Confusion condemned

This is the time for the Indian media owners and not just journalists to stand up and say "Count me in " It's time for the common man to say "enough is enough". It's time for all Indian's to forget caste, religion and language and protest peacefully against what they feel is wrong . That is the essence of democracy . If and when politicians strive to divide , the commoners must unite . Violence is not the answer - common sense is. Let's stop talking about alleged enemies across the boarder planning to attack the country. That is a convenient distraction which pops up every now and then. India is attacking itself. The country is imploding . All the TV channels, news papers and tens of thousands of citizens can't be wrong . Our beloved motherland is on fire and the poor and the marginalised will suffer once again. Will better sense prevail or will mob violence be the order of the day ? This is a democracy and silent peaceful protestors are being beaten , Lathi charged , tear gassed and arrested . Undesirable elements are causing more confusion . This always happens and genuine protestors get a bad name . Section 144 has been imposed in many areas. There is an internet blackout, essential commodities are in short supply and prices are rising. I pray that people identify the perpetrators of this nonsense . I pray that peace reigns. We can surely do without this mayhem and madness.

Confusion condemned

This is the time for the Indian media owners and not just journalists to stand up and say "Count me in " It's time for the common man to say "enough is enough". It's time for all Indian's to forget caste, religion and language and protest peacefully against what they feel is wrong . That is the essence of democracy . If and when politicians strive to divide , the commoners must unite . Violence is not the answer - common sense is. Let's stop talking about alleged enemies across the boarder planning to attack the country. That is a convenient distraction which pops up every now and then. India is attacking itself. The country is imploding . All the TV channels, news papers and tens of thousands of citizens can't be wrong . Our beloved motherland is on fire and the poor and the marginalised will suffer once again. Will better sense prevail or will mob violence be the order of the day ? This is a democracy and silent peaceful protestors are being beaten , Lathi charged , tear gassed and arrested . Undesirable elements are causing more confusion . This always happens and genuine protestors get a bad name . Section 144 has been imposed in many areas. There is an internet blackout, essential commodities are in short supply and prices are rising. I pray that people identify the perpetrators of this nonsense . I pray that peace reigns. We can surely do without this mayhem and madness.

Christmas

Christmas will come and go in the blink of an eye. One minute you are putting up the tree, doing last minute shopping, getting a makeover in an attempt to look younger, decorating the house and planning your parties and the next you are putting away the dirty dishes, throwing away the accumulated garbage, labelling the packed decoration boxes and wondering why you feel bloated and exhausted. Then there is the X’ Mas post mortem – how so and so’s cake tasted, the ill-fitting dress worn by a friend , the boring party , the small talk (read gossip), the boring sermon by an ill prepared priest , the overcrowded malls – the list goes on . Santa goes back to wherever he is supposed to have come from, the reindeers are put out to pasture and sanity is restored once again. Oh yes you also have gifts which you will probably recycle! OMG where did the year go – the months really flew by ! And then everyone starts contemplating the New Year – fingers and toes crossed – hoping for good tidings. Yippee it’s New Year’s resolution time. Research has shown that about half of all adults make New Year’s resolutions. However, fewer than 10% manage to keep them for more than a few months and that too is stretching it a bit! The origin of New Year’s resolutions is quite interesting. The ancient Babylonians made promises to their Gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts on time. The Romans began each year by making promises to the God Janus, for whom the month of January is named. Thereafter bedlam has reigned with the whole world jumping on the bandwagon and continuing, what has now become a craze New Year’s resolutions are quite a pain but “What’s your New year’s resolution”? is a question on so many minds in January every year so everyone starts thinking in advance so as not to feel out of sync during upcoming conversations? We all know how easily people can fall into bad habits and why on trying to give up those habits it is easy to relapse. New Year’s Resolutions usually come in the form of lifestyle changes and changing behaviour that has become routine and habitual can be hard to do. Google the term ‘NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS’ and there are umpteen pages on the same. The most common resolutions made every year around the world are: losing weight, doing more exercise, quitting smoking and saving money. All undoubtedly look good and meaningful. Who doesn’t want to fit into clothes better , drop a size or two, be able to run a mile without panting , feel healthier and have some sort of a healthy bank balance . The main reason that people don’t stick to their resolutions is that they set too many or they’re unrealistic to achieve. They may also be victims of the “false hope syndrome”. False hope syndrome characterized by a person’s unrealistic expectations about the likely speed, amount, ease and consequences of changing their behaviour. So here is my new year’s resolution- to try and be a better person than I was in 2018 – for myself and those around me. Not a SMART target but ok for someone who can do without the jargon. So what’s yours?

Christmas

Christmas will come and go in the blink of an eye. One minute you are putting up the tree, doing last minute shopping, getting a makeover in an attempt to look younger, decorating the house and planning your parties and the next you are putting away the dirty dishes, throwing away the accumulated garbage, labelling the packed decoration boxes and wondering why you feel bloated and exhausted. Then there is the X’ Mas post mortem – how so and so’s cake tasted, the ill-fitting dress worn by a friend , the boring party , the small talk (read gossip), the boring sermon by an ill prepared priest , the overcrowded malls – the list goes on . Santa goes back to wherever he is supposed to have come from, the reindeers are put out to pasture and sanity is restored once again. Oh yes you also have gifts which you will probably recycle! OMG where did the year go – the months really flew by ! And then everyone starts contemplating the New Year – fingers and toes crossed – hoping for good tidings. Yippee it’s New Year’s resolution time. Research has shown that about half of all adults make New Year’s resolutions. However, fewer than 10% manage to keep them for more than a few months and that too is stretching it a bit! The origin of New Year’s resolutions is quite interesting. The ancient Babylonians made promises to their Gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts on time. The Romans began each year by making promises to the God Janus, for whom the month of January is named. Thereafter bedlam has reigned with the whole world jumping on the bandwagon and continuing, what has now become a craze New Year’s resolutions are quite a pain but “What’s your New year’s resolution”? is a question on so many minds in January every year so everyone starts thinking in advance so as not to feel out of sync during upcoming conversations? We all know how easily people can fall into bad habits and why on trying to give up those habits it is easy to relapse. New Year’s Resolutions usually come in the form of lifestyle changes and changing behaviour that has become routine and habitual can be hard to do. Google the term ‘NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS’ and there are umpteen pages on the same. The most common resolutions made every year around the world are: losing weight, doing more exercise, quitting smoking and saving money. All undoubtedly look good and meaningful. Who doesn’t want to fit into clothes better , drop a size or two, be able to run a mile without panting , feel healthier and have some sort of a healthy bank balance . The main reason that people don’t stick to their resolutions is that they set too many or they’re unrealistic to achieve. They may also be victims of the “false hope syndrome”. False hope syndrome characterized by a person’s unrealistic expectations about the likely speed, amount, ease and consequences of changing their behaviour. So here is my new year’s resolution- to try and be a better person than I was in 2018 – for myself and those around me. Not a SMART target but ok for someone who can do without the jargon. So what’s yours?

