The mystery unravels!

Ever since the dastardly Hamas strike on Israel took place on the 7th of last October, I'd always wondered as to why and how did the Israeli intelligence failed: why its army failed?

Now, the details emerge through an Israeli document which spells out allegations against a dozen UN employees. It says seven had stormed into Israeli territory including one who participated in kidnapping and another who helped to steal a soldier's body.

The document lists 12 people, their alleged roles in the attack, job descriptions and photos. Intelligence gathered showed that at least 190 UNRWA workers were Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives! It further added that of the 12 workers, nine were teachers and one a social worker.

My take

It's my firm belief that strict action is taken on the culprits!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

Today, they'd taken up the two bathrooms for repairs and by the end of the day, had completed the one attached to the master bedroom.

Finished proof reading Muthachchan's biography and had sent my observations to the Foundation.

Increased cold wave days?

Huge rise in number of cold wave days despite global warming.

Despite global warming, there has been a staggering 506% increase in the number of cold waves in India, which are becoming longer and more intense according to a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). These cold waves are caused by stagnant weather systems known as atmospheric blocking conditions.

These atmospheric blocks allow extremely cold air from northern latitudes to invade north India, exacerbating cold waves. Additionally, upper air weather systems over north India contribute to the subsidence of cold air, further intensifying cold waves and cold day conditions.

The study identified a total of 509 cold wave days, including 45 days of severe cold wave conditions from 1982 to 2020. Between 2010 and 2018, there was a shocking 506% increase in the number of cold waves in India.

Tailpiece.

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

Painting of the house (Day 2).

the maid was at work.

  

An unwanted organisation?

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), shaken by accusations of staff involvement in Hamas's 07 Oct '23 attack on Israel has now come under the crosshairs of Israeli distrust!

Aid and Protection

* The United Nations Relief and Works Agency was established in Dec '49 by the UN General Assembly

* The agency is charged with supplying humanitarian aid and protection for Palestinian refugees in            Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including east Jerusalem. 

* Palestinian refugees are "persons" whose normal place of residence was Palestine during 01 Jun '46 to 15 May '48 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict", UNRWA says.

The 2018 Crisis

* In 2018, the US, the largest contributor to UNRWA, cut its annual contribution by $300 million

* In 2019, Donald Trump's Middle East adviser told the UN Security Council that UNRWA should be dismantled

* The same year, a report alleged mismanagement and abuses of authority at the highest of the UN agency. In Nov 2019, the agency's chief resigned

My take

Shouldn't it take the UNIPOM way if its stakeholders have lost confidence in them?

Tailpiece.

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

Off to Dr (Mrs) Sodhi to show ourselves regarding our cough and cold.

The Asian Paints team commences the project of panting The Quarterdeck.

The Pakistanis have still not learnt their lesson.

I was under the impression that Nawaz Sharif had learnt a lesson from all the things that have taken place thus far but he continues to be the same old idiot! 

With general elections scheduled on 08 Feb, his party the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) has in its manifesto said that Art 370 has to be restored for normalisation of ties with India.

One can only laugh at his bullheadedness coupled with ignorance of the realities on the ground! His country's financial situation is pathetic and rather than finding ways and means to get it to normalcy, he's back on the age-old Pakistani foreign policy cornerstone of the 'anti-India agenda'! He has not realised that it's redundant! 

He doesn't also realise the following realities :-

    * the special status of Jammu and Kashmir is a closed chapter.

    * the Congress and the Farooq Abdulla-Mehbooba Mufti combine and the Hurriyat are spent forces 

       and are irrelevant.

    * the Pakistani armed forces are not capable of fighting India despite the Chinese backing.

And what's he talking about 'mutual respect' when his country smuggles terrorists into J&K? As far as India is concerned, it has nothing to talk to Pakistan.

My take

So, Nawaz Sharif, you need to take a walk and think positively. Work on forming an all-party-government, chuck out your anti-India based foreign policy and work out a serious plan to get back your economy to even keel! And for your country's betterment, ask your army to remain in the barracks!

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.   

A quiet Sunday though the maid was in for work.

