State schools to adopt AI.

From this academic year, around 4 lakh students in class VII in state syllabus schools will get to learn Artificial Intelligence with its introduction in the revised Information & Communication Technology (ICT) text book. With this initiative, the state has ensured uniform exposure to AI for all students, unlike offering it as an optional subject.

From next year, curriculum of classes VIII to X will also include in depth exploration of AI. Kerala Infrastructure for Technology and Education (KITE), the technological arm of the general education department has started AI training for 80,000 secondary school teachers.

Training to all primary school teachers on AI, as well as, the new text books will be issued. 

One of the activities in "Computer Vision" chapter for class VII will involve students creating their own AI program that can recognise human facial expressions. The program will be able to identify up to seven different emotions on a person's face.

The curriculum framework emphasises the development of the child's critical thinking, analytical skills and problem solving abilities. The 'PictoBlox' package, along with 'Scratch' software that teaches visual programming, is introduced in the textbooks to enable students to practise programming, AI and Robotics.

The new ICT textbooks present practical ICT activities that nurture life skills  while also helping in the study of other subjects and provides guidance on cyber safety and fake news identification.

Courtesy. The NIE

Tailpiece.

At the stroke of midnight, wished Lekha many happy returns and gifted her a miniature Maha Ganapathy statuette. 

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

Lekha cut her birthday cake - her favourite red velvet - at a half past 12. Our maid, Aswathy was also there.

The washing machine had misbehaved and therefore, called for the service rep.

Israel's genuine query!

After celebrities share "All Eyes On Rafah" posts, Israel asks, "Where were your eyes on Oct 7?"

Israel has responded as several celebrities and leaders shared 'All Eyes On Rafah' posts after Israeli strike on a tent in Rafah killed 45 people, including children. Israeli poster stated, "Where were your eyes on October 7?"

"ALL EYES ON INSTAGRAM.

Instagram decided to take down this template, intentionally silencing people from sharing what happened on October 7", Israel said.

My take

Israel's question that's genuine, has not been answered by any, till date!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 6. Kannan had come with the car soon after and we'd kicked off for Guruvayur via Pathanapuram, Adoor.

Breakfast at Annapoorna, Ettumanoor and floored Joshma and Ram Prashad, when I called them by their names! Lunch was at Balaji Restaurant, Guruvayur. Sent Kannan back by 1415 hrs.

A quiet evening.  

Happiness.

The famous Turkish poet Nazim Hikmat requested his famous painter friend Abidin to make a painting on 'happiness'. So, Abidin made a painting of a family sleeping peacefully on a creaking bed. 

One leg of that bed was broken and two bricks were placed there. The roof of that dilapidated house was also leaking. The dog of the house was also sleeping peacefully on the bed.

This painting of Abidin became immortal.

Look deeply at the immortal painting and think what happiness really is!!

Actually, after seeing the picture, I feel that happiness is not the absence of problems but in accepting the situation of trouble with ease. Try to see the good in whatever you have, no matter how bad the situation is.

Stop being sad about such things which are not in your control. Whenever your heart starts sinking, look at the immortal painting of Abidin. 

Always be satisfied and sleep peacefully.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a 20' past 5. Went through the chores and was ready by a half past 7.

The Muthappan's puja and the post-lunch one-on-one with him was a great eye opener.

Left Mini's house by 5, went to the Maha Ganapathi kshetram and then, went to Boss workshop. Decided on leaving our car there after the smallest of errors are licked.

Kannan dropped Rema-Padmakumar at Pidavoor, us at Raj Nivas.

A quiet evening, thereafter.

National Defence Academy

The Saga of 75 Glorious Years. 

About the coffee table book that was released on 16 Jan on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Academy 

In observance of the 75 Glorious Years of the NDA, this memoir unfolds a kaleidoscopic tour of the Academy through the incisive images recounting the rich traditions. In the vibrant pages of the SAGA OF 75 GLORIOUS YEARS, we embark upon a journey that transcends the ordinary, delving into the timeless episodes to which each one of us has been associated with. The captivating narrative and striking visuals engage the readers to witness the process of making of the promising leaders.

Each chapter promises to tell a story less ordinary, accomplished with relentless pursuit of excellence, capturing the indomitable spirit of thousands of cadets, their instructors from all three services and the dynamic life at the National Defence Academy. The sweeping developments, unprecedented milestones and momentous events commemorating the journey of sculpting military leaders showcase the institution's effectiveness. With an intent to present a testament to the unwavering commitment of the cadets and the officers, this book is bound to offer ripples of visual experience of the spirit of adventure and Jointmanship.

The book chronicles a narrative of exemplary mettle and enduring virtues of the promising youth that resonates with dedication, discipline and precision instilled in cadets to ensure their personal and professional growth; the very essence of the iconic institution. The Saga lets a reader envisage what it means to be a cadet in the prestigious National Defence Academy. 

My take

I've the honour to have contributed a few anecdotes - drawn from my cadet's days at the Academy - for the book!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, thanks to Lekha's cellphone alarm. Earlier, had got up at 2, to clear my urinary bladder and ended up in a situation when sleep was hard to come by. So, I'd washed up, recited a part of my prayers before turning of to sleep. The Vishnu sahasranaama sthothram was recited, while going through the chores after 4. 