My spectacles and me

While many believe that Benjamin Franklin invented spectacles, actually it was Salvino D'Armati, a 13th century Italian from Florence. In reality, I do not care who invented them, as I am not very fond of them in the first place.

 Some believe that shades or dark glasses were worn even earlier than that to protect the eyes from the bright sun.

I started wearing spectacles in my 40’s and dark glasses about ten years before that.

This morning I woke at about five am, as I always do to read the newspapers and then spent around twenty minutes searching for my glasses. You can put this down to old age, amnesia, and the onset of dementia or whatever. You can call me careless, sleepy head or a forgetful old man- I DO NOT CARE!

I finally found them – they had slipped between the end of the sofa and the cushion.  Thrilled, I opened the door, picked up the newspapers and sat down to read them. Only then did I realize that these were my “distance glasses”. The “reading” glasses had been near my pillow throughout.

Now I know you are sniggering at me having different spectacles for reading and distance but that is me.

I did try the progressive ones a few years ago for a few days- three to be precise- got splitting migraines,  felt nauseous and put them aside for good.

So now, I carry two pairs around and that is the problem. Am usually wearing one and have the other in my pocket. Most of my shirts do not have pockets and if I am not wearing a coat, the second pair is usually deep in the trouser pocket.

This causes them to go out of shape and often become lopsided soon. I am quite careless with spectacles as well and often leave them lying around – on  office tables , on peg tables at home , beside me on the sofa , on the seat of the car , in the receptacle between the car seats etc  . When reading, the second pair is often on my lap and the obvious happens- I get up in a hurry and the glasses are on the floor. I have stamped them, kicked them and once smashed them as well.

I am constantly being advised on how to look after them – get lanyards, use a case, treat them with respect, don’t let them lie around- this advice goes in from one year and out of the other .

No, I am not proud of the way I treat my spectacles but I am so fed up with the two pairs.

As a young boy I remember hearing conversations of people having used their spectacles for years – they never broke, were damaged or lost!  How they managed with the same pair for years beats me.

In addition, I have not yet mentioned something else. Last week I suddenly put on my glasses (in the morning) and was definite I was losing my vision. Everything was a blur in the right eye. Thoughts of cataract and glaucoma raced through my mind as I rushed to the washroom and washed my eye and the glasses too.

Only then did I realize that the lens were badly scratched and my eyes were fine. Thankful for small mercies!

Therefore, off I went to the optician to have the lens changed. He recognized me and seemed rather pleased – do not think any of his customers go through four pairs of glasses in a year.

While I sit at my computer, keying in this article, I am wearing my old spectacles. I used the old distance ones while driving this morning. Once I get the newer pairs back, I will give these in for a similar lens change – you guessed it right – both these pairs are scratched as well.

My spectacles and me

While many believe that Benjamin Franklin invented spectacles, actually it was Salvino D'Armati, a 13th century Italian from Florence. In reality, I do not care who invented them, as I am not very fond of them in the first place.

 Some believe that shades or dark glasses were worn even earlier than that to protect the eyes from the bright sun.

I started wearing spectacles in my 40’s and dark glasses about ten years before that.

This morning I woke at about five am, as I always do to read the newspapers and then spent around twenty minutes searching for my glasses. You can put this down to old age, amnesia, and the onset of dementia or whatever. You can call me careless, sleepy head or a forgetful old man- I DO NOT CARE!

I finally found them – they had slipped between the end of the sofa and the cushion.  Thrilled, I opened the door, picked up the newspapers and sat down to read them. Only then did I realize that these were my “distance glasses”. The “reading” glasses had been near my pillow throughout.

Now I know you are sniggering at me having different spectacles for reading and distance but that is me.

I did try the progressive ones a few years ago for a few days- three to be precise- got splitting migraines,  felt nauseous and put them aside for good.

So now, I carry two pairs around and that is the problem. Am usually wearing one and have the other in my pocket. Most of my shirts do not have pockets and if I am not wearing a coat, the second pair is usually deep in the trouser pocket.

This causes them to go out of shape and often become lopsided soon. I am quite careless with spectacles as well and often leave them lying around – on  office tables , on peg tables at home , beside me on the sofa , on the seat of the car , in the receptacle between the car seats etc  . When reading, the second pair is often on my lap and the obvious happens- I get up in a hurry and the glasses are on the floor. I have stamped them, kicked them and once smashed them as well.

I am constantly being advised on how to look after them – get lanyards, use a case, treat them with respect, don’t let them lie around- this advice goes in from one year and out of the other .

No, I am not proud of the way I treat my spectacles but I am so fed up with the two pairs.

As a young boy I remember hearing conversations of people having used their spectacles for years – they never broke, were damaged or lost!  How they managed with the same pair for years beats me.

In addition, I have not yet mentioned something else. Last week I suddenly put on my glasses (in the morning) and was definite I was losing my vision. Everything was a blur in the right eye. Thoughts of cataract and glaucoma raced through my mind as I rushed to the washroom and washed my eye and the glasses too.

