the certificates before Monday.

(d) The new semester has begun on 20 Mar but the educational agents say that all problems would be solved soon.

My take

I just can't understand as to why new students are trying to enroll in war-torn Ukraine's universities?

Tailpiece.

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

Saw the balance of the movie, Christopher. It's watchable!

The evening chores. Helped Lekha to water the plants.    

Much ado about nothing?

The mechanics of arresting Donald Trump. He has put his supporters on notice he expects to be arrested today in a hush-money case. What to expect from the days ahead, which have the potential to see a former US President indicted for the first time ever.

How likely is an indictment?

* Although the Manhattan district attorney's office has not confirmed any plans for an indictment. Trump's Saturday announcement that he will be arrested today was a major tell.

* Also, the porn star known as Stormy Daniels, who claims she was paid to not reveal her affair with Trump before the 2015 elections, has co-operated with the grand jury.

* Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen, who has acknowledged making the payment to Daniels and said he was later reimbursed, has also testified before the panel.

* Another clear sign is that Trump himself was invited to testify, although he refused.

No handcuffs, no perp walk

* As per an expert, Secret Service would make special arrangements with the district attorney's office for Trump to arrive at the courthouse in a secure fashion that does not make a spectacle out of the process.

* In other words, no handcuffs and no perp walk through the court's front door, former US Secret Service agent Robert McDonald predicted.

* Given Trump's prominence and his ongoing 2024 presidential bid, the judge likely would not deem the former president, a flight risk and Trump would be free to go after processing, including any bond paid if required.

Potential for violence

* While authorities have given no inclination they expect violence near the courthouse. CNN cited unnamed sources saying law enforcement agencies were addressing the potential for demonstrations by Trump supporters and opponents, with the risk of clashes.

*  Law enforcement agencies have planned a major security operation in the event Trump is indicted.

My take

What about the astrological prediction in Trump's favour that he will return to power in 2024?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6 and we wished Rema many happy returns of the day, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Earlier, the APS Lab guys had come by to collect my blood samples for testing.

Saw some more of Christopher during the afternoon. Aswathy's husband, Asokan had dropped by to call on us.

The evening chores. 

PM Modi popular among Chinese netizens.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reverentially called "Modi Laoxian" meaning "Modi, the immortal" by Chinese netizens, a rare respectful reference to an international leader, the bitter India-China border row notwithstanding! This has come out in an article in the US-based strategic affairs magazine 'The Diplomat'. 

In this article, 'How is India viewed in China?', Mu Chunshan, a journalist known for analysing Chinese social media , especially Sina Weibo (akin to Twitter in China), also said that India led by Modi can maintain a balance among major countries in the world. Sina Weibo has over 582 million active users. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has an unusual nickname on the Chinese internet : Modi Laoxian.

"Laoxian refers to an elderly immortal with some weird abilities. The nickname implies that Chinese netizens think Modi is different, even more amazing than other leaders. They point to both his dress and physical appearance, seen as Laoxian-like and some of his policies, which are different from India's previous ones", says Mu.

On India's relations with other major countries, whether it is Russia, the US or Global South countries, India can enjoy friendly ties with all of them, which is very admirable to some Chinese netizens.

The word 'Laoxian' reflects the complex sentiment of the Chinese people toward Modi, combining curiosity, astonishment and perhaps a dash of cynicism. 

"I have been doing international media reports for nearly 20 years and it is rare for Chinese netizens to give a nickname to a foreign leader : Modi's nickname stands out above all others. Clearly, he has made an impression on Chinese public opinion", Mu said.

My take

Great to know this! This is the acceptance of PM Modi as the tallest leader in the world today!!

Tailpiece.

Got up with the feedback from Lekha that she has developed a sore throat! Immediately sought an appointment with Dr (Mrs) Sodhi. We met her at 9 and bought the medicines. Lekha was, thus, on medicines from the morning itself.

A quiet day to begin with.

Saw a part of Mammootty's "Christopher" on prime video. It has the right tempo!

The evening chores.

News round up.

Have not done it for a while and things seem to be happening suddenly. Needed to voice my opinion on some of these happenings and so, here I go.

1. Crackdown on Khalistani leader Amritpal

In a major crackdown against radical Khalistani leader and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, the Punjab police arrested 78 of his supporters yesterday. Remember, this guy had the audacity to terrorise the police and free one of his followers they had arrested earlier. He and his followers were following their lawless methods with Bhagwant Mann and the AAP, in power, becoming meek witnesses.

# Internet services have been shut down and as I write this, the official version is that Amritpal is still on the loose and even some sources claim that this guy has managed to give the chase to the police on a bike! The guy should be caught, tried for treason and brought to book forthwith!