We kicked off at a quarter to 7 and encountered heavy rain on the Guruvayur - Thrissur stretch. But what took the cake was when we were caught in a cloudburst, with water gushing from all sides making the road disappear. Drove the Chevy gingerly through engine level water and hoping like mad that it wouldn't sputter to a stop!

Lost one and a half hours, consequent to that, at Edappalli.

Picked up Padmakumar and Rema from Thrippunithura by a quarter past 11. Meanwhile Lekha had fed us chocolates and raw vegetables which hugely substituted for breakfast. Had lunch at Ettumanoor, with Joshma looking after us.

Dropped Padmakumar and Rema at Pidavoor, drove past Raj Nivas and handed over the Chevy to Mohan of the Boss Workshop at Kottarakkara for minor repairs and overall check up post-driving through the deluge.

Kannan, in his autorickshaw, dropped us at Anjanam around a half past 5. We were, finally, with Mini, Ammu, Mithun and his parents.

Rare sighting!

A long-distance migratory bird - the Eurasian or common whimbrel - tagged with a GPS was captured on camera in Chhattisgarh. The bird, after a three-day stay in the state, has now travelled to Orissa. 

The bird had flown mammoth distances and had stopped at Chhattisgarh owing to the presence of wetlands in the Berla area of Bemetara district, about 70 km from Raipur.

Its scientific name is Numenius phaeopus and is also known as the white-rumped whimbrel in North America.

It was tagged by Professor Mathieu Lecorre of the University de La Reunion and the tagging was done on 07 Mar.

My take

Very, very interesting.

Adapted. From the article by Ejaz Kaiser in the NIE

Tailpiece.

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

Around a half past 11, took the Chevy for topping up with fuel and to check tyre pressure and on my return, the mishap took place. Scraped the left quarter with the gate post, causing damage there too.

Shut down The Quarterdeck systematically in the evening.

Interesting scientific thought (2)

....contd (2).

It claims at least some volatility is a fundamental biological necessity, despite such instability leading to the loss of resources. That's because there are other things to gain.

"Selectively advantageous instability increases the complexity of the system and this increased complexity has potential benefits", Tower writes. These benefits include the power to change and therefore adapt, which occurs across all biological levels from the molecular to population.

"Even the simplest cells contain proteases and nucleuses and regularly degrade and replace their proteins and RNAs, indicating that selectively advantageous instability is essential for life", Tower says.

The requirement of instability inevitably leads to a loss of energy and resources and the accumulation of genetic mutations that may be either harmful or benign. This is how we end up with biological aging, Tower speculates.

Yet without instability and its downsides, life wouldn't be able to adapt and flourish through changing time and space.

So we're all caught in a contradictory tug of war between a need for stability and instability, making compromises either way.

"Science has been fascinated lately with concepts such as chaos theory, criticality, Turing patterns and cellular consciousness", says Tower.

"Research in the field suggests that selectively advantageous instability plays an important role in producing each of these phenomena".

Note. This research was published in Frontiers in Aging.

.......concluded.

Tailpiece.

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

A quiet Sunday.

Interesting scientific thought (1).

Scientist proposes a new Universal Law of Biology that may explain aging. 

Life appears to require at least some instability. This fact should be considered a biological universality, proposes University of Southern California molecular biologist John Tower.

Biological laws are thought to be rare and describe patterns or organising principles that appear to be generally ubiquitous. While they can be squishier than the absolutes of maths or physics, such rules in biology help us understand the complex processes that govern life.

Most examples we've found so far seem to concern themselves with the conservation of materials or energy and therefore life's tendency towards stability.

For instance, Allen's rule, formulated in 1877, states warm-blooded animals in colder areas require stouter limbs with less surface area to conserve body heat, whereas in warmer regions the opposite is true. But as with everything biological, there are some exceptions : including short-legged bush dogs found in Central and South America and the common frog.

Another example of biological 'rules' lies in repeating structures that obey  mathematical power laws as they increase in size, such as the ever expanding spiral of a nautilus shell. These are widespread across many biological systems and again are strategies believed to conserve the use of energy and material. The way bees make hexagonal honeycomb is another clever example.

"Self-similar structures, including logarithmic spirals are thought to be the most economical way to grow the size of a structure, without changing shape or destroying existing structure", explains Tower.

His concept, termed 'selectively advantageous instability', however, challenges this tendency towards the conservation of resources in biological systems.

......to be contd.

Tailpiece.

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

The maid was at work. The rain was on pause for most of the time today!

A quiet Saturday. 

Courtesy. Tessa Koumoundouros in Nature

The story of DHL.

The year is 1969. Three young men started a business, delivering parcels door to door in an old Plymouth Duster with unmatched doors!

They were Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and Robert Lynn, whose surnames made up the acronym DHL. 

Fast forward 55 years, DHL now has :-

       * 250 proprietary planes

       * 32,000 vehicles

       * 550,000 employees

      

and presence in almost every country on earth!

Their revenue for 2019 was a whopping 65 billion Euros!

Start where you are, start with what you have and never ever give up!

Tailpiece.

Got up around a 20' past 5, the chores.

Saw the passing out parade of NDA's 146th Course with Gen Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff taking the salute. As always, it was a spectacular and an impressive parade. The cadets of the passing out course moving past the quarterdeck marching to the tune of Auld Lang Syne was a nostalgic sight! 

Yours truly had passed out of that quarterdeck - and yes, to the lilting tune of Auld Lang Syne - 49 years back!

Had breakfast before bath.

A quiet Friday.