Only then did I realize that the lens were badly scratched and my eyes were fine. Thankful for small mercies!

Therefore, off I went to the optician to have the lens changed. He recognized me and seemed rather pleased – do not think any of his customers go through four pairs of glasses in a year.

While I sit at my computer, keying in this article, I am wearing my old spectacles. I used the old distance ones while driving this morning. Once I get the newer pairs back, I will give these in for a similar lens change – you guessed it right – both these pairs are scratched as well.

I love music

"The man that hath no music in himself,

Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,

Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;

The motions of his spirit are dull as night

And his affections dark as Erebus:

Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music."

 -Lorenzo from The Merchant of Venice (Act V, Scene 1)

A number of pupils I have taught would relate to this quote from The Merchant of Venice so let me share a little bit about myself and my interest in music .   

I enjoy music and always have. Be it Rock and roll, country or the blues – I can sit and listen for hours. I still play the guitar for pleasure, used to play the drums and a little bit of mouth organ as well. The keyboard is something I would love to learn now.

Now before you even start wondering as to how proficient a musician I am, let me state the obvious facts. I am no Clapton or Santana on guitar, no Ringo Starr or Phil Collins on the drums or Larry Adler on the mouth organ. However, I did play in a few bands for a number of years - it was great fun and I earned money as well.  Hundreds have danced to my tune at weddings, dances, parties and picnics and that is when I realized that music does give you a high, especially when the crowd asks for more!

I am an ardent Elvis fan and have always considered him the “KING” but also enjoy quite a few other musicians of varying genres.

Now they do say that music is in our genes and comes down through generations, however no one I know of among my ancestors had a musical note in them (I could be wrong) and I guess the music will die with me, as my daughters are not very musically inclined either.

I guess I would have to thank my mother and my aunt who first got me into singing. Whenever we had visitors, my cousins and I would be called out to entertain them. We had either to sing or say a poem. We did not enjoy it very much and as we grew older we, felt more embarrassed but entertain guests we had to! Probably those impromptu concerts gave me the confidence to sing.

I was about 12 when a family friend presented me a handmade guitar. It was something I had always wanted and I was over the moon.  It was cream in colour and had an amazing tone. At first, I played absolute rubbish and broke umpteen strings but perfected the poses in front of a large mirror!

 Now you must remember that there was no Television or YouTube back then so we listened to the radio and noted down words of songs. A number of the well-known songs were repeated daily on Radio Ceylon so I would sit patiently with a paper and pen to fill in the gaps I had missed the day before and finally within a few days would get the whole song down. There were a few songbooks as well so we would buy, borrow and lend.

I finally met a friend who got me to note down and learn a few basic guitar chords. In fact, I learnt three to begin with and sang all my songs on the same three chords. I was satisfied with myself. From there on it was a matter of practice makes perfect.

In my early twenties, I got fascinated with the drums. In case, you need to know, I taught myself – so four of us friends then started a band- I purchased a second hand drum kit and we practiced hard. Soon we were getting bookings!

The band was well known and we played regularly for large functions – we earned money as well – not in thousands but sufficient to keep us happy. From time to time, I also freelanced with another group of experienced musicians playing either guitar or drums.

A funny matter made me abandon the drums and revert to guitar. I noticed that at all the functions; the guitarists in the band were always jumping around in the front and gaining all the attention while I soldiered on at the back – singing and drumming but hardly being seen.

That was it. It was no more drumming & rhythm guitar henceforth - and more band life. Every year when I would go down from Pune for the winter vacation to Allahabad, I would join an established band and journey to Varanasi to play for the Christmas and New Year week. It was quite the highlight of my year.

I still enjoy playing the guitar and singing with friends and find it extremely relaxing and immensely enjoyable.

So, either you yourself or if you have a kid – get them into music. It is a stress buster and much better than sitting with a laptop, mobile phone or a gaming console.

It is a decision you will never regret.

I love music

"The man that hath no music in himself,

Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,

Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;

The motions of his spirit are dull as night

And his affections dark as Erebus:

Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music."

 -Lorenzo from The Merchant of Venice (Act V, Scene 1)

A number of pupils I have taught would relate to this quote from The Merchant of Venice so let me share a little bit about myself and my interest in music .   

I enjoy music and always have. Be it Rock and roll, country or the blues – I can sit and listen for hours. I still play the guitar for pleasure, used to play the drums and a little bit of mouth organ as well. The keyboard is something I would love to learn now.

Now before you even start wondering as to how proficient a musician I am, let me state the obvious facts. I am no Clapton or Santana on guitar, no Ringo Starr or Phil Collins on the drums or Larry Adler on the mouth organ. However, I did play in a few bands for a number of years - it was great fun and I earned money as well.  Hundreds have danced to my tune at weddings, dances, parties and picnics and that is when I realized that music does give you a high, especially when the crowd asks for more!

I am an ardent Elvis fan and have always considered him the “KING” but also enjoy quite a few other musicians of varying genres.

Now they do say that music is in our genes and comes down through generations, however no one I know of among my ancestors had a musical note in them (I could be wrong) and I guess the music will die with me, as my daughters are not very musically inclined either.

I guess I would have to thank my mother and my aunt who first got me into singing. Whenever we had visitors, my cousins and I would be called out to entertain them. We had either to sing or say a poem. We did not enjoy it very much and as we grew older we, felt more embarrassed but entertain guests we had to! Probably those impromptu concerts gave me the confidence to sing.

I was about 12 when a family friend presented me a handmade guitar. It was something I had always wanted and I was over the moon.  It was cream in colour and had an amazing tone. At first, I played absolute rubbish and broke umpteen strings but perfected the poses in front of a large mirror!

 Now you must remember that there was no Television or YouTube back then so we listened to the radio and noted down words of songs. A number of the well-known songs were repeated daily on Radio Ceylon so I would sit patiently with a paper and pen to fill in the gaps I had missed the day before and finally within a few days would get the whole song down. There were a few songbooks as well so we would buy, borrow and lend.

