Warrier's Collage November 7, 2021

Welcome to Warrier's COLLAGE On Sunday November 7, 2021 "Convocation Speech during Vedic Period – Achintya" https://bharatamataram.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/convocation-speech-during-vedic-period/amp/ Sunday's Collage being shared today (Saturday, November 6, 2021) M G Warrier A Readers Write 1) Lost & Found : Vathsala Jayaraman Chennai Today's Collage had online comments on an essay 'Lost and Found'. The comments of the author were quite interesting. It reminded me of a real time incident that happened in my life. It was the month of Adi in 1975. Myself, my husband, our two young kids along with my mother-in-law had been on LFC to various places such as Trichy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari etc. (Continued at H1) B Current Issues Technology Migration : M G Warrier I had published an article sharing a personal experience in a national newspaper some ten years ago. As the readers enjoyed reading the article, occasionally I used to share the website link with my new contacts. Not being much familiar with the technology of technologies, I believed till yesterday that once available on internet any link will be permanently available there for me to access. Yesterday I accessed my old article and read with nostalgia. The article itself was a decade old and the story was from 1970's. Quickly I wanted to WhatsApp the link to the story to some new contacts. To my utter surprise and dismay, the newspaper had migrated to a new software and old links were no more accessible now, though the contents may be available for some more time at the website. This shocking experience of mine raises many many interesting questions. Also opens up opportunities for several specialisations in technology management and migration related areas. Let's take a diversion here. Recently, in Kerala, a disputed ancient document written on copper plates had to be read to decide it's authenticity and know its purport and content. Different experts gave different interpretations. Brought this story in between, only to add another dimension to the problems that can come up when we migrated to new "languages" and "programs" more often. We are already aware of several friends having lost connectivity due service providers migrating from 2G to 3G and 3G to 4G and so on. Government need to ensure appropriate safeguards for citizens when technology migration which is a necessity happens in various disciplines. ****. ****. *** C Current Affairs 1) State of the Economy Everywhere, resurgent demand is being choked by supply bottlenecks, placing the global recovery at risk. In fact, supply chain disruptions seem to be feeding on one another, amplified simultaneously by decarbonisation drives and trade wars. As people opt out of the workforce, global labour shortages are hamstringing factory output and stalling vital services like transportation. As margins get squeezed and prices get pushed up, elevated levels of inflation with considerable cross-country heterogeneity are reflecting these demand-supply imbalances as well as the intense competition among countries for natural resources and key intermediates – the most recent one being energy. These developments are forcing the hands of central banks and fiscal authorities to scale back their pandemic policies, led by emerging economies, and this is shaping into another headwind to global growth. The consensus seems to veer around the prognosis that supply gaps and impediments will last at least through the better part of 2022. The fear is that in the interregnum, second-round effects may set in, entrenching inflation while growth suffers stagnation. There is also the possibility of facing an inventory recession when the supply backlogs are eventually cleared. There is an urgency now around speeding up vaccination of the world, but in these evolving configurations, it is becoming increasingly clear that vaccination alone will not boost the global economy. The other factors that are at work need to be addressed by the right mix of policies and coordinated across borders to keep the recovery going. Already financial markets are sending warning signals - equity prices are wobbling, spooked by the rise in bond yields, and currencies are wilting in the face of the strength of the US dollar. Markets fear that the inevitable rise in interest rates is going to be driven by a rise in inflation rather than a rise in the pace of growth. Premature tightening could bring about the stagflation that all fear, quashing growth just as the economy is recovering. In an influential view, history is thick with examples of central banks under doing it - underestimating the need for continuing stimulus.30 Perhaps the need of the hour is not to focus so single-mindedly on normalisation but on supply side reforms to ease the bottlenecks and disruptions, labour shortages and high commodity prices, especially of crude. Climate, infrastructure, digitalisation, education and