Shut down the windows of The Quarterdeck in preparation for the painting of the house, commencing tomorrow! 

What a shame?

This morning, the Governor, Mr. Arif Mohammad Khan was stopped at Nilamel by the SFI students. On hearing the thump of an object on his window, the Governor had stopped the car to face the students. They shouted at him and asked him to go back!

The Governor retorted that he wouldn't go back thus calling the bluff of the SFI students who did not know what to do next. The Governor, further, had a chair picked up for him from a nearby shop and he sat on it on the road.

To make matters worse, the policemen on duty requested him to acquiesce to the students' demand and to return. It was then that the Governor took on the police, questioning their responsibility of ensuring security during such situations. He insisted upon them to make an FIR on the incident and made sure that it was prepared forthwith! 

For the last few weeks, the SFI has been doing similar deeds to block the Governor on passage and he has reacted in similar fashion, all through. He seems to be fed up with the state government because the chief minister - also being the Home Minister - seems to be encouraging the fracas! During the Republic Day function, he neither looked into the eyes of the chief minister nor converse with him though they sat next to each other and during the inaugural session of the State Assembly yesterday, he'd cut short his speech by reading the first and the last paragraphs only!

While the SFI's nonsense was going on at Nilamel, when the Governor had informed the central government about the breach in his security, he was promptly provided 'Z' Category security with CRPF men which, indeed, is a slap on the face of the chief minister. Moreover, the central government has tasked the state's chief secretary to provide a detailed report about the incident.

And what did the churlish chief minister do? He called a press conference in the evening putting the entire blame on the Governor, even calling him an RSS man! He has time and again shown that he's a bad loser!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 2, the chores and left for Koduppunna at a half past 3. Picked up Rema, from Vyttila, around a quarter past 5 and reached the AC road before a half past 7. Had breakfast and we were the first to fetch up at 'puja' at the Paroor compound at Koduppunna. A good section of the family was present and it was nice meeting up with each one of them!

We made our return around a half past 10, dropped Rema by a half past 12 at Vyttila, had lunch at Hotel Brindaban at Palarivattom. Reached back at The Quarterdrck by a half past 4.

A quiet evening thereafter. 

A confusing day!

Last night as we hit the sack around a half past 11, Lekha was coughing periodically. Three days of medicines did not show any effect. Moreover, her cough sounded harsher and persistent. The doctor had asked me to get a few tests and an x-ray done if the cough was continuing without any let up.

Both of us couldn't sleep and it was awfully painful to see her huddled up because in that position, the cough would take a respite. Along with the torrent of coughs, she had developed a pain in the throat which made swallowing difficult.

Must admit that I was at my wits' end and completely lost as to what I should do. I'd even contemplated as to whether I should go in for a change of the doctor.

Had got up at our usual time this morning and I saw Lekha sleeping away. I didn't disturb her as I wanted her to catch up on some sleep that the cough had prevented her from having, last night.

The cough had subsided. After the morning chores, hoisting of the tricolour and a nice breakfast made by our maid we'd watched the colourful Republic Day parade at New Delhi. It was after that that we'd set off to the Rajah Hospital to get the tests done on Lekha, which confirmed the infection.

My journey to Koduppunna tomorrow - for the family puja - was finalised only in the evening.

It's gonna be a long and early day! 

Rising consumption of junk food and its consequences.

Rising consumption of unhealthy diets by Indians may lead to a public health crisis in the form of rapidly increasing obesity and diabetes says an article published in the international journal Preventive Medicine Research and Reviews.

Public health crisis in a nutshell

* 1 in 4 adults are obese and 1 in 4 Indians have diabetes.

* Non communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases         and diabetes kill 41 million people worldwide. Around 4.7 million people died in India in 2017.

* 56% children between 5 and 19 years had audiometric risk factors, showed India's Nutrition Survey 

   2016.

* Among adults above 20 years, 11.4% prevalence of diabetes, 15.3% pre-diabetes, 35.5%                         hypertension, 28.6% generalised obesity, 39.5% abdominal obesity and 24% hyper cholesterolemia       reported , as per ICMR-INDIAB survey.