I finally met a friend who got me to note down and learn a few basic guitar chords. In fact, I learnt three to begin with and sang all my songs on the same three chords. I was satisfied with myself. From there on it was a matter of practice makes perfect.

In my early twenties, I got fascinated with the drums. In case, you need to know, I taught myself – so four of us friends then started a band- I purchased a second hand drum kit and we practiced hard. Soon we were getting bookings!

The band was well known and we played regularly for large functions – we earned money as well – not in thousands but sufficient to keep us happy. From time to time, I also freelanced with another group of experienced musicians playing either guitar or drums.

A funny matter made me abandon the drums and revert to guitar. I noticed that at all the functions; the guitarists in the band were always jumping around in the front and gaining all the attention while I soldiered on at the back – singing and drumming but hardly being seen.

That was it. It was no more drumming & rhythm guitar henceforth - and more band life. Every year when I would go down from Pune for the winter vacation to Allahabad, I would join an established band and journey to Varanasi to play for the Christmas and New Year week. It was quite the highlight of my year.

I still enjoy playing the guitar and singing with friends and find it extremely relaxing and immensely enjoyable.

So, either you yourself or if you have a kid – get them into music. It is a stress buster and much better than sitting with a laptop, mobile phone or a gaming console.

It is a decision you will never regret.

You are a wise man

When your head rules your heart

And shopping is usually groceries

When need precedes want

And prayers are not only rosaries

When retaliation is not the solution

To some nasty accusation

When balm is more often used

Than some well perfumed lotion

When work becomes a joy

And no longer a tiring chore

When exercise is a necessity

And you need to strengthen your core

When napping takes precedence

Over all else, you used to do

You are a wise  man my friend

And getting older too

You are a wise man

When your head rules your heart

And shopping is usually groceries

When need precedes want

And prayers are not only rosaries

When retaliation is not the solution

To some nasty accusation

When balm is more often used

Than some well perfumed lotion

When work becomes a joy

And no longer a tiring chore

When exercise is a necessity

And you need to strengthen your core

When napping takes precedence

Over all else, you used to do

You are a wise  man my friend

And getting older too

SMOKING KILLS

Someone sent me a joke on WhatsApp this afternoon …. “One in four people look down on smokers- More proof that smoking stunts your growth” It sure got me thinking about smoking, cigarettes and my mother. My mum was a smoker and she smoked well into her late seventies. In fact, when the doctors forced her to stop, her health began to deteriorate. Strange but true. At the very outset let me make this clear – I DO NOT SMOKE. No cigarettes, no cigars, no ‘bidis’ for me. Have I ever smoked in my life? – Yes- one cigarette! This happened when I went to appear for my intermediate examination in my hometown Allahabad. The examination center was in one corner of the city and a friend and I landed there quite early in the morning. Strangely, almost everyone was smoking. Whether it was style, acting cool or just out of nervousness but every second boy was puffing away and revising from his notes at the same time. My friend seemed fascinated and I have to admit so was I. We felt we were sticking out like sore thumbs so we did what any insane friends would – strolled over to the small ‘corner shop’ and casually bought two Panama cigarettes. Having seen others do it umpteen times, we borrowed a lighter and ‘lit up’. We now felt part of the gang! Cigarettes in hand, we walked away and took a puff each. He had obviously smoked occasionally before so he inhaled deeply, smiled and seemed to be in seventh heaven while I almost choked. That said, the next few puffs were not too bad and soon we had both finished smoking our cigarettes. With a certain amount of exaggerated bravado, we flicked the butts away and proceeded to the examination hall. No sooner had the question paper been handed out than I began to feel extremely giddy and quite nauseous. I was also coughing uncontrollably & I wasted a good forty-five minutes trying to ensure that my eyes remained open and my head remained on my neck. That did not augur well for me and the results were rather disastrous. That day I said to myself that I would never smoke again and it has remained ever so! Smoking kills and the statistics are rather terrifying. Did a little reading and this is what I came up with. No, rocket science but seriously frightening. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body- it is also the leading cause of preventable death. I guess that is a no brainer. •Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 7 million deaths per year. If the pattern of smoking all over the globe does not change, more than 8.2 million people a year will die from diseases related to tobacco use by 2030. •In 2018, $9.78 billion was spent on advertising and promotion of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco combined—more than $25 million every day, and more than $1 million every hour. If this is not pure insanity then what is! We have millions starving. About 15 % of adults smoke and approximately eight million adults die of smoking related illnesses each year •Each day, about 2200 people younger than 16 years smoke their first cigarette. Peer pressure plays a big role here and so does slick advertising, which glorifies smoking. The statutory warning, “Cigarette smoking is injurious to health “printed on all cigarette packets does little to deter smokers. Every fifth adult in the world smokes tobacco; however, there are large differences between men and women. More than one-third (35%) of men in the world smoke. Just over 6% of women do. The fact that men are more likely than women to smoke is reflected in health statistics: particularly lung cancer, for which smoking is a primary risk factor. We see that in every country in the world, men are more likely to die from lung cancer than women are. If you are a smoker – plan to give it up. The quicker – the better. YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY

