Pigeon !! ~ ruffled feathers !!!

 

Birds are beautiful.  They are stress-busters, they add colour and song to our life. The calling sound and fluttering of feather is soothing to ears and treat to eyes.  Birds also teach us communication skills and English vocabulary too !!   

The verb “ruffle” -  would mean :  to make something untidy or no longer smooth. A ruffle can refer to a physical trim on clothing, a physical or emotional disturbance, or an open-source software project.

In  Textile and Fashion Trim :  it is a   gathered, pleated, or rippled strip of fabric, lace, or ribbon sewn onto clothing, bedsheets, or curtains for decoration.  Unlike a flounce (which is cut in a curve or circle to lay flat and wavy without gathers), a ruffle is gathered directly along the seamline

Ruffle feathers (or to ruffle someone's feathers) is an English idiom that means to upset, annoy, irritate, or offend someone. When you "ruffle feathers," you do or say something provocative—intentionally or unintentionally—that causes a stir, stirs up resentment, or makes people uncomfortable.  

The phrase comes from the natural behavior of birds. When birds feel threatened, frightened, or irritated, they puff up or ruffle their feathers to appear larger and more aggressive.

Interesting !  here is a ruffled Pigeon pictured at my terrace !!

Regards – S Sampathkumar
8.11.2026

photographing - Pycnonotus cafer !!

 

How often do you see movies ?  How often do you stand in the terrace or in a vast open field, hearing the voices of birds and nature ? – do you feed them ? – do you feel that it has become difficult to spot House Sparrows these days !!

Likely you saw and enjoyed Rajnikant starrer – S Shankar directed ‘Robot’ -   Enthiran which showcased  artificial intelligence, scientific ambition and the ethical consequences of creating a machine with human-like emotions.  Its sequel - 2.0’s  (2018) central theme was the conflict between technological expansion and ecological responsibility. It raised concerns about mobile phones, electromagnetic radiation and the alleged effects on birds, especially sparrows.

Here is somewhat bird looking much like a Common Sparrow.  They belong to the same order of birds, Passeriformes, commonly called perching birds or passerines. But they belong to two different families. They are relatives in the broad classification sense, but not particularly close relatives.

The one pictured here perched on a tree near my home is  a Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer).

One could observe the prominent black crest, dark head, brown body with pale scale-like feather markings, and, most importantly, the conspicuous red patch beneath the tail (the vent). Both are  Red-vented Bulbuls.

The sparrow is much more associated with human dwellings. It readily nests in holes, roof spaces, building crevices and other sheltered places. The bulbul, on the other hand, prefers shrubs, bushes and trees for nesting. It is also a much more accomplished fruit eater.  Here are some details of the Bird : 

Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) | Species

•        Tamil name: சின்னான் (Chinnaan).

•        Scientific name: Pycnonotus cafer.

•        Size: Approximately 20 cm, including its tail.

•        Family: Pycnonotidae.

Incidentally, it is lack of space, change in its resting places, cutting of trees, non availability of food and the like that have contributed to reducing birds and not exactly the presence of Cell phone towers.  Ornithologists have identified loss of nesting spaces, reduction in insect food, pesticides, urbanisation and changing building designs as important factors in sparrow decline.  

Interesting !

Regards – S Sampathkumar
7.11.2026

 

 

avoid conflicts ! ~ shed ego !!!

 

The city roads are dotted by people with power – authority, muscle, financial and more ! 

As you walk on city roads (becoming increasingly difficult these days!) – you see conflicts – the first word uttered in such mental wars is : - ‘do you know who I am ?” – explicitly advertising their bloated Ego. Many a times, the problem could be avoided by just side-stepping and moving away. If you can say sorry with a smile and move away – your day will be pleasant !!

*நான் யார்,  நான் யார்,  நீ யார்?* ~ நாலும் தெரிந்தவர் யார் யார் ??

This calf is trying its power to move on – instead it could take a step away and continue its journey !! Shed your egos ! – No point in unnecessary conflicts and trying to prove a point elsewhere. Move on, keep thyself composed and we design our happy living.

S Sampathkumar

7.11.2026

which metal do you like most !!!

 

To all the Women I know – which Metal you like most – the most precious one or the one with highest utility ! – incidentally, can you make anything from this photo ! (of course of a metal that you buy so often and use daily !!)

பெண்மணிகளே !  நீங்கள் தினமும்  அறுசுவை (!) சமையல் செய்பவர்களா !! - தங்க நகைகள் அல்லது தங்க பிஸ்கட்கள் வாங்குவது உங்கள் மன விருப்பமா ? உங்களிடம் எவ்வளவு கிலோ வெள்ளி உள்ளது !!  - இவற்றை தவிர உங்களுக்கு எந்த உலோகம் அதிகம் பிடிக்கும் !