The true power of the NDA.

7 Punjab, before '71 Ops had become mechanised. It was part of 9 Div in the Jessore sector.

Kler, 33 NDA was one of the company second in command in 7 Punjab. During one of the attacks, he was severely injured with a bullet passing through his chest. In the attack, there were several more injured badly.

A helicopter Mi 4 was called in for (cas evac) casualty evacuation. Don't know what is the stretcher capacity but there were more injured than what could be evacuated in the first sortie. The field ambulance doctor had to make a choice as to those who had a chance for survival to be evacuated first. Kler was dangerously injured and his chance for survival was slim and hence did not earmark him for evacuation in the first sortie.

But the helicopter pilot who saw him was either his course mate or squadron mate and he knew him. He insisted that Kler be evacuated in the first sortie and the doctor had to relent.

Kler went on to survive to live another day, left the army and became a successful businessman in Dubai.

My take

This is the power of the NDA!.

Tailpiece.

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

The maid was at work today. And it was a wet day.

A quiet Thursday!

Proud to be a veteran...

You know you're a veteran if.....

  1. You can't fathom how people don't understand "military time".

  2. You have a strong distrust for anybody named "Jody".

  3. You can't watch most military dramas because they're so corny and wrong.

  4. You walk fast and your first step is always with your left foot.

  5. You still use the basic training "knife hand" to get your point across.

  6. People are always impressed by how ridiculously fast you eat.

  7. You laugh when you see people on Survivor cry after not seeing their family in two weeks.

  8. You clean your equipment before yourself.

  9. You don't carry things in your right hand.

10. You still refer to everyone around you by their last name.

My take

So proud to be one with most of those traits!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 6.

The caretaker had brought in a sack full of mangoes plucked from the trees in our compound! Kicked off from Raj Nivas at a 20' to 7 and then, got the idea. Accordingly, Lekha had called up Mini to find out as to where they were at that point of time. They were going to Mini's friend, at Ponkunnam, whose new house was being opened up.

Waited for them at the petrol pump and they were with us by a quarter to 9. Had breakfast at Dyana's at Adoor. It was nice to have them with us and our drive was very interesting! Dropped them at Changanasserry and resumed our long journey. Though there were weather warnings galore, we'd encountered very less rain enroute.

Lunch at Gokula Nandana, beyond Angamali.

Reached Guruvayur by a half past 2. Picked up fruits, vegetables and fish for the cats. Kittu was our first visitor!

Opened up the house and settled down quickly.

 

 

Be kind!

Three things in human life are important.

The first is to be kind.

The second is to be kind.

And the third is to be kind....

Kindness makes us beautiful.

And it costs nothing.

It makes us humble.

It makes us human.

It can transform hearts and

illuminates the world around us.

In the environment that is full of 

violence and conflict, being kind

provides stability.

Show some compassion.

Love the underprivileged.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4 thanks to Lekha's cellphone alarm, the chores and was ready by a half past 6, helping Lekha with wearing her saree.

Kannan had come with Archa's car at a 20' to 7 and we set off for Rema's place, where a lovely breakfast of idlis and chutney was provided by her. We set off for Tvpm by a quarter past 8 and reached Gopu's house by a half past 9 and the ceremony had just begun.

It was nice meeting all our family members. We returned by 1. Spent some time with Mini and Ammu at Anjanam before our return to Raj Nivas. 

Dropped Rema and Padmakumar at Vetteelazhikom and reached Raj Nivas soon after. It was raining cats and dogs!

A quiet evening. 

Car names and their meanings.

Fiat. Failure in Italian Automotive Technology.

Ford. For Only Rough Drivers.

Hyundai. Hope You Understand Nothing's Drivable And Inexpensive....

Volvo. Very Odd Looking Vehicular Object.

Porsche. Proof Of Rich Spoiled Children Having Everything.

Opel. Old People Enjoying Life.

Toyota. The One You Only Trust, Always.

Honda. Hung Over, Now Driving Away.

BMW. Big Money Waste.

Audi. An Unwanted Debt Invitation.

Mercedes. Maximum Enthusiasm, Recurring Cost, Ego Developed, Eagerness to Sell.

And the best.....

Maruti. Made According to Roads and Users Typically Indian.

Funny but true.

Courtesy. What's App

Tailpiece.

Got up at 4, the chores and drove off from the house by a quarter to 7.

Experienced rain in Thrissur, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts enroute.

Reached Raj Nivas by a half past 3.

Off to the Kottarakkara Maha Ganapathi kshetram by a quarter to 6. Dropped in at Venu's and gave a pep talk for young Vivek.

opel.

Mind control.

Have you ever wondered why it's so easy to advise others but so hard to control our own actions?

It's common sense : sitting comfortably at home, commenting on how leaders should run the country or how athletes should play. Yet, managing our own lives and families seems challenging. This contradiction highlights a lack of will power and mind control. But it can be changed! The four easy easy ways to increase your willpower and control your mind are :-

1. Stop listening to gossip

2. Make firm decisions and stick to them

3. Practice silence daily

4. Be mindful of your diet

In a nutshell.

Increasing willpower and mind control is about making conscious choices and sticking to them. Stop engaging in pointless conversations, make firm decisions, practice daily silence and eat healthily. These simple steps can lead to a powerful and controlled mind.

Start today and see the difference in your life.

Courtesy. Adapted from an article from Brahma Kumaris

Tailpiece.