SMOKING KILLS

Someone sent me a joke on WhatsApp this afternoon …. “One in four people look down on smokers- More proof that smoking stunts your growth” It sure got me thinking about smoking, cigarettes and my mother. My mum was a smoker and she smoked well into her late seventies. In fact, when the doctors forced her to stop, her health began to deteriorate. Strange but true. At the very outset let me make this clear – I DO NOT SMOKE. No cigarettes, no cigars, no ‘bidis’ for me. Have I ever smoked in my life? – Yes- one cigarette! This happened when I went to appear for my intermediate examination in my hometown Allahabad. The examination center was in one corner of the city and a friend and I landed there quite early in the morning. Strangely, almost everyone was smoking. Whether it was style, acting cool or just out of nervousness but every second boy was puffing away and revising from his notes at the same time. My friend seemed fascinated and I have to admit so was I. We felt we were sticking out like sore thumbs so we did what any insane friends would – strolled over to the small ‘corner shop’ and casually bought two Panama cigarettes. Having seen others do it umpteen times, we borrowed a lighter and ‘lit up’. We now felt part of the gang! Cigarettes in hand, we walked away and took a puff each. He had obviously smoked occasionally before so he inhaled deeply, smiled and seemed to be in seventh heaven while I almost choked. That said, the next few puffs were not too bad and soon we had both finished smoking our cigarettes. With a certain amount of exaggerated bravado, we flicked the butts away and proceeded to the examination hall. No sooner had the question paper been handed out than I began to feel extremely giddy and quite nauseous. I was also coughing uncontrollably & I wasted a good forty-five minutes trying to ensure that my eyes remained open and my head remained on my neck. That did not augur well for me and the results were rather disastrous. That day I said to myself that I would never smoke again and it has remained ever so! Smoking kills and the statistics are rather terrifying. Did a little reading and this is what I came up with. No, rocket science but seriously frightening. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body- it is also the leading cause of preventable death. I guess that is a no brainer. •Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 7 million deaths per year. If the pattern of smoking all over the globe does not change, more than 8.2 million people a year will die from diseases related to tobacco use by 2030. •In 2018, $9.78 billion was spent on advertising and promotion of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco combined—more than $25 million every day, and more than $1 million every hour. If this is not pure insanity then what is! We have millions starving. About 15 % of adults smoke and approximately eight million adults die of smoking related illnesses each year •Each day, about 2200 people younger than 16 years smoke their first cigarette. Peer pressure plays a big role here and so does slick advertising, which glorifies smoking. The statutory warning, “Cigarette smoking is injurious to health “printed on all cigarette packets does little to deter smokers. Every fifth adult in the world smokes tobacco; however, there are large differences between men and women. More than one-third (35%) of men in the world smoke. Just over 6% of women do. The fact that men are more likely than women to smoke is reflected in health statistics: particularly lung cancer, for which smoking is a primary risk factor. We see that in every country in the world, men are more likely to die from lung cancer than women are. If you are a smoker – plan to give it up. The quicker – the better. YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY

I don't feel embarrassed saying it - I AM NOT A HANDY MAN .
No I am not useless - I can sing, play the guitar , play the drums ,  cook, bake a bit , love reading , enjoy writing and speaking too. I can be witty when in the mood and am told that I am good company etc.  but being handy around the house or anywhere for that matter is a big NO .
Am I proud of this fact?  - believe it or not I am smiling while typing so you have the answer to my question without me saying anything !
Does it make me feel any less a man - OMG I am smiling again .
I guess hammers, chisels, saws, greese ,
Let me give you some thoughts on this topic .
 

I don't feel embarrassed saying it - I AM NOT A HANDY MAN .
No I am not useless - I can sing, play the guitar , play the drums ,  cook, bake a bit , love reading , enjoy writing and speaking too. I can be witty when in the mood and am told that I am good company etc.  but being handy around the house or anywhere for that matter is a big NO .
Am I proud of this fact?  - believe it or not I am smiling while typing so you have the answer to my question without me saying anything !
Does it make me feel any less a man - OMG I am smiling again .
I guess hammers, chisels, saws, greese ,
Let me give you some thoughts on this topic .
 

Let's save cricket the blushes

The Lodha Committee was appointed by the Supreme Court of India on 22nd January 2015 to analyze and recommend implementable actions for improving the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)

One of its recommendations was that the so-called “old guard” should not be re - elected, obviously to enable fresh blood to be infused into the governing body of the game. Now, it does not require a very fertile imagination to conclude as to what the “Old Guards” were up to and why Justice Lodha came down heavily on them.

There was jubilation all round as “cleansing” was perceived but the same was short lived. If they could not rule the game and interfere at will, there had to be a loophole somewhere.

So what if they were over 70 years of age and hence illegible as per the new rules. Who was bothered about the “Cooling off period” that the committee recommended. If they were going to be put out to pasture, there had to be a better way to worm their way back in.

So now, their sons and daughters, son in laws and other family members , who may never have played cricket in their lives and have no clue about the game whatsoever , are the new Governors. Surely, this is a joke in poor taste.

Bengal, Saurashtra, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat all have close relatives of the “old guard” in the associations. The BCCI has one as well.

Therefore, what has changed? What cleansing has taken place? What improvements will we perceive? What has justice Lodha to say about this? What is anyone saying about this? Why is this proxy ruling being accepted ?

One may say that the positive aspect is that our men’s cricket team is doing well and bringing honours to the country but is that the answer we are looking for?.

Why can’t we have a clean system, free from petty politics where the best men get the job and the best players are in the various teams – selected purely on merit?

It is about time we had cricketers at the helm. Saurav Ganguly as Head of BCCI is a breath of fresh air. If cricket at all levels in the country is to improve & do well then we need more cricketers running the various associations and cricket boards.

We have seen dynasty rule flopping in other spheres – let's spare cricket the blushes !

Let's save cricket the blushes

The Lodha Committee was appointed by the Supreme Court of India on 22nd January 2015 to analyze and recommend implementable actions for improving the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)

One of its recommendations was that the so-called “old guard” should not be re - elected, obviously to enable fresh blood to be infused into the governing body of the game. Now, it does not require a very fertile imagination to conclude as to what the “Old Guards” were up to and why Justice Lodha came down heavily on them.

There was jubilation all round as “cleansing” was perceived but the same was short lived. If they could not rule the game and interfere at will, there had to be a loophole somewhere.

So what if they were over 70 years of age and hence illegible as per the new rules. Who was bothered about the “Cooling off period” that the committee recommended. If they were going to be put out to pasture, there had to be a better way to worm their way back in.

So now, their sons and daughters, son in laws and other family members , who may never have played cricket in their lives and have no clue about the game whatsoever , are the new Governors. Surely, this is a joke in poor taste.

Bengal, Saurashtra, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat all have close relatives of the “old guard” in the associations. The BCCI has one as well.