re-skilling are areas for longer-term investment and supply expansion that have nearer-term demand boosting effects. Meanwhile, financial stability concerns are rising to the fore as markets and financial intermediaries rebalance to calibrate to near-term prospects. Going forward, the focus is likely to be on the normalisation of prudential policies and the strengthening of insolvency frameworks and restructuring mechanisms, including for the overhang of public and private debt. In this uncertain and volatile global environment, we maintain our view that India crossed a turning point in August-September, as we wrote in the August issue of the State of the Economy. On inflation, the MPC’s call has turned out to be correct, with the softer than expected food prices providing the impetus for a further disinflation of the headline to a closer alignment with the target. On the other hand, the economy may be healing but it is still digging out of one of the deepest contractions to hit any major economy during the pandemic – we were among the first hit and our recovery started late, towards October-November 2020. In the second wave, we did not impose a nation-wide lockdown, but daily infections at over 400,000 were at that time the highest in the world and it clearly moderated the recovery that was underway till then. Consequently, policy support for a sustained and inclusive recovery may be needed for longer. In particular, the choice of policy mix will need careful consideration and sensitivity as it is expected that employment may weigh on the recovery, with people having lost incomes and jobs, and those that have jobs have lost purchasing power. Already, hiring prospects are brightening ahead of the festivals, with entry level hiring growing at the fastest pace. The IT sector is the leader in terms of the intent to hire, followed by education services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. India will need policies that channel these energies to regain the demographic dividend. We can do it - recent outlook upgrades cite India’s strong fundamentals, the receding risks of a negative feedback between the real economy and the financial system, high capital cushions and ample liquidity. The time is right for setting India on a new trajectory of sustainable and inclusive growth. After all, October marks the ending and beginning of things, a symphony of permanence and change. *Source : RBI Bulletin October 2021 2) Media Response Public interest matters* This refers to ‘Leave the Railway PSUs alone’ (November 4). Generally, due to historical reasons, there exists a misunderstanding about resources management in India. Let’s not forget that East India Company, which became instrumental in perpetuating British rule here for long years, was in the private sector. As we have seen in the case of banking sector since 1968, ownership change is a matter of government policy. What is missing in India is a level-playing field for private and public sector organisations. Policy shifts to pursue political interests rather than public interest is to be blamed for this. The abuse of policy for political gains has to be minimised. If there’s consensus on this, it will be easier to ensure running of public and private sector enterprises professionally. MG Warrier Mumbai *Letter published in The Hindu Business Line on November 6, 2021 D Spirituality/Faith 1) V T Panchapagesan Sunday Collage Essence of Katha Upanishad, 1.2.22 asserts that Veda is to make Man Liberated and free, look past what has happened and has not happened, free from the past and the future, rofocus his attention, past ignorance To knowledge, to the means of blissful existence beyond Joy and Sorrow.. Death Cleaning A practical Swedish Concept After hitting 55, we should all do a ‘Death Cleaning'. This is the methodical cleaning and clearing out of all things, material and mental, that we have accumulated over the years of our active past. (Continued at H1) 2) Thought for the Day charan singh (@CharanSingh60) Tweeted: Unity in Diversity - 62 भै निरभउ हरि अटलु मनि सबदि गुर नेजा गढिउ काम क्रोध लोभ मोह अपतु पंच दूत बिखंडिउ Guru's word has penetrated Has become fearless as fear of God is within Lust, anger, greed, attachment & self-importance r destroyed Bhat Salh, 1396, SGGS https://twitter.com/CharanSingh60/status/1456714721940283396?s=20 E Collage in Campus Multiple Choice Questions and Death of Creativity : Mainstream Weekly http://mainstreamweekly.net/article11734.