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

A wet day and washed down the Chevy in the rain.

Went through our Sunday chores and shut down The Quarterdeck systematically.

 

6 G.

 

Scientists bent light to curve 6G beams and it might make the internet unstoppable. The quest for perfect connectivity has taken a giant leap forward.

* The promise of next-gen 6G infrastructure is high bandwidth but that requires higher frequencies

   which are notoriously easy to disrupt due to various physical obstacles.

* A new study tries to get around this limitation by creating a transmitter capable of manipulating

   "self-accelerating beams" in order to curve signals around these obstacles.

* Although this technique doesn't solve all of the shortcomings of high-frequency communications,

   it's the best method so far for maintaining a reliable data connection.

With the ever-increasing need for higher bandwidth, telecommunication companies are now working hard on future 6G technologies (and if some foreign governments are to be believed, that transition is already underway). Much like 5G before it, this standard will use higher frequencies for the ability to pack more data into higher bandwidths.

But creating these networks isn't as easy as just bumping everything up to terahertz frequencies and calling it a day. That's because higher frequencies are more easily disrupted by obstacles (ie. walls, buildings, people). So, if you have line-of-sight on a theoretical 6G router, you're living the data-rich life of your futuristic dreams. But if you decide to move to another room, you're back in the stone age.

Courtesy. DARREN ORF in Popular Mechanics

My take

The technological gallop is simply awesome!

Tailpiece.

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

Drove to the petrol pump to check tyre pressure.

A quiet Saturday.

Elimination in life.

Three stages of elimination in life.

At the age of 60,

the workplace eliminates you. 

No matter how successful or powerful you were during your career, you'll return to be an ordinary person.

So, don't cling to the mindset and sense of superiority from your past job, let go of your ego or you might lose your sense of ease!

At the age of 70,

society gradually eliminates you.

The friends and colleagues you used to meet and socialise with become fewer and hardly anyone recognises you at your former workplace.

Don't say, "I used to be..." or "I was once...."

because the younger generation won't know you and you mustn't feel uncomfortable about it!

At 80/90,

family slowly eliminates you. 

Even if you have many children and grandchildren, most of the time you'll be living with your spouse or by yourself.

When your children visit occasionally, it's an expression of affection, so don't blame them for coming less often, as they are busy with their own lives!

After 90,

the Earth wants to eliminate you.

At this point don't be sad or mournful, because this is the way of life and everyone will eventually follow this path!

Courtesy. What'sApp

Tailpiece.

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

Ramesh and his understudy had come to clean up the surrounding areas - like emptying the wet waste bin, clearing the kitchen sink's outlet, remove grass from all over.

Lekha had gone to our ration shop, around a half past 11, to collect our monthly dues.

Lekha had once again gone to the Guruvayur temple to have her tryst with the good Lord.

India's unemployment rate down @ 6.7%

India's unemployment rate declines to 6.7% in urban areas in March quarter. The female unemployment rate in the urban areas decreased from 9.2% in Jan-Mar 2023 to 8.5% in Jan-Mar 2024. 

The unemployment rate in the urban areas decreased to 6.7% during the Jan-Mar period from 6.8% a year ago for people aged 15 yrs and above, according to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). It is pertinent  to mention that joblessness or unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of unemployed people in the labour force.

Key findings

* Unemployment Rate (UR) in urban areas decreased from 6.8% to 6.7% for persons of age 15 yrs and 

   above.

* Female UR decreased from 9.2% in Jan-Mar 2023 to 8.5% in Jan-Mar 2024.

* Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in urban areas has shown an increasing trend from 48.5% to

   50.2% during Jan-Mar 2023 to Jan-Mar 2024 respectively for persons of age 15 yrs and above.

* Female Labour Force Participation Rate in urban areas rises from 22.7% to 25.6% during Jan-Mar         2023 to Jan-Mar 2024, reflecting Overall Increasing Trend in LFPR.

* Increasing Trend in Worker Population (WPR) for persons of age 15 yrs and above from 45.2% in

   Jan-Mar 2023 to 46.9% in Jan-Mar 2024.

* Female Worker Population Ratio in urban areas rises from 20.6% to 23.4% during Jan-Mar 2023 to

   Jan-Mar 2024 reflecting Overall Increasing Trend in WPR.

Courtesy. Adapted from the survey

My take

The facts on the ground that one doesn't see being covered by the media. Sad!

Tailpiece.

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

The maid was at work.

Cut our 33rd Wedding Anniversary cake around 1200 hrs.

Skills rather than just degrees.

Here are 10 lessons from the book "Skills Rather Than Just Degrees" by Professor Isa Ali Pantami.

  1. In today's rapidly changing world, academic qualifications alone are no longer enough to secure a

      successful career.

  2. Skills are the new currency of the job market and those who possess are the ones most likely to

      succeed.

  3. We must invest in vocational education and training to ensure that our workforce has the skills

      needed to compete in a global economy.

  4. The future belongs to those who can adapt, innovate and learn new skills quickly and efficiently.

  5. A skill-based education system will not only benefit individuals but also businesses, industries and

      the economy as a whole.

  6. We need a paradigm shift from a degree-focused education system to one that focuses on developing

      practical skills and competencies.

  7. Employers today are looking for candidates who can hit the ground running, with the skills and 

      knowledge needed to succeed in their roles.

  8. It's time to rethink our approach to education and prioritise the development of practical skills

      that can be applied in the real world.