Therefore, what has changed? What cleansing has taken place? What improvements will we perceive? What has justice Lodha to say about this? What is anyone saying about this? Why is this proxy ruling being accepted ?

One may say that the positive aspect is that our men’s cricket team is doing well and bringing honours to the country but is that the answer we are looking for?.

Why can’t we have a clean system, free from petty politics where the best men get the job and the best players are in the various teams – selected purely on merit?

It is about time we had cricketers at the helm. Saurav Ganguly as Head of BCCI is a breath of fresh air. If cricket at all levels in the country is to improve & do well then we need more cricketers running the various associations and cricket boards.

We have seen dynasty rule flopping in other spheres – let's spare cricket the blushes !

Vaping is the new menace all around us and it's about time it was taken more seriously than it already is. Temptation, peer pressure , and experimentation are strong words and however wrong this may sound , no ones' child is exempt.

No parent should ever say " my ward will never ever try it ". No one is beyond reproach.  We live in a world of sweeping fads. They come in like a typhoon and destroy all in their path leaving behind tears , illness ,sadness and above all blame . 

Vaping is on the increase and that's the undeniable truth.

Teens as young as thirteen are getting sucked into the vortex and by the time they are eighteen they are well on the way to being ruined .

It is a misconception that vaping is much safer than smoking and hence awareness is the key. 

Gender, affluence , locality,  family values , educational qualifications and the like are all inconsequential.  

Parents and educational institutions must work closely together to eradicate this menace.

So whether it's formulating new policies,organzing awareness campaigns or tightening of discipline by educational institutions, or looking for signs and just spending more time together for parents  , everyone needs to reach out to the youth to tackle vaping head on.

This is serious business- very serious.

Michael Guzder 

0506568672

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Vaping is the new menace all around us and it's about time it was taken more seriously than it already is. Temptation, peer pressure , and experimentation are strong words and however wrong this may sound , no ones' child is exempt.

No parent should ever say " my ward will never ever try it ". No one is beyond reproach.  We live in a world of sweeping fads. They come in like a typhoon and destroy all in their path leaving behind tears , illness ,sadness and above all blame . 

Vaping is on the increase and that's the undeniable truth.

Teens as young as thirteen are getting sucked into the vortex and by the time they are eighteen they are well on the way to being ruined .

It is a misconception that vaping is much safer than smoking and hence awareness is the key. 

Gender, affluence , locality,  family values , educational qualifications and the like are all inconsequential.  

Parents and educational institutions must work closely together to eradicate this menace.

So whether it's formulating new policies,organzing awareness campaigns or tightening of discipline by educational institutions, or looking for signs and just spending more time together for parents  , everyone needs to reach out to the youth to tackle vaping head on.

This is serious business- very serious.

Michael Guzder 

0506568672

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

The humble onion

So the humble onion is in the news again and yes , its bringing tears to peoples eyes. Will it make them weep ? That is the question everyone is asking

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh , West Bengal , Karnataka and Bihar account for most of the onions grown in the country . Maharashtra accounts for one third of that total with its onion belt of Nashik, Ahmednagar , Pune and Aurangabad . As a large part of the state was facing drought this year, the onion was the only hope for farmers to survive.Unfortunately rates never picked up for the entire season and the farmers are not only disgruntled - they are very angry . And an angry farmer in a country like India is not a very good sign .

Farmers blame the central government’s policies for the fall in onion rates. “This government works for the middle class in big cities. To keep them happy, this government controls onion prices. Why is it that every time only farmers are forced to face problems"

In 2010, the prices of onion, in India rose to ₹ 88 from ₹ 25 (per kg) in just one week. The Government had to ban the export of onions and even had to import it from another country .

The Great Onion Crisis of 2010” haunted Mr Manmohan Singh’s government and was something he wished had never happened .

Something similar happened in the year 1980. Due to the sky rocketing prices of onions, the Central government was toppled .

In 1998, once again the prices of onions rose very high leading to a ban on export & affecting the common man . This led to the fall of BJP government in the State elections in Delhi.

In a country like India, where the majority of the population, still, is either spending or making their largest share of income on food items, such rise or fall of prices of basic ingredient can be catastrophic .

Is anybody listening ?

The humble onion

So the humble onion is in the news again and yes , its bringing tears to peoples eyes. Will it make them weep ? That is the question everyone is asking

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh , West Bengal , Karnataka and Bihar account for most of the onions grown in the country . Maharashtra accounts for one third of that total with its onion belt of Nashik, Ahmednagar , Pune and Aurangabad . As a large part of the state was facing drought this year, the onion was the only hope for farmers to survive.Unfortunately rates never picked up for the entire season and the farmers are not only disgruntled - they are very angry . And an angry farmer in a country like India is not a very good sign .

Farmers blame the central government’s policies for the fall in onion rates. “This government works for the middle class in big cities. To keep them happy, this government controls onion prices. Why is it that every time only farmers are forced to face problems"

In 2010, the prices of onion, in India rose to ₹ 88 from ₹ 25 (per kg) in just one week. The Government had to ban the export of onions and even had to import it from another country .

The Great Onion Crisis of 2010” haunted Mr Manmohan Singh’s government and was something he wished had never happened .

Something similar happened in the year 1980. Due to the sky rocketing prices of onions, the Central government was toppled .

In 1998, once again the prices of onions rose very high leading to a ban on export & affecting the common man . This led to the fall of BJP government in the State elections in Delhi.

In a country like India, where the majority of the population, still, is either spending or making their largest share of income on food items, such rise or fall of prices of basic ingredient can be catastrophic .

Is anybody listening ?