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MainstreamWeekly+%28Mainstream+Weekly%29 Excerpts : "Anatomy of a mindset I am a teacher. And I wish to question the popularization of this sort of standardized tests characterized by the MCQ pattern. However, before I begin to put forward my arguments, I need to examine the anatomy of the mindset that normalizes this sickness. To begin with, it is important to understand that we live in an age that loves ‘techniques’ rather than poetic/philosophic wonder, ‘measurable’ data rather than qualitative/immeasurable experiences, ‘certainty’ rather than ambiguity, and ‘objective’ facts rather than ‘subjective’ argumentations and interpretations. Possibly, the techno-capitalist world seeks to consolidate its hegemony through a pattern of education that privileges ‘technical knowledge’ as high status knowledge, and tries to nurture a mind that is ‘fast’, ‘efficient’ and ‘smart’ in recalling facts, statistics, theorems, and laws to ‘solve’ all sorts of technical puzzles and riddles. This craving for instantaneity and technical intelligence, it seems, cannot afford to promote a qualitatively different kind of education that encourages a relaxed/reflexive/meditative mind. Furthermore, as the obsession with numbers or measurement begins to shape our orientation to life, it is assumed that everything has to fit itself into a tight box. In the eyes of a doctor, you are your measurable blood pressure or blood sugar; likewise, in the eyes of a techno-bureaucrat, you are your Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score. Not surprisingly then, standardized tests and exams must ‘measure’ accurately your knowledge in science, mathematics, history or literature, and select and eliminate people ‘objectively’. It is possible only when the machine eliminates the possibility of argumentative and interpretative answers which are beyond ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Hence, to take a simple illustration, a school student must know and recall the year when Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature; it is not so important whether Tagore's poetry enchants her, and she has something interesting to say about it. Likewise, a typical UPSC aspirant must spend sleepless nights to memorize a set of discrete facts—say, the names of the National Film Award winners in 2020, or the name of the Wimbledon winner in the Women’s Singles in 2021, or the name of the author of Gun Island. But then, it is not all required to understand the aesthetics of film making, appreciate the art of tennis, or study Amitav Ghosh with great care. Because you know that it is only your knowledge of discrete and ‘objective’ facts that matter in this sort of examination. And the system doesn’t need a teacher or an educator to evaluate you; everything is programmed. And the computer does it so quickly and efficiently. Is it that the educational scenario is fast becoming like Amitabh Bachchan's Kaun Banega Crorepati?" F Book Review : A City of Stories "Ian Rankin on Edinburgh: A City of Stories | Britannica" https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ian-Rankin-on-Edinburgh-A-City-of-Stories-1273556 Excerpts : "Edinburgh offers something more: a lively contemporary writing and publishing scene. The area of the city where I make my home is known locally as “writers’ block,” in the main because J.K. Rowling, Alexander McCall Smith, and I live within a few hundred yards of each other. Nor do we keep ourselves to ourselves: local café owners know that Ms. Rowling still writes at various tables with a mug of coffee beside her; Professor McCall Smith and myself have been known to share a few drams of malt of an evening, while discussing everything and anything. Irvine Welsh (of Trainspotting fame) also keeps a home in the city, and novelist Kate Atkinson, who won a Whitbread Book Award for Behind the Scenes at the Museum, is another Edinburgh resident. Meantime, the annual Edinburgh International Book Festival is the largest in Europe, bringing authors of worldwide repute such as Harold Pinter, Gore Vidal, and Seamus Heaney to the city to meet, converse, and share tales and anecdotes—very like the get-togethers of old where Scott or Burns might be liable to drop in. Edinburgh remains very much a city of stories." G Quotes about Technology Migration "New Technology Quotes - BrainyQuote" https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/new-technology-quotes Like : "I think writers have to be proactive: they've got to use new technology and social media. Yes, it's hard to get noticed by traditional publishers, but there's a great deal of opportunity out there if you've got the right story." Ian Rankin (Ian Rankin, in full Ian James Rankin, pseudonym Jack Harvey, (born April 28, 1960, Cardenden, Fife, Scotland), Scottish best-selling crime novelist, creator of the Inspector Rebus series. (For Rankin’s reflections on the Scottish capital, see Edinburgh : A City of Stories.) H 1) Continued from Firstly, the clothes, accessories, artefacts, momentos, collectibles, gifts, memorabilia and other sundry items, all of which we no more need. Once we are truly old, the world has no time or place for us. Our family will have no time for us. *(because they have their own life to lead)* After our death why burden others about clearing out our things? It is better that while we are still able bodied and healthy, to methodically and systematically give away our things to deserving people, who are happy to receive and use them. 1) Be firm and focussed when clearing out stuff. 