  9. Skills are the key to unlocking opportunities, driving innovation and creating a brighter future

      for all.

10. In the modern workplace, success depends not on what degree you have but on what skills you

      bring to the table.

Courtesy. Adapted

Tailpiece.

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

Lekha had gone to town to tie up a few things and returned by a half past 11.

Rain towards the evening.

Adieu Commander Shirish Chinmulgund!

Firstly, I must tender my apologies for posting these thoughts so late. Had come to know of his passing away a while back and had added him in my list of those who've travelled along with me in the course of my life and given me lasting memories. The list consisting of close relatives, friends and acquaintances is mentally gone through every morning in my prayers. And as I go through their names, I remember their faces and thank them for having been with me!

This evening, it was during my interaction with Commodore Srikant Kesnur, my cadet and a course mate of his that I came to know of the last days of Shirish. But let me go over to the good times when I'd met him for the first time.

My first brush with Shirish Chinmulgund was in Autumn '82, at the NDA Wing Ghorpuri, Pune when he'd joined as a 1st termer of the 68th NDA Course, in Mike Squadron of which I was one of the Divisional Officers.

The thing that I remember about him was that he was effervescent, laughed very easily, had a lot of pranks up his sleeve and was outgoing. As a DivO, I'd plenty of occasions every day to watch him and his course mates, be it on the morning PT fields, or on the drill square, in the swimming pool, at Academics and on the evening games fields. Interacting with them on a day-to-day basis, I'd begun to be fond of them and their worries and apprehensions had become mine too.

What I remember of Shirish and his friends was the end-of-term-variety-entertainment program put up by their course and they all had fun at my expense, when a course mate of theirs, Atul Sharma, had acted as Lt K Rajeev Nair - in a skit on the "Squadron Bosses, after the cadets left for their academic classes". It was too good and I must say that young Atul was better than the original! 

I'd named their course's band as "The Drill Boots" and Shirish and his team were simply superb. The first few words of the Gorkhali song that they'd sung were "Manko kuraala baaj yahaan ho.....", if my memory serves me right. It was melodious and had touched everyone's hearts.  

My tenure as a DS was for just a year and by Dec '82, I was off to my next posting to INS Venduruthy at Kochi. During my first week in my new environment, I was surprised one evening when Commander and Mrs Chinmulgund (Shirish's parents) had fetched up at my cabin in the Command Mess and took me to their house for dinner - and mind you, it was on Shirish's prodding!. It was a lovely evening that I still remember and after coming to know that Shirish's mom is at Pune, there's a strong reason for me to go there to spend time with her, at the earliest.

Shirish was a pilot in the IN and went on to fly for the Bajaj, as part of his second innings. He was overtaken by dementia over the last few years of his life.

Not to be able to receive, react to and convey one's feelings and thoughts to the other is the most difficult situation to be in but the quintessential outgoing gentleman that he was, I'm sure he must have reciprocated to the others in some way or the other! 

Adieu Shirish. Om Shanti! Sadgati. My tears and prayers.

Am yet to get off the fact that you've preceded me to Valhalla. Just not fair....

India must learn to compete with a neighbour like China.

Boosting domestic manufacturing will help India grow its influence and compete with China.

Diplomacy is a work of patience

Speaking on the border dispute, the EAM reiterated that there cannot be a normal relationship between India and China, as long as there is no peace and tranquility at the border. "If somebody is at your front door in an unfriendly manner, you are not going to go out there and act as though everything is normal" and he further added that diplomacy is a work of patience.

Adding muscle to India's foreign policy

* On boosting domestic manufacturing, building strength at home will allow India to pursue a strong 

   foreign policy.

* If we can build up our manufacturing.....we'll find the foreign policy has much more resources and 

   much more tools in its toolkit to actually influence the world.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time. Washing machinex of bedlinen and soiled clothes after my Tvpm trip, right in the morning. The maid was at work.

Finished up the backlog of work.

Showers haven't cooled the environment. Have commenced steps to resume rubber tapping at Raj Nivas. 

Emotional Intelligence.

A car ahead was moving like a turtle and not giving me way despite my continuous honking! I was on the brink of losing my cool when I noticed the small sticker on the car's rear!

"Physically challenged; Please be patient".

And that changed everything!!

I immediately went calm and slowed down.

In fact, I got a little protective of the car and the driver!

I reached home a few minutes late, but it was okay!

And then it struck me.

Would I have been patient if there was no sticker?

Why do we need stickers to be patient with people!?

Will we be more patient and kind with others if people had labels like :-

   * Lost my job

   * Fighting cancer

   * Going through a bad divorce

   * Suffering emotional abuse

   * Lost a loved one

   * Feeling worthless

   * Financially broken

.......and more like these!

Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about.

The least we can do is to be patient, kind and compassionate.

Let us respect the invisible labels!

Knowing each is carrying multiple ones.

That is why they say....Walk gently into others lives, all wounds are not always visible.....

PS.

Kejriwal's utterances today : All leaders of the INDI alliance like Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, MK Stalin, Tejaswi Yadav and Udhav Thackeray are corrupt!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 7. Chambu had dropped me at the bus stand on the main road, on his two wheeler.

Got a low floor a/c bus headed for Kozhikode @ 20' past 9. Lunch was short of Muvattupuzha around 20' past 2 PM. Reached home by a quarter past 6.

Unpacked and got into my usual evening chores.