* 13.7% is annual growth rate of ultra-processed food sales, pervasive marketing strategies, 

   advertisements and massive budgets behind this

My take

All stakeholders need to exercise restraint and ethical practices are the need of the hour.

Tailpiece

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Lekha's cough doesn't show any signs of let up!

Went to Dr (Mrs) Sodhi for medical advice.

To Kill a Tiger.

To kill a tiger, directed by Indian-origin Canadian film maker Nisha Pahuja, has been nominated under the Best Documentary Feature Film category in the 96th Academy Awards.

Set in Jharkhand, To kill a tiger revolved around a father - named Ranjit and his unrelenting fight to find justice for his 13-year old daughter, who was abducted and sexually assaulted by three men.

Nisha has produced the film along with David Oppenheim, Cornelia Principe and Andy Cohen. Indian-origin hollywood actors Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling are also credited as executive producers for the film. 

Delhi-born filmmaker, Nisha is also known for her works like the Emmy nominated documentary,  The World Before Her, a three-part series titled Diamond Road and the feature length documentary Bollywood Bound.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 10' to 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Off to Dr (Mrs) Sodhi for Lekha's review when she tweaked her medicines and put her on antibiotics because the cough has been harsh and persistent. 

A quiet evening.

2 jabs annually to control cholesterol.

There is now some help at hand to those struggling to bring their cholesterol under control as a breakthrough cholesterol-lowering treatment that promises to drastically reduce LDL-C (Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) in the blood or 'bad' cholesterol has been launched in India.

Inclisiran, which has got approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), has been termed as a futuristic drug and is only required to be taken twice a year. However, it costs around Rs.1.3 lakhs per dose.

Important information

* Inclisiran is a cholesterol-lowering drug that reduces levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood

* It is a gene-silencing drug as that silences the gene PCSK9, which in turn boosts the liver's ability to

   remove harmful cholesterol from the blood

* After an initial dose, the drug is given again after three months and then twice a year

* Each 284 mg dose is administered using a single pre-filled syringe

Recommended for

* Those whose cholesterol has not gone down despite being on statin

* Have recurrent or family history of cardiovascular events

* Experience too many statin side effects and are unable to take them

Side effects

* Local injection site reactions

* Some muscle-associated symptoms

* Symptoms like a common cold with inflammation in the nasal passages

* Headaches

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 10' to 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

Subin came by and cleaned up the overhead water tank.

Riby and Ajish came by to finalise repainting The Quarterdeck.

The evening chores. 

The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya.

What is Pran Pratishtha? 

Pran Pratishtha's literal meaning is "the establishment of life force", which imbues vitality into the idol of Ram Lalla, transforming it from a mere form into a deity capable of receiving prayers and bestowing blessings. It's a sacred union of the divine and the material, bridging the gap between the devotees and the object of their adoration.

It is during the Pran Patishtha ceremony that a murti, a devotional image of a deity, is consecrated into a Hindu idol. Hymns and mantras are recited to invite the deity as a resident guest and the idol's eyes are opened for the first time.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 10' to 6, the chores and was ready by 9.

To Dr (Mrs) Sodhi - our friendly neighbourhood doctor - to show our medical discomforts!

Unpacking, distribution of clothes for dry cleaning/washing have been completed.

Lekha's cough has been harsh and persisting. 

Back at The Quarterdeck.

Got up at usual time, the chores, finished the final stages of packing, a quick bath, the elaborate breakfast and Selvam took us off to Santa Cruz at 9. Returned soon to collect my spectacles!

The drive to Bombay was uneventful. Reached Terminal 1 by a 20’ to 12. The young lady at the check-in, Shehzeen, went out of the way to help me out with my excess baggage. 

Whiled away time at the wheelchair point till a quarter to 3. Vipin, from Jaunpur, took us to gate 23. Indigo had offered free lunch at idli.com but we couldn’t avail of the offer as Lekha was really down because of the fever and cough. 

Boarded the aircraft at 4 but due to traffic density, we finally took off at a half past 5 and reached Kochi at a quarter past 7. Kannan was there since 7, went via Flora where I seemed to be a welcome guest. Quickly collected our bag and set off to Guruvayur.