2) Do it in an organised manner, on a time schedule based on your own necessities. 3) Don’t get emotional and sentimental. Be practical. 4)Start by doing a little bit of ‘Death Cleaning every week, every month, every year. 5) stop buying too many new things & Things you don’t need just because you have money. Just hold on to your money as long as you are alive and.... *write your will* _But_ .... 1)treasure your memories for they are carried with us as we move on through different lifetimes. 2) If we have hurt someone knowingly or unknowingly, let's say sorry, seek forgiveness and clear our conscience. 3) let's Say thank you to all who’ve helped us 4) let's not hold on to grudges, so when we go, we go peacefully, without any karmic baggage..... Carry only a good mind and good memories.... that is our genetic imprint *Less luggage more comfort This is a realistic approach one has to visualize initiating action as this will Motivate us to have a peaceful end..cultivating with Five Ethics . 1. Listen before you speak. 2.Earn, before you spend. 3.Think. before you write 4.Try , before you quit 5. Live. before you die. 🙏 V.T.Panchapagesan. 2) Continued from D1 From Tirunelveli to Tiruchendur we travelled by bus and reached Tiruchendur at about 7A M. On getting down from the bus when we were going towards Senthil Andavan Viduthi I found out that one of my diamond nose Studs was missing and the mere screw alone was sticking to the nose. I did not know whether it had fallen inside the bus or anywhere in the bus stand. Absolutely no clue. Anyhow we went to the same bus stop and enquired the conductor whether we can search for the jewel inside the bus. He told that the bus was scheduled to leave for Tirunelveli in the next 5 minutes and during the return trip the bus would stop in Tiruchendur for 2 hrs during which time we may have a look into the bus, if we so desired. We went to the chatram, had our bath. The intended Special pooja was not performed. I had lot of scoldings and the pleasure trip turned into a horror. Our thoughts centred around the costly jewel and not on the fascinating Muruga. Time passed. Leaving my mother-in-law and children at the lodge, both of us went to the bus stop. At about 11.45 the same bus arrived at the Tiruchendur Bus Stop, with the same conductor and driver. All the passengers stepped down. The bus was empty. As agreed to by the conductor I entered the bus with a new broomstick. Unfortunately this was the first article I had to buy in the pilgrimage centre. I started sweeping the floor of the bus very slowly and carefully-nobody would have done such a cleaning work, since its manufacture. We could find pieces of papers, half peeled ground nuts, pieces of plantain leaves with spoilt chutney and sambar, two or three dirty hand kerchieves and two or three pieces of clothes used for cleaning infants-that is all. Our search was over. At that time we found one torn out slipper with straps totally gone. We took the slipper and swept the floor underneath. Nothing could be traced. When we were about to throw the slipper out along with other garbage, somehow I turned the slipper upside down. To my great amazement the main mookkuththi with the droplets was sticking with mud in between the uneven undulated surface of the sole of the slipper. More than the the financial worth in thousands, the sanctity attached to nose stud is great. No need to say that we felt very happy, met the conductor and conveyed our thanks and offered some amount. He bluntly refused* to take any money. He said,"Just to console you I asked you to come after 3 hours. With so many passengers getting up and down such a small jewel would have been dragged into the earth, without anybody being aware of it. The jewel has fallen on the floor. Fortunately somebody has left his useless slipper on it & so it was not dragged off. 'இது அறுந்து போன செருப்பு இல்லைங்க. ஆறுமுக கவசம் "என்றாரே பார்க்கலாம்! நாங்கள் அசந்து போய் விட்டோம் . ( This is not worn out slipper. This is Arumuga Kavacham, ( protective shield of Muruga)). We were totally amazed at the remarks. The conductor appeared as Arumugam before our eyes. Some experiences whether happen due to divine grace or by sheer coincidence create an awakening in us. This small incident made us brood over so many things. 1 We felt rather uncomfortable to clean the bus for an hour or so, that too with a selfish motive. What will be the feelings of scavengers who are forced to carry night soil on their shoulders? 2 Why didn't we accept the loss of jewel and proceed further? 3. If the conductor himself had swept the floor, he would have found the jewel. Why didn't he do it? Even today whenever we think of Tiruchendur, more than the sea waves more than Lord Subrahmanya this humble simple gentleman stands before us. " Heard melodies are sweet; Those unheard are sweeter." The lost and found jewel is great. But the conductor and his remarks 'Arumuga kavacham' are greater. Vathsala Jayaraman