Kejriwal's game plan....

But for the misfortune of this great country, the foreign forces seem to have won the first war in their efforts to influence India's general elections 2024. They have managed to corrupt the top judiciary. But what is it about Narendra Modi that irks them and go all out to prevent him from coming back to power?

PM Narendra Modi seems to have everyone stacked up against him.

Am passing on the following information which is already in the public domain :-

   * The present CJI is Harvard educated but we shall hope like mad that he's not US-biased

   * The judge that granted bail to Kejriwal is slated to be the next CJI, for six months, when the

      current incumbent demits office this September.

   * Every constituent of the INDI alliance hates Kejriwal because they know him to be a fraud!

   * But they will stand together with him to show a 'strongly-bonded-opposition - at least for now.

   * The bickering and the fights will begin - let's think out a hypothetical case if they manage to secure

      a few seats!

   * The rest of the opposition will show Kejriwal's involvement in the following :-

          - the Shaheen Bagh agitation

          - the so-called-suited-booted-farmers' agitations, both I and II.

          - the excise scam or the liquor scam

          - the Delhi riots

Can we ever have a strong government or a strong leader like Narendra Modi - if god forbid such a thing like the above happens? Well this is exactly what the foreign sources, funding the opposition, want!

My take

* Anyways, for posterity's sake, let's see Kejriwal's first action after he was out on bail. He's trying to create a rift between Yogi Adityanath and Amit Shah by saying that Modi is doing all that he could to have the latter succeed him.

* He's doing negative canvassing. Without touching upon what he and his party have to offer - it's plain and simple that he has zilch - he's trying out his original 'shoot and scoot' policy. 

* Come 04 Jun. Narendra Modi will storm back to power! Just wait and see!!

Tailpiece.

Got up around a half past 2, washed and recited my prayers partially. The Vishnu Sahasranaamam was recited later, during my bath.

Today's meeting with our district co-ordinators was nice and they've been given our vision regarding the conduct of the 'Vaayana Maasaacharanam - 2024'.

The online meeting with the CSC, consequent to that, has thrown up a lot of doubts which will be cleared during our next meeting which will be offline.

The 671st 'aazhchakkoottam' by Dr Vilakkudi Rajendran on 'Chattambi swaamikalum Sammoohika Navothaanavum' was very nice.

 

Akshaya Tritiya

This was the day when Lord Krishna gave the akshaya patra (the never empty food bowl) to Draupadi - the queen of the Pandavas. This bowl helped to make sure that the Pandavas never lacked nourishment during their trying times in exile.

Similarly on this day, we can obtain the Divine grace, so we never lack for anything that we need in our life.

    *       *       *

At Thiruvananthapuram 

Had got up at 5, to massive rains, thunder and lightning. There was power interruption, consequently but it was restored without any delay. Was ready on time and Sukesan had arrived on the dot at 7. He dropped me at the bus stand and ensured that I'd boarded the bus on time which departed at a quarter past 7. The weather was nice and I didn't feel the heat at all.

Reached Vyttila hub by a 40' past 10. The low floor a/c bus that was supposed to arrive at 1020 hrs was late and finally arrived at a 20' past 11. Could clamber on board and finally, reached the Foundation around around a 20' past 6. My god, the traffic clutter at Tvpm as massive!

It was nice meeting Maman, Gopu, Chambu and Bijumon sir. There were a lot of discussions before we set off for home.

Reached by a 10' past 9, snatches of conversations with Ammayi and it was a comparatively early evening. 

Maman is very weak!

Tailpiece.

The biggest fraud of our times, Arvind Kejriwal, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court.  The court says that there's nothing that's gonna happen if he were to be out on bail for 25 days till 01 Jun. We can witness the tamasha over the next days as he goes electioneering. 

A sad day for democracy! The foreign forces have the upper hand as of now. But will they be able to prevent Modi's third tenure? No way. 

New ICMR guidelines.

Amid rise in diseases caused by unhealthy diet. Eat a varied diet, cut salt and sugar intake and stay physically active are among top guidelines to curb the rise of non-communicable diseases.

Fill Your Plate With Items From 8 Food Groups

The Indian Council of Medical Research said people must source micro and macronutrients from a minimum of eight of the ten food groups it listed. Vegetables, fruits, roots and tubers should form half of the plate. Cereals and nutri-cereals (millets) should make up most of the other half. Pulses, eggs and meat, milk, nuts and oil seeds can be included as per one's dietary preferences.

Diet Responsible For Rising Disease Burden

* As per the guidelines, one must eat 400 grams of vegetables, 100 grams of fruits and 250 grams of 

   cereals and nutri-cereals daily

* The ICMR report said 56.4% of non-communicable disease burden in India is due to unhealthy eating 

   habits, including consumption of highly-processed food items laden with sugar and salt

50% of daily cereal intake should comprise whole grains 

Tailpiece.

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

After a quick breakfast, off to the bank to drop my cheque for the credit card dues for Apr '24.

Then went to the Petrol bunk to top up fuel in the Chevy but couldn't check tyre pressure as a guy was changing the oil of his two wheeler that would take time.

Changed our program for the weekend and I'll go alone to Tvpm while Lekha stays back here.

Successtheory.com

Don't complicate life :

* Missing somebody?             Call

* Wanna meet up?                   Invite

* Wanna be understood?         Explain

* Have questions?                   Ask

* Don't like something?          Fix it

* Like something?                   State it

* Want something?                  Work for it

* Love someone?                     Tell them

Keep your life simple!