Dinner at Ananda Bhavan, a Dolo for Lekha with water and we hit straight to Guruvayur. Pulled out money from the ATM. Reached home by 10.

Hit the sack at a quarter to 12 after tucking Lekha into bed and setting the small things right for the morning.

At Resovilla (3).

Got  up comparatively late, the chores and was ready well in time. Athira’s friend, Jagannath Shetty and his wife, Sushama had come by and he took us to show his new house-in-the-making.

A great lunch.

Siesta.

Met the social activist, Falguni and her understudy, Meenal and was subjected to interesting discussions.

A musical evening!

At Resovilla (2).

Got up at 4 with the dull ache at my lower back. Lekha’d applied medicine and we turned off to sleep only to wake up at 7 when Neil had woken us up.

A quiet morning, where I’d gone about my usual chores, recited my prayers, circumambulated the ‘Tharavadu’ and browsed my mail on Neil’s laptop.

Siesta followed by a visit to the school, offered my contribution and weren’t they floored?

A quiet yet singsong session! Anil’s elder daughter, Athira, her son, Ved and their dog, Score entertained us in the evening.

Pune to Bombay - the second leg.

Dateline 18 Jan

Got up leisurely, the morning chores and caught up with Vishwe. A lovely breakfast courtesy Sarika, his maid. 

The chores and was ready by a half past 10. Meanwhile, Selvan, our chauffeur to Bombay had set off towards Pune and reached the RSI by 12. We set off from Vishwe’s house by a quarter to 12.

Changed cars and set off to Bombay by a half past 12. The long journey was good. Lunch at a place beyond Lonavala of Misal paav and Selvan, very graciously, bought as vada paav too and wouldn’t take money for it.

Tea enroute to Resovilla and pulled out money from the ATM. Reached Anil’s house by a 10’ past 7.

A nice nostalgic and sing song evening.

Return - the first leg.

Dateline 17 Jan

Got up at our usual time, the chores were performed in a leisurely manner as there were nothing on the day’s agenda. Had breakfast and during the meal, got to know  the Biswases.

Mhaisalkar had reached the Mike Squadron to pick us up by a half past 10 and we caught up while being on the drive! The traffic was hopeless and we reached the Oasis half an hour behind schedule!

Jo and Akshita, Vishy and of course my course mates had come by and made my day.

Came to Vishwe’s house to spend the evening. Shakir Jacob and his wife, Sandhya joined us for dinner which was a sing song session.

At the NDA.

Got up around 5, the chores and was able to fetch a cup of tea for Lekha by 6. Went for breakfast by 8, joined the crowd.

Homage paid at the Hut of Remembrance. Interacted with Karambir, the ex-CNS.

High tea at Salaria Square followed by the third and final session of the lectures.

Lunch with the cadets. Interacted with the cadets including a school type, SCC, Foxtrot Nikhil Nair.

An hour’s siesta.

To Hunter Squadron for interaction at 1700 hrs. Went on for two hours.

To the Bombay Stadium for the Cultural Evening.

Day 1.

A day packed with events.

Seminar on improving upon the training at the Academy.

Had a badly required siesta.

Sound & Light show about the history of the Academy at Salaria Square at 1845 hrs.

Cultural event followed by dinner. Shaan in attendance.

At Pune.

Dateline 14 Jan.

Reached NDA by a half past 3, regaling people with us on our trip from the airport to the Academy. Got my cabin changed from the top floor.

Met a few of my course mates.

To the Composite Officers’ Mess where the evening was hosted by our naval course mates. Nice!

Leg 1 of the trip.

It was a fine day, we went through our chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. After a light breakfast we’d begun our packing and could finish it by 12. Rahul, the newspaper agent came at the right time to collect his dues from us. Told him about our impending trip and to keep the newspapers with him.

Sajish came promptly by 2, we set off for Flora, our shelter for the evening. In between, Maman had sent me the preface to Muthachhan’s biography. Corrected the draft and sent it back to Shekhar.

Settled down at 105, Flora for the evening. Had fruits brought by Lekha. Watched television and had a comparatively early dinner.