2. The aftermath of the Brahmapuram fire

The principal bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed an environmental compensation of Rs.100 crores on Kochi Corporation for its failure on waste management, resulting in a major fire at the Brahmapuram waste dump yard. Stung by the slapping of the penalty and though the embers have died down, the Kochi police has sought the help of NASA to trace the origin of fire.

# The Kerala Assembly has been a wash out for the past week because the opposition has charged that the chief minister's daughter is involved in the fixing up of the company, for biomining, @ Rs.40 crores. The chief minister had met the company executives in one of his foreign tours! But my doubt is as to why the Kerala Police did not seek ISRO's help instead!

3. Mallika Sarabhai inspires Kalamandalam

The winds of change are sweeping Kerala Kalamandalam. With eminent classical dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai taking over as chancellor of the deemed university for performing arts, the institution has initiated steps to break barriers of gender and caste discrimination. And female students acknowledge the fragrance of the newfound freedom that has spread across the campus.  

# Firstly, her appointment was blessed by the state government bypassing the governor. So, how long her tenure will be is open for speculation. Secondly, was the Kalamandalam badly administered till now, I wonder? I haven't heard of misdemeanours aired by the media or the press, till now.

Tailpiece.

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

The maid had come by, earlier than usual.

The day was hotter thanks to the massive downpour early in the morning.  

Humility - A leaf out of the President's Itinerary.

Yesterday, Mahalakshmi, her friends and their teachers lined the roadside - in front of their institution - with placards to welcome and catch a glimpse of President Draupadi Murmu, who was enroute to the Mata Amritanandamayi Math in Amrithapuri.

At around 0930 hrs, when the President's entourage passed them, the students waved at her and she waved back. When the cavalcade returned at around 1045 hrs, a bigger crowd was waiting near the school. That's when she stopped the vehicle, got out, interacted with the kids and gave them chocolates.

As one among the people who'd interacted with the President said, "This is our proudest moment. I believe that every leader should be humble and, more importantly, approachable for the common man".

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

The Rashtrapathi of India, besides being the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, dorns many hats in accordance with the Constitution of the country. Though ceremonial in stature in a parliamentary democracy, she wields tremendous powers! President Draupadi Murmu's conduct, cited above, is a hallmark of her character - humility! 

How one wishes as to why the leaders, much lower in stature to her, can't exhibit this quality?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

The Mercury has been rising steadily and it's getting to be hot. The Whirlpool's service rep, Akhilesh, had dropped by and done the needful on the air conditioners.

The evening chores and helped Lekha in watering the plants.

 

Brave hearts die in yet another chopper crash.

Lt Col VVB Reddy and Maj A Jayanth passed into the mist of time, after their Cheetah helicopter crashed in Arunachal Pradesh, around 1230 hrs yesterday.

The chopper was on an operational sortie from Misamari, in Assam's Sonitpur district to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. However, it encountered inclement weather in West Kameng district and was returning to Misamari when the mishap occurred.

Five search parties of the Indarmy, SSB and ITBP were dispatched and the wreckage of the chopper was found near Banglajaap village, east of Mandala in West Kameng district.

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Arunachal has a history of aircraft crashes and this incident is the 16th such incident since 1995. Over 100 lives have been lost in the accidents.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

There are too many coincidences in this chopper crash.

    * The US had, finally, accepted that Arunachal Pradesh is, indeed part of India and that the MacMahon Line was the boundary between India and China only yesterday.

    *  This must have prompted the Chinese to 'teach' India a lesson and to let the US know that its writ is law in this part of the world.

     * Could the Chinese have engineered the crash?

We need to await the findings of the CoI.

Tailpiece.

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

Earlier, had What'sApped Dr (Mrs Sodhi), giving her an overview of my problematic throat. The doctors were on strike and so, she wasn't seeing patients today. Armed with the new prescription I'd gone across to Johnson's medical shop to collect the new medicines, soon after breakfast.

My cousin, Kannan's wife, Mini's father passed away this morning at Tvpm and his funeral was at 1700 hrs.

The evening chores. Helped Lekha water the plants.

   

Timeless quotes.

Alfred E Newman was known for his thought provoking quotes in the MAD magazine. Some of them are timeless.

* Medical insurance is what allows people to be ill at ease!

* The only advantage to living in the past is that the rents are much cheaper.

* Getting old is when a narrow waist and a broad mind change places.

* How come stealing from one book is plagiarism but stealing from many is research?

* Who says nothing is impossible? Some people do it every day!

* America is still a land of promises, especially during a political campaign.

* When you're in deep water, it's a good idea to keep your mouth shut!

* Most people are too lazy to open the door when opportunity knocks.

* Most minds are like concrete, all mixed up and permanently set.

* Most people don't act stupid : it's the real thing.

* A business executive is someone who talks golf in the office and business on the golf course.