Friday musings.... As a very young boy I vividly remember my aunt ( lived in a joint family ) teaching my cousins and me to be responsible. So that meant that we made our beds & learnt to sweep and swab the house - there were no vacuum cleaners back then. At times we washed the rooms on summer afternoons and enjoyed the fun. I remember cleaning cobwebs with a broom attached to a long pole. The ceiling was high. We tidied the rooms , including the kitchen after meals . Oh yes , after a bath we washed the toilet and left it spotless. There were three of us and we competed to see who did the best cleaning . Yes we still had to study and complete our homework by ourselves . Walking to buy groceries or stuff like that was literally taken in my stride. Gardening took up time and we maintained a pretty decent flower garden without any outside help. A tip of 8 annas or 50 paise now and then was a big deal. We were taught to fry an egg, make an omelette , make toast , tea and coffee too. By observing and helping, we learnt to bake ! Stitching on buttons and putting up a hem were part of our training too. I believe children must be taught these things early on in life . It won't harm them in any way. I don't see this happening very often . Are you bringing them up to face the world head on ? Are you ashamed to tell your friends that your children help with the house work? Can they do for themselves? As a couple , you should ask yourselves these pertinent questions . Teach them now . You will never regret it. And do remember- it's not only girls who must be taught house work. Boys must learn as well.

Friday musings.... As a very young boy I vividly remember my aunt ( lived in a joint family ) teaching my cousins and me to be responsible. So that meant that we made our beds & learnt to sweep and swab the house - there were no vacuum cleaners back then. At times we washed the rooms on summer afternoons and enjoyed the fun. I remember cleaning cobwebs with a broom attached to a long pole. The ceiling was high. We tidied the rooms , including the kitchen after meals . Oh yes , after a bath we washed the toilet and left it spotless. There were three of us and we competed to see who did the best cleaning . Yes we still had to study and complete our homework by ourselves . Walking to buy groceries or stuff like that was literally taken in my stride. Gardening took up time and we maintained a pretty decent flower garden without any outside help. A tip of 8 annas or 50 paise now and then was a big deal. We were taught to fry an egg, make an omelette , make toast , tea and coffee too. By observing and helping, we learnt to bake ! Stitching on buttons and putting up a hem were part of our training too. I believe children must be taught these things early on in life . It won't harm them in any way. I don't see this happening very often . Are you bringing them up to face the world head on ? Are you ashamed to tell your friends that your children help with the house work? Can they do for themselves? As a couple , you should ask yourselves these pertinent questions . Teach them now . You will never regret it. And do remember- it's not only girls who must be taught house work. Boys must learn as well.

Nothing political about this

Silly musings....... Car sales are sinking like never before, capital investments have plunged and global investors are a disillusioned lot. Jobs are scarce and unemployment is on the rise. The banking system leaves plenty to be desired and oil prices have increased. The minorities are worried about what may befall them and the roads are in such a mess that they resemble the moon. The less said about inflation the better- a hundred rupees just about gets you a semi decent cup of coffee. The borders are tense and war cannot be written off. Innumerable pre election promises have been forgotten and everyone is confused. Then there is the news that infiltration will cause an attack in some parts of the country . A distraction may do the trick say the powers that be . We cannot afford to let the comman man get disillusioned can we? A ploy is the answer. Something so disturbing that it will get people talking. Maybe if Hindi is imposed all over it will cure all ills. Or maybe at least it will get people so engrossed in that debate that all else will be either forgotten or put on the back burner for some time. I am not into politics and I don't support any party . Just a common Indian with a thought on my mind . Am thinking out loud . Are you too?

Nothing political about this

Silly musings....... Car sales are sinking like never before, capital investments have plunged and global investors are a disillusioned lot. Jobs are scarce and unemployment is on the rise. The banking system leaves plenty to be desired and oil prices have increased. The minorities are worried about what may befall them and the roads are in such a mess that they resemble the moon. The less said about inflation the better- a hundred rupees just about gets you a semi decent cup of coffee. The borders are tense and war cannot be written off. Innumerable pre election promises have been forgotten and everyone is confused. Then there is the news that infiltration will cause an attack in some parts of the country . A distraction may do the trick say the powers that be . We cannot afford to let the comman man get disillusioned can we? A ploy is the answer. Something so disturbing that it will get people talking. Maybe if Hindi is imposed all over it will cure all ills. Or maybe at least it will get people so engrossed in that debate that all else will be either forgotten or put on the back burner for some time. I am not into politics and I don't support any party . Just a common Indian with a thought on my mind . Am thinking out loud . Are you too?

Collectables

An arctophilist collects teddy bears, a deltiologist collects postcards, a numismatist collects coins, a vecturist collects subway tokens and a clock collector is a horologist.

I guess I am just a very ordinary collector – nothing fancy. Over the years I have collected anything that took my fancy .

Early memories of my childhood and I vividly remember a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ in our home. Probably that  seed germinated in my infant brain and I began collecting as well.

The first thing I collected was ‘holy pictures’.  I was around 10 years old when   pictures of saints and the like took my fancy and I had a small tin sweet box with my prized possessions.  I had about one hundred and fifty ‘Holy pictures’ and I even exchanged the same with friends when I had duplicates. I often approached priests, nuns and religious brothers who willingly added to my collection. Although money was not plentiful by any means, I managed to purchase a few special holy pictures from a religious bookstall in the city. No clue where that collection went.

Playing marbles then became a craze in middle school and I had hundreds of them in a large glass jar. I often counted them and even washed them on weekends. Spreading them out on my bed gave me immense pleasure.  (I do not see anyone playing marbles now). It was a great hobby because playing allowed for individual or group participation. The varied types, styles, sizes, and colors of the marbles lent a unique look to my collection. Taking them to school in my pocket was fun as well.  What was not very funny was when they fell out of my  pocket during class time and were confiscated by the teachers who I was sure took them home for their kids to play with .

More often than not, as I was not a very good player, I would return home despondent having lost most or all the marbles I had taken to school in the morning.

 

I must have been around 14 when my grandfather presented me with a stamp album and a few boxes of old stamps.  They lay in the house for a few years and I never even looked at them.

Then one day I came across them in an old tin trunk & I eagerly began sorting them out and placing them in the album. Along with stamps I began collecting ‘First day covers’ as well. Someone had mentioned that stamps could make me a rich man and I guess that spurred me on.