Tomorrow is gonna be a long day.

Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.

Vital Statistics

* Reduce commuting time by 20 to 25 mts for travellers, connecting Chirpe in Ulve, Uran taluka,

   Navi Mumbai to Sewri in south Mumbai.

* The longest sea bridge spanning 21.8 km.

* Named Atal Setu.

* The project, envisioned nearly 30 years ago, aims to expedite travel between the two cities.

* The first sea bridge to incorporate an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system, allowing vehicles to pass

   through toll booths at speeds of up to 100 kmph without stopping.

* Minimal environmental impact : an increase in the number of Flamingo birds visiting the Sewri coast.

* Boasts of a 6-lane sea link, with 16.50 km over the sea and 5.50 km on land, showing remarkable

   engineering expertise.

* It is strategically located near the Navi Mumbai International Airport which is developing.

* Its estimated cost is Rs. 18,000 crores.

* It is expected to accommodate 70,000 vehicles, addressing the region's growing traffic congestion.

* It allows motorists to cruise at a maximum speed of 100 kmph, with specific restrictions for different 

   vehicle types.

Bridge's potential

* It will accelerate the region's progress and promote development in Navi Mumbai and adjacent

   areas.

* Has the potential to create a new supply chain, enhance the real estate market in areas like Ulve,

   Dronagiri, Panvel and the developing Pushpak Nagar and improve connectivity with the Mumbai-

   Pune Expressway.

My take

An extraordinary infrastructure push! A proud moment for all Indians, especially Mumbaikars!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

The maid was at work.

Lekha goes to the ration-stand to collect our monthly dues.

The first indigenously built drone!

Adani Defence & Aerospace handed over its indigenously manufactured Drishti 10 Starliner Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to the Indian Navy.

The medium altitude long endurance UAV which left from Hyderabad for Porbandar was flagged off by the naval chief. The IN says that it is a transformative step in India's quest for self reliance in advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technology and maritime supremacy. Drishti 10's integration into our operations strengthens our preparedness.

An all-weather military platform

* The UAV has a 36 hours' endurance and 450 kg payload capacity. It is the only all-weather military 

   platform with STANAG 4671 certification and clear to fly in both segregated and unsegregated 

   airspace.

* Apart from manufacturing the drone, Adani has also created an ecosystem for MRO and                         strengthening Navy's preparedness.

My take

Atmanirbhar!

* STANAG is Standardization Agreement as per NATO's Standards Document.

Tailpiece.

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

Sajish had given me a nice haircut.

A quiet Thursday.   

The masks begin to fall off.

* The Chinese biological laboratory in Wuhan is owned by GlaxoSmithKline.

* which (accidently) owns "Pfizer!" (The one who makes the vaccine against the virus).

*  which (accidentally) started at the Wuhan Biological Lab

* which was (accidentally) funded by Dr Fauci.

* who (accidentally) promotes the vaccine

* GlaxoSmithKline is (accidentally) managed by the finance division of Black Rock,

* which (accidentally) manages the finances of the Open Foundation Company (Soros Foundation),

* which (accidentally) manages the French AXA!

* Soros (accidentally) owns the German company Winterthur,

* which (accidentally) built a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan and was bought by the German Allianz,

* which (coincidentally) has Vanguard as a shareholder,

* who (coincidentally) is a shareholder of Black Rock,  

* which (coincidentally) controls central banks and manages about a third of global investment capital

* Black Rock is also (coincidentally) a major shareholder of MICROSOFT,

* owned by Bill Gates

* who (coincidentally) is a shareholder of Pfizer (which - remember? sells a miracle vaccine)

* and (coincidentally) is now the first sponsor of the WHO!

Now you understand how a dead bat sold in a wet market in China has infected the WHOLE PLANET?

Folks, for the Deep State this is not about protecting the people, preventing  the spread or a cure for the virus, this is about greed, corruption, power and control for them....

My take

It's now crystal clear as to who the perpetrators of Covid-19 are! This is, but, the sad truth!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 4, the chore, was ready well in time and kicked off at 7.