* Elections are when people find out what politicians stand for and politicians find out what people will fall for.

* These days, the only time politicians tell the truth is when they they call each other a liar.

* Too often, people who want to offer sound advice give more sound than advice.

* Nowadays, the perfect crime is getting caught and selling your story to TV.

* These days, the problem with neighbourhoods is that there are more hoods than neighbours.

Tailpiece.

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

It was a quiet Thursday.

The evening chores. Helped Lekha in watering the plants.    

The Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and its collapse.

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was thriving. Credit losses are fairly low. Its deposits tripled from 2019 to 2021. How's that a problem? It sounds great, right?

(a) When banks accept deposits from clients, they owe the client that money. So deposits are liabilities to the bank. Liabilities cost money....."cost" both to serve those clients (branches, tellers etc) and any interest the bank pays you on your checking account (deposit).

(b) To pay the cost of those liabilities, banks turn them into assets : lending deposits as small business loans, mortgages et. If a bank can't end deposits responsibly, it often uses excess to BUY loans or "securities", like US Treasuries and Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS).

(c) As mentioned above from 2019 - 2021, the deposits tripled! SVB needed to take those funds and acquire "assets" to pay its costs.

(d) Much of the $ was from V-backed companies that needed a place to deposit the $ they raised. Those are big deposits.

(e) Deposits were pouring in too fast to lend responsibly. SVB recognised that. Rather than make dumb loans, SVB bought assets guaranteed by the US government - Treasuries and MBS. But, it bought long duration. Often 10+ year bonds.

Mistake!

(f) When rates rise, fixed income prices fall. A general rule rule of the thumb is for every one year of "duration", each 1% interest rate move impacts the price of the bond by :

1% x duration.

A 1% move on a 9 yr duration bonds is ~ 9%+/- on the bond price.

But bans are levered......

(g) Remember : banks generally acquire assets by using deposits (liabilities) as the capital source.

And banks like SVB are levered 10x, a 10% loss on assets is a 100% wipeout.

(h) So SVB bought high quality assets but it bought tons of them with LONG duration at LOW interest rates.

When the Fed raised rates, those assets declined in value....

...1% x duration.

Those losses, multiplied through the leverage at SVB, caused a big problem!

(j) SVB now has a mark-to-market hole in its balance sheet. It's just mark-to-market : as long as its liabilities are sticky (ie. depositors leave their money SVB), it will be fine. But that's a big "if".

(k) Technically, if all the depositors ask for their $ back at once, SVB needs to sell those bond at the mark-to-market value, crystallizing what could have been a temporary loss. And if those losses are big enough, it may not have enough money to pay out all the depositors.

(l) But that situation rarely happens. However, one it starts, game theory kicks in : NOBODY wants to be the last depositor at a bank.

(m) Which brings us to today. SVB has large depositors. Large depositors aren't fully insured by the FDIC - they have an incentive to find HIGHLY sound banks. Once a whiff of issue pops up, large depositors run...."bank run".

(n) As a bank's deposits go in reverse, it has to sell assets. The FDLB steps in to help turn its less liquid assets into more liquid.

Courtesy. What'sApp.

My take

Two American banks have collapsed over the last week. The BBC has been unusually quiet. Had it been an Indian bank, they would have gone to town by now.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past9. Was very weak, thanks to the dose of antibiotics and my sore throat.

Slept it out for most of the time.

The evening chores. Helped Lekha in watering the plants.

  

The hard lessons learnt from Brahmapuram!

The high level committee appointed by the Kerala High Court has come out with its report. It's an indictment of the government's inaction regarding the setting up of the infrastructure facilities at the waste treatment plant. Here are the salient points :-

(a) The available area of the windrow plant is inadequate to manage or treat  the quantity of waste brought to the site.

(b) The existing building at the site is in a dilapidated condition and may collapse at any stage.

(c) No devices are available at the site for the primary segregation of waste.

(d) The legacy waste is being processed using biomining techniques but the capacity of the machinery and equipment are not adequate to complete the work within the stipulated time frame.

(e) The Kochi Corporation has decided to construct a new windrow plant at Brahmapuram and 10 acres of land has been assigned.

(f) Considering these aspects the quantity for biodegradable waste may be reduced.

(g) The segregation of the legacy waste at the site is not following the provisions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). No material-wise segregation has happened so far and no magnetic separator and cyclonic air density are made available.

(h) As per CPCB guideline, the percentage of rejects  should be less than 10% but the rejects obtained from is at least three times higher than the possible limits which are unacceptable.

(j) Quality of good earth discharge is also poor due to lack of segregation.

(k) Because of this, Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) which is one of the main end products is of inferior quality and hence it is not accepted by the cement factories.

(l) Adequate number of cctv cameras need to be installed.

 Courtesy. The NIE report.