Human’s lust for the yellow metal Gold knows no boundaries.  It is  more than a precious metal ! It represents wealth, security, tradition, prestige, sentiment and, sometimes, an irresistible obsession.  24-carat gold is essentially pure gold (approximately 99.9%). It is too soft for most everyday jewellery; so other metals are added to increase hardness, strength and durability, and sometimes to alter colour. The resulting alloy is then used to manufacture jewellery.  The higher the percentage of other metals added in the carat of gold ,  the purity of the gold itself low.

Internationally, Gold has fallen below the psychologically important US$4,000 level and reached a one-year low on October 30, according to Reuters. On November 4, gold gained approximately 3.4%, its biggest daily rise since August 19. On November 5, it reached US$4,146.63 per ounce. A weaker US dollar and falling US Treasury yields helped this recovery.

Back home, as of Friday, 6 November 2026, gold is trading at exceptionally high levels.  At Chennai the indicative rate of 24K gold is - ₹14,603/g - ₹1,16,824 8 grams

All that glitters is not gold and life is not only about the yellow metal. There is another cousin equally shining.  The one with the chemical symbol ‘Ag’ – soft, white, lustrous transition metal, having the highest electrical conductivity and one in pristine pure form considered auspicious  -  the Silver.  Silver has been valued as a precious metal for long and is also used to make ornaments, jewellery, high value utensils [silverware] and considered prestigious.  Born with a silver spoon is a common idiom and eating in a silver plate is considered exhibiting one’s richness.   

If you have already found it – it is about Eversilver !!   the familiar South Indian,  term for stainless steel. The name probably comes from its enduring silvery shine. Unlike ordinary silver, stainless steel does not tarnish easily, requires relatively little maintenance and is durable. It is an interesting example of Indian English evolving through local usage. In Tamil Nadu, we have even made it a noun for an entire category of household goods!

Stainless steel is a type of steel that resists rusting and corrosion. It is an alloy – meaning it is made by combining iron with other elements, principally chromium.  The main ingredients are:  Iron, Chromium, Nickel, Carbon and other elements present in varying proportions.  When chromium is present in steel, it reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere to form an extremely thin, invisible protective layer called chromium oxide.  The 316 stainless steel is particularly useful in marine environments because its molybdenum content improves resistance to chloride corrosion.

In short, what we casually call eversilver is actually an intelligently engineered iron alloy whose surface chemistry protects it from rust! The story of stainless steel is quite fascinating. What we now casually call eversilver in South Indian households was actually developed through experiments in metallurgy in the early twentieth century. Its adoption for kitchen utensils came later, when manufacturers recognised that it was an almost ideal material for everyday cooking and dining.  

An inventor of eversilver - is a very ambiguous term. Is this the first person to think, to document, to patent, or to produce? Again, stainless steel wasn’t truly defined until 1911, so are we to cast aside those chromium-iron alloys that don’t quite meet the minimum requirement of 10.5% chromium? It seems like anyone and everyone has a different claim to being labelled the ‘inventor’ of stainless steel; from Britain, Germany, France, Poland, the U.S.A., and even Sweden.

The cogs were set in motion by Englishmen Stoddart and Faraday circa 1820 and Frenchman Pierre Berthier in 1821. These scientists, among others, noted that iron-chromium alloys were more resistant to attack by certain acids, but tests were only carried out on low chromium content alloys. Attempts to produce higher chromium alloys failed primarily because of scientists not understanding the importance of low carbon content. By   1913,   Harry Brearley, a British metallurgist from Sheffield, England  created a steel with 12.8% chromium and 0.24% carbon, argued to be the first ever stainless steel. The circumstances in which Brearley discovered stainless steel are covered in myth; some enchanted tales of Brearley recite him tossing his steel into the rubbish, only to notice later that the steel hadn’t rusted to the extent of its counterparts, much like Alexander Fleming’s experience 15 years later.

Other more plausible, (but less attractive), accounts claim it was necessary for Brearley to etch his steels with nitric acid and examine them under a microscope in order to analyse their potential resistance to chemical attack. Brearley found that his new steel resisted these chemical attacks and proceeded to test the sample with other agents, including lemon juice and vinegar. Brearley was astounded to find that his alloys were still highly resistant, and immediately recognised the potential for his steel within the cutlery industry.

His original assignment was not to develop kitchen utensils! He was investigating better steel for gun barrels. Gun barrels suffered from erosion and corrosion due to heat and chemical action. He experimented by adding chromium to steel and  discovered that a particular chromium-rich steel resisted rusting remarkably well. His invention was initially called rustless steel. The term stainless steel subsequently became popular.

He realised that his new steel had an unexpected advantage: it resisted not only rust but also staining from acidic substances such as vinegar and lemon juice.  . .. .. now we keep hot Sambar, lime Rasam, buttermilk, water and everything in Eversilver utensils and buy them whenever we visit a shop / super market or bulk sales place like Sowcarpet area.

Happy buying – keep the craze for metals burning always !!

Regards – S Sampathkumar
6.11.2026