Took the route via Thevara, Kundannoor and to Mallan's clinic. The broken rear view mirror dangled all through today's journey.

Reached Mallan's Clinic by a half past 8. Clarity, finally, from Mallan. The two shaking teeth have got embedded strongly with the presence of the implants and so, there's no requirement for a surgery. Phew!

The son needs help. Left the clinic by a half past 11.

At the INCS by a 10' past 2. Bought our grocery and liquor.

Set off by a half past 3 and reached The Quarterdeck by a 5' past 7.

Socrates' prediction

Dateline 09 Jan

On the fall of democracy.

"Democracy must fail because it will try to tailor to everyone.

* The poor will want the wealth of the rich and democracy will give it to them. 

* Young people will want to be respected as elderly and democracy will give it to them.

* Women will want to be like men and democracy will give it to them.

* Foreigners will want the rights of the natives and democracy will give it to them.

* Thieves and fraudsters will want important government functions and democracy will give it to them.

And at that time, when thieves and fraudsters finally and democratically take authority; because criminals and evil doers want power, there will be worse dictatorship than in the time of any monarchy or oligarchy".

- Socrates (470-399 BC)

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, the chores and we kicked off at 10' to 7.

Reached Edappalli at a half past 9, when disaster struck. A KSRTC bus brushed close to our Chevy and broke the rear view mirror. The conductor helped me to file an FIR at the Elamakkara Police Station.

Sent Lekha to Fleury to get her requirement done. Had lunch at the Aryaa's at Panampilli Nagar. Our visit to the canteen was a no show as it was open for a half day, being a Tuesday.

Settled down at 4, Naval Officers' Institute booked by Captain Jason Paul.

It was comfortable - Pratik and Inderjit looked after us. The trudge up to the third floor was tough for Lekha.

First night landing in Kargil.

In a demonstration of its expanding operational capabilities, the IAF has successfully conducted a night landing of C_130J Super Hercules transport aircraft at the high-altitude Kargil airstrip.

Its significance is that the Kargil airstrip is situated in at an altitude of 2,927 mts above sea level and is surrounded by hills and has a unidirectional approach.

To land the aircraft on the dark airstrip, the crew used night vision goggles. They also employed terrain masking enroute, a technique used to avoid detection by enemy radars.

The airstrip lies close to the LoC in the Union Territory of Ladakh. It is situated near the Srinagar-Leh Highway, which was the focus of the Pakistani troops during the 1999 Kargil war.

This training exercise was to test the special operations launch capability at night. It is significant for time-critical operational mobilisation of troops and equipment to carry out special operations and also in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. 

My take

Three cheers to the IAF!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 10' to 6, the chores and was ready by about a half past 9. 

Lekha goes to the Mammiyoor kshetram for her tryst with the Lord. Breakfast was from the Aaryaas there, brought by Sukesan.

Gave Vishwe the 'all clear' for my do at the RSI on the 17th.

To the town with our Chevy for :-

     * getting the new PUC certificate.

     * topping up with fuel and checking tyre pressure.

Selvam comes, in the evening, to press the clothes. Rejith delivers the dry cleaned clothes.

Aditya reaches its Sun study orbit.

In its maiden solar mission, ISRO successfully placed Aditya-L1 spacecraft into its final orbit yesterday, at1600 hrs.

The insertion of Aditya-L1 in the halo orbit presented a critical mission phase which demanded precise navigation and control. A successful insertion further involved constant monitoring along with the adjustment of the spacecraft's speed and position by using on board thrusters.

It underlines ISRO's capabilities in such complex  orbital maneuvers and gives confidence to handle future interplanetary missions.

The satellite placed in the orbit of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from Earth, has covered only 1% of the distance to the Sun. 

It will be undertaking several studies on the impact of the Sun's radiation, solar flares, solar storms and other particles on the Earth through payloads.

From the L1 point, Aditya has the advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation or eclipses. It will help observe solar activities and their effects in real time.

My take

India taking great strides in the field of space!

Tailpiece.

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

A quiet Sunday. Planted the idea of going to Ayodhya sometime in October, just the six of us - Self and Lekha, Padmakumar and Rema and Sanil and Mini.