My take

A waste management treatment plant was being run without adequate preparation and the result during the emergency was a colossal mistake!

Tailpiece.

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

To Dr Sodhi for sorting out my problematic throat.

Helped Lekha to water the plants in the evening.  

A 'big nation' power play?

By pulling off a stunning deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the day he formally began his third term as Chinese president, Xi Jinping apparently sought to lay the first brick for his legacy as a superpower peacemaker.

By doing so, he expanded his geopolitical footprint in West Asia, the traditional stomping ground for the US. Putting Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia in the same basket is like placing cotton and a matchstick together. It is fraught with the risk of ignition due to friction anytime. The last time they became bitter rivals was in 2016, when Riyadh executed a prominent Shia cleric.

Yet Xia took a bet on the yearning to cool bilateral temperatures on both sides. His historic trip to Saudi Arabia last December, where he also addressed the Gulf heads of state, had announced his arrival as a counterweight to the corrosive US diplomacy in West Asia - including covert CIA operations - for energy security.

China and Iran struggle to fight off harsh US sanctions, while Beijing is Riyadh's biggest oil consumer. And Saudi-US  ties are not so solid as they used to be. That said, Riyadh can't expect Teheran to cease arousing Houthi rebels in Yemen in the short run, so the danger of rogue drones attacking oil major Aramco, which has posted a record $161 billion  in profit, is very much alive. Curiously, the deal comes when Iran is this close building a nuclear device as it already has 84% enriched uranium, just 6% short of bomb grade. In the last decade, the Saudi king demanded US bombing of Iran to kill its nuclear bomb program.

Back to Xi, he is also peddling a peace formula for Ukraine that offers little clarity on the status of territories Russia is squatting on. The only supporters of the formula are Russia and its satellite, Belarus. While Xi's initiatives may appear laudable, the impression that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing is not easy to shake off  due to China's aggressive territorial claims across its land and sea borders. No nation that disrespects international rule-based governance can be trusted to be a peace messiah. The more plausible explanation for his West Asian initiative is Xi building the ground to replace Russia as the second pole in what could be Cold War II with the US.  

Courtesy. Editorial, NIE.

My take

It will not be long before China is exposed for its evil intentions!

Tailpiece.

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

Worked on my laptop for a while.

The evening chores. Helped Lekha with watering of the plants.

Back at The Quarterdeck.

My cellphone alarm had woken me up at 4, in the morning. Went through the chores but it took my caretaker's piping hot cup of tea, at a half past 5, that carried the day. Consequently, skipped the first RTC bus that passed by a trifle after 6 and was able to board the second that arrived at our gate at a 20' past 6.

Reached the Kottarakkara bus stand by around a quarter to 7. Went to the refreshment stall, had two vadas and a cup of tea and Gladstone, the guy at the counter, gave me a chair in his otherwise small outlet to spend the time till my bus fetched up. Damn sweet of him. Gladstone, took me to be a doctor and I'd to correct his perception! The chai-making guy prodded me to reserve my seat as the train services had been interrupted due to repair work to the tracks.

I overlooked his prodding because I didn't see a consequent crowding of passengers at the bus terminal. Finally, the low floor, air-conditioned bypass rider to Kozhikode that was supposed to reach there, from Thiruvananthapuram came at a 20' past 7 instead of its scheduled time 7 and I was given a seat behind the driver!

I was sitting comfortably on the two-seater, till Krishna joined me at Changanasserry. She's very outgoing and friendly; we'd a running conversation till I got off at Kunnamkulam. Krishna is doing the final semester of dentistry at a college in Kottakkal. 

Thanks to the effervescent and chirpy young lady, my journey went off without any boredom. 

At Kunnamkulam, was flummoxed for a while without knowing as to where the auto-rickshaws, plying towards Guruvayur, were parked. Reached home by a quarter past 2, had lunch - Lekha had made my favourite fried rice and peas curry. Had a short siesta.

Carried out the clearing of the wet and dry waste bins and settled down for watching television after the lighting of the lamp in the puja muri.

A quiet evening, thereafter.

Tailpiece.

Yet another short trip to the ancestral home went off flawlessly!

  

At Raj Nivas.

Got up at a half past 3, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 5 when Anto was at our gate with his auto-rickshaw. Forgot my towel in the bargain. The train was not that crowded as it was a Saturday.

It left Guruvayur bang on the dot at a quarter to 6 and kept its time all through the journey. Reached Kollam at a 5' to 12. It left for its final destination by a 20' past 12. Meanwhile I'd tied up with our caretaker and John, with his car, was waiting for me at Aavaneeswaram.

Reached them at a quarter past 1 and was at Raj Nivas, soon after. A quick wash of the undergarments, a short snooze and left for the Thalavoor UPS at 1530. I dispatched John and the car on reaching the school because I didn't want him to wait for me unnecessarily as something told me that the MP would be delayed.