Whenever I read about the release of a new stamp, I would rush to the post office, line up with hundreds of other philatelists and purchase a few stamps and a first day cover or two. We then had to line up again and get the covers  stamped! My collection grew to a point and then I guess other things took my fancy and the stamp collection died a natural death and I forgot about becoming rich!

 I must add that I was later presented with thousands of very old stamps by an uncle – they  are still in my possession and  I am told , could fetch a fortune  . Therefore, I do still have a chance!

It was then key chains – a few hundred of them took up place in a cupboard draw. For a year or so, I would change my key chain daily!

A few other collections may surprise you, make you cringe  or even smile.

Butterflies – Butterflies are beautiful to look at, and I enjoyed preserving multiple species to admire their wing patterns. I would find dead butterflies in the garden   or capture one that I wanted to save. I would then put it in a bottle and seal it up for a few hours (sounds so cruel now). I would then put it between the pages of a thick dictionary and that was how I collected them!  I knew that there were more professional way of displaying them but I guess the way I did it was enough for me.

I had a similar collection of leaves.  I would get hold of a good leaf, wash and dry it and then just put it between the pages of a thick book. Soon all that would be left would be the skeleton of the leaf and it looked pretty and artistic! I had quite a few leaves in various books.

After I began working, I once went for a garage sale & bought a pair of peg tables in the shape of elephants from a very well-known astrologer in India. Yes, you probably guessed it right – that started an elephant collection, which has grown. We now have around 80 small elephants from various parts of the world.

I then shifted to the UAE & had the opportunity and means to travel a little more - bells took our fancy and so it was bells from all over.

Once on a visit to Germany I fell in love with a very beautiful beer mug that I spotted in a sae on the banks of the Rhine – that bred a small collection of beautiful mugs that now fill a showcase in our home.

My present collection of cuff links and watches are small but they are my prized possessions now.

Relatives and friends have added to the various collections over the years   and at times it is the topic of family jokes as well but who cares.

I have stopped adding collectables now and am planning to declutter but have not made a serious effort to do so.

Marie Kondo inspired me but one needs time to declutter!!

It will happen someday but till then let me enjoy these simple pleasures.

 

 

 

Collectables

An arctophilist collects teddy bears, a deltiologist collects postcards, a numismatist collects coins, a vecturist collects subway tokens and a clock collector is a horologist.

I guess I am just a very ordinary collector – nothing fancy. Over the years I have collected anything that took my fancy .

Early memories of my childhood and I vividly remember a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ in our home. Probably that  seed germinated in my infant brain and I began collecting as well.

The first thing I collected was ‘holy pictures’.  I was around 10 years old when   pictures of saints and the like took my fancy and I had a small tin sweet box with my prized possessions.  I had about one hundred and fifty ‘Holy pictures’ and I even exchanged the same with friends when I had duplicates. I often approached priests, nuns and religious brothers who willingly added to my collection. Although money was not plentiful by any means, I managed to purchase a few special holy pictures from a religious bookstall in the city. No clue where that collection went.

Playing marbles then became a craze in middle school and I had hundreds of them in a large glass jar. I often counted them and even washed them on weekends. Spreading them out on my bed gave me immense pleasure.  (I do not see anyone playing marbles now). It was a great hobby because playing allowed for individual or group participation. The varied types, styles, sizes, and colors of the marbles lent a unique look to my collection. Taking them to school in my pocket was fun as well.  What was not very funny was when they fell out of my  pocket during class time and were confiscated by the teachers who I was sure took them home for their kids to play with .

More often than not, as I was not a very good player, I would return home despondent having lost most or all the marbles I had taken to school in the morning.

 

I must have been around 14 when my grandfather presented me with a stamp album and a few boxes of old stamps.  They lay in the house for a few years and I never even looked at them.

Then one day I came across them in an old tin trunk & I eagerly began sorting them out and placing them in the album. Along with stamps I began collecting ‘First day covers’ as well. Someone had mentioned that stamps could make me a rich man and I guess that spurred me on.

Whenever I read about the release of a new stamp, I would rush to the post office, line up with hundreds of other philatelists and purchase a few stamps and a first day cover or two. We then had to line up again and get the covers  stamped! My collection grew to a point and then I guess other things took my fancy and the stamp collection died a natural death and I forgot about becoming rich!

 I must add that I was later presented with thousands of very old stamps by an uncle – they  are still in my possession and  I am told , could fetch a fortune  . Therefore, I do still have a chance!

It was then key chains – a few hundred of them took up place in a cupboard draw. For a year or so, I would change my key chain daily!

A few other collections may surprise you, make you cringe  or even smile.

Butterflies – Butterflies are beautiful to look at, and I enjoyed preserving multiple species to admire their wing patterns. I would find dead butterflies in the garden   or capture one that I wanted to save. I would then put it in a bottle and seal it up for a few hours (sounds so cruel now). I would then put it between the pages of a thick dictionary and that was how I collected them!  I knew that there were more professional way of displaying them but I guess the way I did it was enough for me.

I had a similar collection of leaves.  I would get hold of a good leaf, wash and dry it and then just put it between the pages of a thick book. Soon all that would be left would be the skeleton of the leaf and it looked pretty and artistic! I had quite a few leaves in various books.

After I began working, I once went for a garage sale & bought a pair of peg tables in the shape of elephants from a very well-known astrologer in India. Yes, you probably guessed it right – that started an elephant collection, which has grown. We now have around 80 small elephants from various parts of the world.

I then shifted to the UAE & had the opportunity and means to travel a little more - bells took our fancy and so it was bells from all over.

Once on a visit to Germany I fell in love with a very beautiful beer mug that I spotted in a sae on the banks of the Rhine – that bred a small collection of beautiful mugs that now fill a showcase in our home.

My present collection of cuff links and watches are small but they are my prized possessions now.

Relatives and friends have added to the various collections over the years   and at times it is the topic of family jokes as well but who cares.

I have stopped adding collectables now and am planning to declutter but have not made a serious effort to do so.

Marie Kondo inspired me but one needs time to declutter!!

It will happen someday but till then let me enjoy these simple pleasures.