The usual evening chores.  

Israel's vision of the ground offensive against Hamas.

Israel would shift to an apparently scaled-down "new combat approach" in northern Gaza, while continuing to fight Hamas in the south of the territory "for as long as necessary".

A proposal on how Gaza would be run once Hamas is defeated with Israel keeping security control while an undefined, Israeli-guided Palestinian body runs day-to-day administration and the US and other countries oversee rebuilding.

The document issued by Israel's defence minister is titled "Vision for Phase 3" of the war which has not yet begun.

The defence minister's statement underlined that the war would go on until Hamas' military and government capabilities are eliminated and the more than 100 hostages still in captivity are returned.

In the north, the Israeli forces will shift to a new approach that includes raids, destruction of tunnels, "air and ground activities and special operations". The aim would be "the erosion" of the remaining Hamas presence.

My take

A clear cut aim!

Tailpiece.

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

Lekha goes to town for :-

      * visiting Trends 

      * buying our fruit basket.

The usual evening chores. 

Army reviews Gen Naravane's book.

The Army has begun a review of the memoirs of its former chief Gen MM Naravane (Retd) after it mentioned sensitive details of Indian Army's response to Chinese PLA movement in 2020. The Indian government has also directed publisher Penguin Random House not to share excerpts or soft copies of the book until the review is over.

The memoirs published in parts by news agency PTI last month revealed unknown details of the Indian leadership's response to the 2020 standoff with China in eastern Ladakh in 2020 and on the discussions on various aspects of the Agnipath scheme of recruitment before it was launched last year.

In the memoir, Gen MM Naravane (Retd) has disclosed the the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had given him a free hand to act following the movement of Chinese PLA tanks and troops on the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. "Jo ucchit samjho woh karo" said Rajnath Singh.

The former chief also recalled that "a hundred different thoughts flashed through my mind" before his call to the then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen YK Joshi. "We cannot be the first ones to fire", I told him.....Instead, I told him to move a troop of our tanks right to the forward slopes of the Pass and depress their guns so that the PLA would be staring down the barrels of our guns," Gen Naravane has written.

The memoir, Four Stars of Destiny, were published by PTI on 18 Dec. According to sources in the Defence Ministry, memoirs and other such works by officers who have been in crucial rules in the Army are always reviewed before they get published due to the sensitive nature of content and its impact on the national security.

Tailpiece.

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

After a quick breakfast, went to town for the following :-

    * the bank for work

    * the DTH guy to recharge my TATAPLAY accounts

    * pick up two landline phone sets

    * get my cellphone card and cover replaced

    * check about the bookings for the Aadhyaathmika Hall.

The maid was at work. 

Why do we call a 'pizza' so?

Say, the pizza has :-

   * Thickness = a

   * Radius      = z

Volume = Pi x Z squared x a

             = Pi(zz)a!

Are you aware?

* Birds don't urinate.

* Horses and cows can easily sleep while standing up.

* The bat is the only mammal that can fly. The leg bones of a bat are so thin that no bat can walk.

* Even when a snake has its eyes closed, it can still see through its eyelids.

* Despite the white, fluffy appearance of the Polar Bear's fur, it actually has black skin.

* The average housefly only lives for 2 or 3 weeks.

* For every human in the world there are one million ants.

* A small amount of alcohol placed on a scorpion will make it go crazy and sting itself to death!

* Alligators and sharks can live up to 100 years.

* A honeybee has two stomachs - one for honey, one for food.

* Elephants weigh less than the tongue of a blue whale. The heart of a blue whale is the size of a car.

* Blue whales are the largest creature to ever roam the earth.

* A cockroach can survive for about a week without its head before dying of starvation.

* When a dolphin is sick or injured, its cries of distress summon immediate aid frim other dolphins, which try to support it to the surface so that it can breathe.

* A snail can sleep for up to 3 years.

* The fastest bird, the spine-tailed swift, can fly as fast as 106 mph (Peregrine falcon's speed is actually 390 km/hr or 108 mph).

* A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

* The leech has 32 brains. The average outdoor-only cat has a lifespan of about three years. Indoor-only cats can live for sixteen years and longer.