And sure enough, he fetched up at a quarter to 8. Meanwhile, many have noted my philanthropy the presentation of books and the cosy cupboard. Hope I don't get more requirements for which I'll have to say nyet and sincerely wish that it doesn't happen.

Returned from the school around 9 and I'd come walking.

The caretaker had got me dinner. A quick bite, the usual evening chores and had hit the sack soon after.

Yes, it was hectic though I didn't feel the pressure at all.

Tomorrow is gonna be a long day. 

Darbha (Holy grass).

Why is it used in the form of a ring during our auspicious and inauspicious occasions? This is from a Research Fellow of our Hindu Rituals...."This article is on one of the practices widely used by Indian Brahmins all over using the Holy Grass named Darbha, Darbham or Darbai".

The botanical name is Eragrostis Cynosuroides and in Hindi, they call this Kus or Kusha. Brahmins use this in all functions, auspicious or inauspicious. A performing person needs to wear a ring made of this Darbha but many have lost the reason of why it's to be used in the first place.

What I learnt from my father was proved to be accurate by a Medical Practitioner. A medical practitioner once visited my home. When the topic turned to many subjects, I told him about the Holy Grass, named Darbha. When I told him about the usage and the values, he could not just believe my words. So, he took out a bunch of the Darbha from me, went straight to the clinic to take an X-Ray of his palm, covering his hand with the Darbha.

To his utter surprise, he found that the grass absorbed about 60% of the X-Ray radiation!

When the powerful X-Ray radiation could be absorbed by the Holy Grass, why can it not absorb the ill-radiations spread in the atmosphere?

At the time of Solar/Lunar eclipses our elders used to keep Darbha in all the food containers in the house to protect from the radiations emanating during the eclipses.

While chanting and reciting some Vedic phrases and verses, one needs to wear a ring made of Darbha on his right hand ring finger. This is most essential while performing all the rituals such as Agni santhanam, Thiru-aaraadhanam and all sorts of havans known as 'homam'.

The count of leaves depends upon the function that is held viz.:-

* For functions related to death only a single leaf Darbha is used.

* For auspicious and daily routine, a ring made of two leaves is used.

* For inauspicious but not death related functions - for eg. Amavasya tharpanam, Pithru pooja etc - a three-leaf Darbha ring is used.

* And for the temple prayers and puja, a four-leaf Darbha ring is used.

Also, when a fire ritual known as Agni santham is performed, the Darbha are spread on all the four sides of the Agni Kundam. Also, during the eclipse time, the Darbha is used to cover all food items to keep off the ultra violet radiations.

Whenever any function is held firstly they perform a site-cleansing act known as "Sudhi punyavachanam". While reciting the selective verses, they hold the Darbha bunch in their hand and place the free tip over the vessel containing water. Thus the recited vibration values are absorbed by the water in the vessel through the Darbha.

The Hoy Grass also has the highest value in conducting the phonetic vibrations through its tip. Later, they sprinkle the holy water at every nook and corner of the place where the function is held. A Darbha without the tip is considered to be of no value as the conductor-type value is lost in it.

Today's science is struggling to understand the inventions and practices of the great rishis!

My take

The knowledge of the ancient practices will give answers to many of the things that we find quaint and mysterious.

Tailpiece.

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

Lekha had gone to the Guruvayur temple to have the darshan of the good Lord. I, too, had gone to town to get a few things done and had a darshan of the good Lord. Today is the 8th day of the 'ulsavam'.

Helped Lekha to water the plants in the evening.

Muslim couple gets married again!

The husband slams the fatwa!

Under the shadow of a fatwa issued by the Council for Fatwa and Research of Darul Huda Islamic University (DHIU), Advocate C Shukkur remarried his wife Dr Sheena Shukkur yesterday. They are residents of Kozhikode.

Shukkur and Sheena opted for the Special Marriage Act to circumvent the provisions of the Muslim inheritance laws to ensure that their three daughters got their entire property. After registering the remarriage at the sub-registrar's office in Hosdurg, Kasaragode, Shukkur said he would explore the possibility of legal action against the DHIU council.

Shukkur, further, said that if anyone misreads the word 'resistance' in the fatwa as an indirect call to mount a physical attack on him, those who issued the document would be held responsible for their actions.

Issued the day before, the fatwa said it was a paradox that a person who claimed to follow Islamic laws had opted for remarriage, under the Special Marriage Act. It said that the lawyer's actions stemmed from  the 'narrow thinking' that his brothers should not get any share of his property.

"Such thoughts are tragic results of the failure to understand the Islamic principles. Allah is the real owner of all wealth and property. They should be utilised the way Allah stipulated", the fatwa said. It also said there was no hindrance in Islam for any person to divide property among daughters, while he/she is alive.