Tailpiece.

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

Initiated the tapping of the new rubber trees in our compound around Raj Nivas. Transferred money into the caretaker's account for it. It's in three stages :-

       * clear the wild grass from all over the compound

       * apply 100 kgs of rubber mixture

       * once the weather is suitable, commence tapping (Have to zero in on my would-be-tapper).

Lekha's beautician, Seena, comes by before lunch time.

Lekha goes to Malabar Gold, at Chaavakkad, to correct her bangle.

Did the watering of the plants and disposed off the wet/dry waste of the day.

 

Bride and bridegroom.

Why men are called "Grooms" and the women "Brides" on their wedding day?

A friend of mine got tired of his wife just about six months after the wedding. He complained bitterly to me about her and told me that he had concluded to break up with her; he went on to say that he was sure that he had made a mistake.

I did not respond immediately because I knew I must tell him the right thing, so I went home and thought and that is what gave birth to this thought.

Many men have broken up with their wives because they end up not being the wife that they have dreamt of. But they forgot that on their wedding day, they were commissioned to groom their brides for the new task of being a wife...

Nobody calls the woman wife on her wedding day but bride because it is the man who is expected to groom his bride to become a wife. That is why the man is called bridegroom or groom and the word grooming means patiently nurturing, teaching, tending and helping the bride to become what she ought to be.

It is believed that a man that takes a woman to the altar of marriage is mature enough to patiently groom his bride to become the wife. The man is not supposed to just expect the bride to automatically become the wife. She must be groomed!

It is clear that many men have unnecessary expectations when they are getting married, they want some magic to happen to their wives, they want them to become what they always had in their minds about what they want their wives to be; not considering the fact that the woman does not know what is on your mind except when you teach her.

Our expectations are often too unrealistic because we don't remember that change takes time and we can only expect something from someone who knows what we want.

So before you think of breaking up, always consider if you have groomed her and given her time to understand you.

Hope you realise that a turtle will never become a hawk.

God brings people who are opposites of each other together in marriage so that they can help each other to overcome their weaknesses.

If your wife is also weak then where will you get the strength that is needed?

The problem with many of us is that we don't accept and know our spouses before attempting to change them. Of course, your wife may not be from the same background as you, so it will take time for her to adjust. Stop trying to change her, accept her, love her, teach her and be patient with her; that is what grooming is all about. 

She is going to be your wife but she is your bride now, so groom her.

Stop complaining about her. She may be a turtle and you, a hawk, she cannot fly, so be patient with her.

I don't believe that your marriage can't work, be patient and allow god to help you.

Tailpiece.

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

The maid was at work today.

The book I'd ordered did arrive but I'd ordered the wrong one. Sob, sob! Have already initiated steps to take corrective action.

A tribute to the letter "T".

The tongue's terrible tendency to tell tall tales totally tarnishes traditional transcommunication theories. 

The tempestuous tirades traceable to the tongue testify to the traumatic tactics of this tiny tab of tissue.

Thousands that take time to think, try to tame the tumultuous torrent of the too talkative tongue.

Temporarily, the tide turns.

Towering tempers turn to tenderness.

Then, tragically, the trend tapers.

The tongue trips, teeters, then takes a tumble; the temptation to trifling twaddle triumphs.

Take time to tabulate this timeless truth.

To train the tongue takes the tremendous talent of trust.

Theology teaches that trust thrives through toil.

Therefore, throttles the testy tongue!

Terminate the trivial topics that tinge the tenor of talk!

Trim the trashy, tasteless terms that transgress tradition of truth!

Trounce the trite themes that toady to thoughtless tattling!

Theoretically, the tantalising target of a true, tactful, temperate tongue torments and teases those that tackle the task.

To tell the truth, thrilling triumph throngs the tracks of the tough, tenacious thwarter of tawdry talk!!

Courtesy. What'sApp

Tailpiece.

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

Finished a backlog of work and cleared a few of my usual monthly payments.

Lekha goes to Mammiyoor temple by 1700 hrs and return an hour later.

 

Air India's latest offers for its travelers.

Air India cuts cabin baggage allowance for domestic flights

For the lowest economy fare ticket, only 15 kg of free baggage will be allowed henceforth by the airline, down from the earlier 20 kg upper limit.

No change for business class fliers

The airline offers three price slabs in the economy class - Comfort, Comfort Plus and Flex. For Comfort and Comfort Plus, the free baggage allowance has been cut to 15 kg from 20 kg and 25 kg. But Flex passengers can have 25 kg baggage. Business class fliers can continue to carry 25 - 35 kg baggage depending on the route. New baggage rules kicked in on Thursday.

Flex fare comes with a lot of benefits

* Last year, the company introduced a menu-based pricing model. The price difference between             Comfort 

   Plus and Flex fares would typically be around 1,000 in a domestic  sector like Delhi-Mumbai, the airline

   said.

* The Flex fares would provide 10 kg extra baggage, zero fees for cancellation and more loyalty points.

Tailpiece.

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

The maid was at work.

A quiet Sunday.

Promote local varieties of Islam to resist Arabisation...

Arabs carried Islam to various communities over 1,000 years ago in a peaceful and non-confrontationist way. But in the last century it was replaced by Saudi Salafism, which was aggressive.