* Sharks are the only animals that never get sick. They are immune to every type of diseases including cancer.

* A mosquito's proboscis (piercing needle) has 47 sharp edges on its tip to help it cut skin and even protective layers of clothing.

* The human brain has memory space of over 2.5 Million Petabytes which is 2,500,500 Gigabytes.

My take

Just goes to show as to how little we know about the environment around us!

Tailpiece.

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

CP Vijayan, the Security Head of the YMall at Thripprayar came by to invite me for being the chief guest at their Republic Day functions.

Lekha helped me wash down our Chevy in the evening.

 

The love of a people towards their Queen.

The Danes were coming to terms with Queen Margrethe's surprise announcement that she will abdicate on 14 Jan in favour of her son after 52 years on the throne.

"Goosebumps, to say the least. It was quite a shock", was a reaction like thousands of other Danes after listening to the 83-year-old queen's annual New Year's Eve speech live on television.

The hugely popular, chain-smoking monarch had insisted over the years that she would never step down, repeatedly saying she would "stay on the throne until I drop".

Margrethe II has been instrumental in making the Danish monarchy one of the most popular in the world, enjoying the support of more than 80% of Danes, according to a recent poll. A widow since 2018, she underwent extensive back surgery in February last. She said that the operation "gave cause to thoughts about the future - whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation".

Crown Prince Frederik is the man who would be king.

Tailpiece.

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

Had a morning video chat with Nikhila and her family. Had asked them as to whether everything was okay with them against the backdrop of a massive earthquake, yesterday.

The maid was at work today.

The usual evening chores.

Mark your dates.

New heroes could emerge or veterans could turn back the clock. The big events this year promise fascinating storylines. Let's take a look....

Candidates Tournament

A massive event for India. As many as five from the country (3 men and 2 women) will be in focus during the Candidates Tournament, which is scheduled to be held  from 02 - 25 Apr in Toronto, Canada. The winner of the event will get a chance to vie for the world title.

Olympics/Paralympics

The mother of all events is here. The mega event, which is scheduled to be held in Paris from 26 Jul and 11 Aug could be a life-changer for many athletes. The likes of Neeraj Chopra will be looking to defend his crown in men's javelin. Around 4,400 para-athletes from 22 sports will vie for top honours in the XVII edition of the Paralympic Games scheduled from 28 Aug to 08 Sep.

T20 World Cups

The Indian men's cricket team has recorded many notable wins over the years but the ICC title has remained elusive since 2013 (Champions Trophy). The men in blue will have another shot at a major title when they enter the Men's T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the West Indies and the US from 04 Jun -30. After finishing in the top-four in the 2023 edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa, the Indian women's team has the chance to win their first-ever ICC trophy in Bangladesh in Sep-Oct.

Tennis Grand Slams

Spaniard Rafael Nadal is set to return to action during the Australian Open (14-28 Jan). It will be interesting to see how he fares. Will Novak Djokovic continue to dominate or will youngsters like Carlos Alcaraz step up? The year-round tennis events, including the four Majors, promise to be fascinating as always.

Euro 2024 

Italy will look to defend their crown during Euro 2024, which is set to be held from 14 Jun to 14 Jul in Germany. England will be one of the teams to look out for. Having come so close to ending their major trophy drought in the last edition (finished runners up), they'll be eager to get over the line this time. The spotlight will also be on Portugal ace Christiano Ronaldo, who could possibly be playing his last Euro.

Copa America 

After the world cup success, Lionel Messi and the rest of Argentina players will be intent on defending their crown. They will be highly motivated as this could be Messi's last major event. Uruguay and Brazil, the other big names, will be intent on spoiling their party. The event is set to be held in the USA from 20 Jun to 14 Jul.

Others

There are other key events across disciplines like the Olympic qualifiers to look out for. F1 will also be held throughout the year and it will be interesting to see if Max Verstappen and Red Bull continue to dominate. The Badminton calendar also has some iconic events on offer.

Tailpiece.

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

Met up with Dr (Mrs) Sodhi for our medical review.

a quiet Monday!