"So, there is no need for a register marriage to circumvent Islamic laws", it said.

The fatwa added, "True believers will not fall prey to such drama by those who use religion for personal gains. They will strongly resist such heinous moves that are meant to insult religious and drain believers' morale".

Shukkur said that the document had been widely circulated among mahals and one of them forwarded it to me. "It tarnished my image among my friends and relatives".

The DHIU has said that the fatwa only aimed to clear the doubts of believers on the issue and that the council issues such clarifications occasionally. The word 'resist' did not have any other meaning.

Shukkur and Sheena remarried in the presence of their daughters, relatives and friends.

My take

It's my firm opinion that the parents have the right to distribute what they have, to their children or anyone else they prefer!

Tailpiece.

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

It was a quiet Thursday.   

Helped Lekha to water the plants in the evening. 

China's human rights violations.

UN rebukes China over human rights concerns. The previous UN rights chief published a report on Xinjiang, highlighting a string of violations against minorities.

 

United Nations rights chief Volker Turk, yesterday, had demanded action from Beijing to address "grave concerns" over the human rights situation in Xinjiang province.

Turk has been under pressure from western nations and rights organisations to take a firm stand on Xinjiang following a bombshell report by his predecessor which cited possible crimes against humanity in the far western region. 

The UN is concerned about the protection of minorities such as Uyghurs of Xinjiang and Tibetans. Quoting Turk, "Regarding China, we have opened up channels of communication with a range of actors to follow up on a variety of human rights issues. In the Xinjiang region, my office has documented grave concerns - notably, large scale detentions and ongoing family separations".

He also voiced unease over restrictions of civic discourse in China and the far-reaching national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 to stamp out dissent following the city's huge and often pro-democracy demonstrations.

Just minutes before her term ended on 31 Aug 2022, Turk's predecessor, Michelle Bachelet published a long-awaited report on Xinjiang.

Beijing vehemently rejects the charges and insists is running vocational training centres in the region to counter extremism.

Courtesy. The NIE

My take

This is murder and the sad fact is that China will get away with it!

Tailpiece.

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

Off to Gireesh's shop to hand over the recharge dues and he seemed to be flummoxed.

Helped Lekha, in the evening, to water the plants.  

A conundrum called the 'Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant'.

Fumes of corruption thicken over Brahmapuram. The CPM-led Kochi corporation faces flak for awarding the bio-mining contract to Bangalore-based Zonta Infratech, owned by the son-in-law of senior party leader Vaikom Viswan.

As plumes of smoke continued to billow from the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant for the fifth day, on Monday,  serious allegations of corruption are being hurled at the Kochi corporation.

While there was some relief in and around Brahmapuram, residents of Aroor, in Apappuzha district, complained about the toxic smoke. Following the rigorous efforts of the fire and rescue officials, the Navy and other agencies, the fire was brought under control on Sunday but the fumes continued to rise from the site.

Sunitha Dixon, public works chairperson of the corporation, put the corruption figures associated with the plant at Rs.10 crores. Over the last two years, the corporation has paid the amount to Zonta Infratech which has done no work. The company does not have the requisite experience to run bio-mining operations.

Multiple fires had broken out on the over 100-acre plot and they were spread out. The argument towards a foul play stems from the fact that had it been a natural fire, it would have started from one side and in this case, it wasn't. The suspicion has intensified as the company has not even completed 25% of the work even though its contract has long since expired.

The 'accident' was strategically executed as the only party  to be benefited from the accident is Zonta, as it wouldn't have to carry out the rest of the bio-mining at the site.

Courtesy. Aishwarya Prabhakaran.

My take

The sad fact is that no end has been sighted on the problem. The damage that it's causing to the respiratory system of the citizens of Kochi is unimaginable. No one seems to care! Sad!!

Tailpiece.

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

The maid had fetched up for work. Had gone across to the bank to get a job done and it has shifted its offices to the first floor, to facilitate change of the interior aura to a uniform blue colour for all SBI outlets, from now on.

The evening chores.  

The Manish Sisodia arrest.

Sisodia did all gimmicks, tantrums and drama. Kejriwal was repeatedly saying since two days that Sisodia will be arrested because they clearly knew that Manish Sisodia would be really arrested very soon. CBI and ED have found the entire money trail.

This gang changed 200 phones and after using a phone for a few weeks, they used to break and burn them in a furnace but the CBI extracted a lot of information from the Apple and Android's servers.

The key witness, Vijay Nair, out of the three witnesses said that he had given Rs.200 crores to Manish Sisodia out of which Rs.30 crores was to be used for Goa elections and Rs.50 crores for Gujarat elections.