                - Egyptian scholar Dr Nasr Muhammad Arif

His thoughts are based on the following ;-

* Calls for promotion of indigenous varieties of Islam prevailing in non-Arabic countries to resist the 

   process of Arabisation that seeks to impose a monolithic form of the religion.

* The Arabs carried Islam to various communities more than one thousand years ago in a peaceful

   and non-confrontationist way. But in the last century it was replaced by Saudi Salafism, which was

   aggressive and disrespectful of local traditions. The scholar believes that the change occurred due to

   the influence of western or colonial ideology that divided human beings into superiors and inferiors.

* The Salafi creed propagated by Saudi Arabia was completely insensitive to local culture and traditions.

* Islam only prescribes that the body should be properly covered. But the Saudi Salafis insist that Muslims

   should wear their dress. People in South East Asia like colourful things but Salafis want black abaya.

* He further reiterates, "I'm coming from a society which allows the Maliki school of jurisprudence. 

   There, women need not cover their breasts when they are feeding babies which is unimaginable in

   Saudi Arabia".

* "The Saudi Salafis looked down on the Muslims in traditional communities and think that they should

   be re-introduced to Islam again".

* "When Muslims came to South East Asia, they adopted an architectural philosophy that was eco-

     friendly. They constructed the ceiling of mosques like a pyramid taking into consideration the rainy

    season but later it was replaced by the Arabian style of flat roof. Thus, the local culture and tradition

    were completely sidelined and an Arabian culture was imposed".

* The only way out is to de-Arabise society and return to traditional Islam.

* "I'm told that there are several Islamic scholars in Kerala whose books are taught in Al Azhar

    University. I found a book where details of 6,149 Islamic scholars in Central Asia are given. There 

    are places where there is a rich intellectual tradition but people are inclined to look at Arabs as the 

    representatives of Islam".

* "India used to teach the whole world. The Darul Uloom in Lucknow was the publishing house for

   Muslims all over the world. You're looking down on you with a belief that others are superior".

* "The practice of seeking fatwas from scholars outside the country is totally wrong because any

     fatwa is conditional". Fatwa is a personlised one and cannot be generalised. Importing fatwas

     can be dangerous.

My take

It's scholars like Dr Nasr Muhammad Arif who should be taken heed of to make the religion flexible 

and people-friendly!

Tailpiece.

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

A quiet but hot Saturday.

The evening chores.

33% quota for women

Supreme Court of India orders 33% quota for women in Supreme Court Bar Association. The court said the order must be implemented from the 2024 election to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) set to be held on 16 May.

Five seats in the Executive committee

Apart from six office bearers, the SCBA has six senior executive committee members and nine executive members. As per the court order, at least two senior executive members and three executive members should be women. The order was passed by a bench comprising justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan while hearing a case involving SCBA against its former secretary BD Kaushik.

At least one office bearer should be woman

* One post of the office bearers of the SCBA should be reserved for women by turn and on rotation bases, the bench said in its order.

* For the upcoming elections, the post of Treasurer shall be reserved for women, it said. However, this will not preclude eligible women members of SCBA from contesting for other office-bearer positions. 

Tailpiece.

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

The maid was at work.

A quiet evening.

  

Inspiring quotes about reading.

  1. "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one".

        - George RR Martin

  2. "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places

        you'll go".

        - Dr Seuss

  3. "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body".

        - Joseph Addison

  4. "You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book".

        - Dr Seuss

  5. "Books are a uniquely portable magic".

        - Stephen King

  6. "There is no friend as loyal as a book".

        - Ernest Hemingway

  7. "The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries".

        - Rene Descartes

  8. "To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting".

        - Edmund Burke

  9. "Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are".

        - Mason Cooley

10. "A room without books is like a body without a soul".

        - Cicero

11. "I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room

       and read a book".

       - Groucho Marx

12. "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of

        counselors and the most patient of teachers".

        - Charles William Eliot

13. "There is nothing like good books and bad books. Every book gives knowledge.

        - PN Panicker

Tailpiece.

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

Went about my usual chores.

A quiet evening.

Mass bleaching hits coral reefs in Lakshadweep.

Heat Stress

 

* The mass bleaching phenomenon is a clear indication of severe heat stress on coral communities

* Many species are turning pale or white, experiencing coral tissue loss and ultimately perishing

* Experts compare losing coral reefs to losing trees in a rainforest

The phenomenon is being reported at a time when National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US has confirmed a global bleaching event across the tropics. Just recently, coral reefs in the biodiversity-rich Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve had started showing signs of mass bleaching.

The mass bleaching has been triggered by several months of elevated global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) resulting from prolonged El Nino conditions throughout much of 2023. Highlights the escalating impacts of climate change on eco-systems across the world.

Researchers explain that bleaching occurs when the symbiotic relationship between the corals and their photosynthetic algal partners deteriorates under stressful conditions - primarily high temperatures.

The expulsion of the algal associate from the coral tissue results in the characteristic whitening or 'bleaching' that signifies stress which leads to corals losing their primary source of nutrition and if stress persists, the eventually starve and perish. While coral bleaching has been reported in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, reefs in India are exhibiting similar distressing trends.

Though the reefs can recover in patches, researchers indicate that it takes at least six to seven years without further disturbance for noticeable recovery to occur.

Excerpted from Abhilash Chandran's post in the NIE.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores. Performed the Wednesday aa'rathi in the morning.

The maid was at work.

A quiet day, otherwise.