Vijay Nair lived in a bungalow allotted in the name of a cabinet minister in Delhi's Civil Lines. This bungalow was allotted in the name of Delhi's Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot who actually lived in his private house and all transactions were done in the same bungalow.

A lot of electronic evidence has been found by the CBI. In addition, this gang used two apps to communicate with each other. CBI has gathered a lot of information from the server of those apps itself.

The biggest testimony is of Sameer Mahendru who has clearly told the CBI that the new excise policy was given to him and eight other liquor companies before being presented in the cabinet and in the Assembly.

Manish Sisodia has become Satyendra Jain's neighbour in jail, it looks like.

Remember this gang stood with Jitendra Tomar when he was arrested. Kejriwal said he's an IRS, IT Commissioner and that he knows how to verify documents and had verified Tomar's degree. But when the university gave in writing that his degree was fake, Kejriwal remained silent.

Then these hypocrites stood with Satyendra Jain. When the truth about him came to the fore and it was revealed that a rapist - he'd raped a minor - used to give him massages in jail, the lot went silent.

They will now stand with Manish Sisodia for a few days or weeks, then Kejriwal will say that Manish had kept him in the dark, hid facts from him and the entire responsibility of excise duty was Sisodia's.

Courtesy. What'sApp

My take

What a fall? AAP was a party that had advocated for corruption-free governance while it fought at the hustings, for the first time. The change has come about pretty fast!

Tailpiece.

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

To the bank for getting a couple of things done.

The evening chores.

 

The 'Moplah Riots of 1921' retold!

The Moplah Riots of 1921 was all along been tom tommed as a part of the numerous resistances staged all over the country as part of India's freedom struggle. That the whole incident was a cold blooded massacre of innocent Hindus by Muslims was kept hidden all this while from public view! The saga of the making of the film - which faced numerous obstacles, from governments to political parties - is given below in the succeeding paragraphs.  

The film, "1921 Puzha Muthal Puzha Vare" was released on 03 Mar in 80 theatres across Kerala, a project that has faced numerous challenges from financial struggles to political obstacles.

The film is based on the notorious criminal, Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji. who was responsible for the 1921 Mappila riots that resulted in numerous Hindu killings, rape and forced religious conversions. While three of the film's producers intended to portray Haji as a freedom fighter, one producer, Sri Rama Simhan, formerly known as Ali Akbar, insisted on depicting the true facts about him and the riots.

Rama Simhan faced significant financial challenges to make the film a reality but with the support of proud Hindu people and prestigious organisations worldwide that wanted to uncover the truth, he managed to complete the film on a shoestring budget. However, the film hit another roadblock at the Kerala Censor Board, which was controlled by the left government. Through the intervention of the High Court and the Modi Government, the film finally received approval for release.

Additionally, the Hindi version of the film is currently going through the censor board screening process and should be released in two weeks' time. 

As for international release plans, Rama Simhan is fully focused on the Kerala release and has not yet worked out the details for international distribution. However, there are ongoing discussions with a team that handles USA releases to explore possibilities.

*     *     *

The original movie is of 3 hours 16 minutes. After two cuts by the censor, it is now 2 hours 56 minutes long. No heroes in this factual movie. The truth is slowly coming out.

My take

How long can the truth be suppressed? And despite the all round connivance to call it a freedom movement!

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle late, the chores and was ready by 10.  

Our gardener, Ramesh got us food from the temple's 'ulsava kalavara' which was very nice. Nice of him, too.

A quiet evening. Helped Lekha to water the plants.

My soul is in a hurry.

By the Brazilian poet, Mario de Andrade.

I counted my years and realised that I have less time to live than the time I have lived so far.

I have more past than future.

I feel like that boy who had a bowl of cherries. At first, he gobbled them but when he realised there were only a few left, he began to taste them intensely and passionately....

I no longer have time to deal with mediocrity/ordinary.

I do not want to be in meetings where flamed egos parade.....

I am bothered by the envious who seek to discredit the most able, to usurp their places, coveting their seats, talent, achievements and luck.

I truly do not have time for endless conversations, useless discussions about the lives of others who are irrelevant to mine.....

I no longer have the time to handle or manage the sensitivities of people who, despite their chronological age, are immature.....

I hate to confront those who struggle for power and those who do not debate the content, just the labels...

My time has become scarce to debate labels.

I can understand the inner essence in this world now.....

My soul is in a hurry.....

Not many cherries left in my bowl.....

I want to live close to people who are "human" - humans who laugh at their own weaknesses ;

...and away from those who have become smug and overconfident with their triumphs and away from those filled with self-importance.....

The essentials are what make life worthwhile......

And for me, the essentials are more than enough!

Yes, I'm in a hurry.

I'm in a hurry to live with the intensity and passion that only maturity can give.....

I do not intend to waste any of the remaining cherries.....

I am sure they will be exquisite, much more than those eaten so far.

*     *     *

As said by Confuius : "We have two lives. The second begins when you realise you only have one".

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores. Washing machinex, changed the bed linen and had my bath after breakfast.

A quiet Saturday! 

Story of the Air India logo.

Many of you may not know that since the time Air India started operations, this mascot has never changed. There is an interesting story behind it.

When Air India started operations, they did not have a logo. The first flight was flown by JRD Tata from Karachi to Bombay on 15 Oct 1932. Most flights used to be from Pakistani cities to to Delhi/Bombay. After a few days people started saying that it's strange that Air India does not have a logo. This came to the ears of JRD Tata as well. So, he tasked his good friend and base manager of Karachi, Mr Bobby Kooka with this job and an ultimatum.

Mr Bobby Kooka used to often man the ticketing counter at Karachi. He had a regular traveller by the name of Syed Wajid Ali who was an industrialist and Bobby was highly fascinated with his moustache and pagdi. Even in his dreams he would see the smiling face of Wajid Ali. Later they became good friends.

Now, having been tasked with this logo thing, he was sitting absent minded at the counter when this Wajid Ali came to buy a ticket. The moment he saw this guy, an idea struck Bobby. He thought why not make this guy the mascot! He was an interesting personality with a crisp pagdi, long mush and a bright smile. He thought of converting his idea to action with the permission of Wajid Ali.

He made him stand in different poses and clicked his pictures. Later, he employed a cartoonist to give it a good shape. And that is how this mascot was born. You may have seen this mascot in different poses but it has never detached from 'Air India'.

Tailpiece.   

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and was ready by 6. Washed down the dew on the Chevy, kicked off by a quarter to 7. The 1st halt was at the Nagaraja shrine at the Randalummoodu junction, the next was at the petrol pump in Kottarakkara where I'd the fuel tank filled up and the tyre pressure checked. Breakfast of idiappoms and veg kurma, at the Hotel Diana, was fine for us.

Lunch was at the Saravana Bhavan @ Paaliyekkara. Reached The Quarterdeck by a half past 2. Opened up the house and segregated the clothes for the laundromat.

The evening chores. 

The decoy effect.

The decoy effect describes how, when we are choosing between two alternatives, the addition of a third, less attractive option (the decoy) can influence our perception of the original two choices.

Decoys are completely inferior to one option (the target) but only partially inferior to the other (the competitor).

Let's say like me, you are an ice cream lover. One fine day, you are out to treat yourself. Shopkeeper provides you options listed below :-

     * one scoop ice cream               Rs.13/-

     * two scoop ice cream               Rs.19/-

     * three scoop ice cream             Rs.19/50

The negligible difference between the price of the 2nd and 3rd options gets your attention. This is called Decoy Effect.

A 2nd option is just a decoy option. Companies provide decoy options so that customers can compare the decoy option (and select the expensive one).

In the absence of a decoy option, the customer will compare - Rs.13/- vs Rs.19/50 - and may probably go with the cheaper version.

But with the decoy option, the customer now compares - Rs.19/- vs Rs.19/50 - and most likely select select the expensive option.

Ever tried buying magazines/anti-virus subscriptions? You may have purchased more than 1year option. Often these services will also indicate the "Best Buy" option.

This option is used by even the top-selling companies.

The decoy effect can cause us to spend and consume more than we really need. When a decoy option is present, we tend to make decisions based less on which will best suit us.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 9. Left home by 9, was dropped at Thampanoor - Aniyan, at the railway station and me, at the bus stand. Got a low-floor a/c bus and reached Kottarakkara by 12. From there, reached home by an auto-rickshaw.

It was packing time and limbering up for our retutn journey tomorrow. 

PN Panicker's 114th birthday celebrations.

Got up at 4, washed up and said my prayers before turning off to sleep for another 20'. Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 7. Had driven the small car to the Poojappura traffic circle and Aniyan and Chambu were there with me.

Reached the 'akshara guru sannidhi', at Poojappura, by a quarter to 8. There was a crowd of about fifty people including our friends and relatives. Thampan sir was the chief guest and he led us in offering floral tributes and saying prayers. Padmakumar, Rema, Mini and Lekha had fetched up by a 10' to 10. On completion, we went over to the Govt LPS at Valiyasala. where the Chief Secretary to the govt of Kerala led the talk. Was a nice program!

He'd presented the reading corner along with books. And we felt nice.

Sudha ma'am of our office had sponsored a vegetarian sadya for all of us. And wow, it was fabulous.

CN Snehalatha gave us a 'kathaprasangam' which was nice. It was at a half past 3.

The evening's public meeting with the chief minister and three of his ministers went off well

Back at Maman's place by a half past 9. A yakkitiyakking evening thereafter.