the tongue of Giraffe is black !!

நான் வளர்கிறேனே மம்மி !  - பிரபலமான விளம்பரம் உங்களுக்கு ஞாபகம் உள்ளதா !  ‘ஒவ்வொரு குழந்தை உருவாகும்போதும் மனித குலத்தின் பரிணாம வளர்ச்சி திரும்பத் திரும்ப எழுதப் படுகிறது’ என்கிறார் ஒரு மருத்துவர்.  குழந்தையின் வளர்ச்சி தலையிலிருந்துதான் ஆரம்பிக்கிறது. பிறகு கைகள், கால்கள் என்று பல்வேறு உறுப்புகளை பயன்படுத்தத் தொடங்குகிறது.

 

One of the animals that we can  most easily recognize is the Giraffe- (Giraffacamelopardalis),  an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant.   Its species name refers to its camel-like appearance and the patches of color on its fur. Giraffes usually inhabit savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands.  

உலகிலேயே மிக உயரமான விலங்கு ஒட்டகச்சிவிங்கி. இதன் தாயகம் ஆப்பிரிக்கா. ஆப்பிரிக்கா கண்டத்தின் நான்கு பகுதிகளில் 4 வகை ஒட்டகச்சிவிங்கிகள் காணப்படுகின்றன. ஒட்டகச் சிவிங்கிகளின் அடி வயிற்றைத் தவிர ஏனைய உடல் முழுதும் புள்ளிகள் காணப்படுகின்றன. புள்ளிகளின் அமைப்பு ஒவ்வொன்றுக்கும் தனித்துவமானவை. எந்த இரண்டு ஒட்டகச்சிவிங்கிகளும் ஒரே மாதிரி இருப்பதில்லை. ஒவ்வோர் ஒட்டகச்சிவிங்கிக்கும் உடலில் உள்ள கோடுகள், புள்ளிகளில் சிறிய வித்தியாசம் இருக்கும். இவை நீண்ட நாக்கினைக் கொண்டுள்ளன. இவற்றின் முன்னங்கால்கள் பின்னங்கால்களைவிட 10 சதவீதம் நீளமானவை. இவற்றின் இதயம் 10 கிலோ கிராம் நிறையுடையது.  

When a giraffe eats, they use a lengthy black tongue to grasp leaves and put them in their mouth. Similar to an elephant’s trunk, a giraffe’s tongue is prehensile, meaning it can grab on things, like leaves and branches.  

Giraffes' tongues are black for an important reason: to protect them from the sun's harsh rays, per ZME Science. While the giraffe's tongue may look black, it is more dark purple or blue. The dark pigmentation of a giraffe's tongue is due to a high amount of melanin. If a giraffe were grazing on the ground, they wouldn't need to protect their tongue from the sun. The base of the giraffe tongue is pink, like most other mammals, because it is further back in their mouth and at less risk of sun exposure. However, a large part of the giraffe's tongue is more prone to sun exposure as they reach the tall trees to eat. The giraffe has one of the longest tongues in the animal world. Their tongues can reach as long as 18 to 20 inches, according to  San Diego Zoo.

If one were to compare  -  the average human tongue is about 3.3 inches long. The giraffe’s long tongue comes in handy when trying to reach the tastiest leaves at the top of the tree. Giraffes prefer to eat the leaves of acacia trees, which can reach up to 20 to 40 feet.  Giraffes are typically between 15 feet and 18 feet in height, so they need that extra length! 

 
Interesting !  - a Giraffe photographed at Bannerghatta zoo, Bengaluru
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
31.1.2024 

Mayank Agarwal suffers medical emergency - is stable

One must be very careful when drinking especially from a bottle with no label – there have been instances of people wrongfully consuming some potentially dangerous liquids, presuming them to be either water or syrup or !! 

Do you remember that Test at Visakhapatnam against South Africa in Oct 2019, when India won by 203 runs ? 

It was with great concern that I read the news of Karnataka Captain Mayank Agarwal suffering a major health scare, plane getting diverted and he being admitted to an hospital in Agartala.   

 

ESPN Cric info and other media reports suggest that Mayank Agarwal was rushed to the ILS Hospital in Agartala after he fell ill on a New Delhi-bound flight today.  It is stated that the  Karnataka Ranji Trophy captain suffered a major health scare while travelling on the flight. He was quickly admitted to the ICU where he is currently undergoing treatment. According to media reports, Mayank was taken off the plane and rushed the hospital after complaining of a throat issue. 

ESPN adds that he complained of stomach pain and burning sensation in his throat and mouth after consuming liquid from a bottle that he believed contained drinking water, while onboard an IndiGo flight.  The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when Agarwal was travelling from Agartala to Surat via New Delhi for Karnataka's fifth-round Ranji Trophy fixture against Railways.  Agarwal was deplaned and rushed to hospital after a bout of vomiting inside the aircraft, even as the rest of the Karnataka squad continued their onward travel. 

ILS Hospitals, where Agarwal was admitted to, later confirmed that he is "clinically stable" and being "clinically monitored". He will be under observation for 24 hours. The Karnataka team manager, on Agarwal's behalf, has also requested the Tripura police to investigate the incident. A written complained has been signed and issued to K Kiran Kumar, Superintendent of Police (Tripura West) and a case has been registered under the jurisdiction of the New Capital Complex Police Station in Agartala. 

Agarwal is set to undergo a few tests following which a decision will be made if he can return home to Bengaluru over the next couple of days for further examination. This all but rules him out of the upcoming Ranji fixture. In a press statement, IndiGo confirmed that the flight had to return to Agartala due to a medical emergency:

Nikin Jose, the 23-year-old batter, is the designated vice-captain in the squad and is likely to take over the captaincy. 

In that Vizag test   Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal had an opening partnership of 317  - the third-highest opening partnership for India in Tests. The highest have been : 413 between Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy against New Zealand in Chennai in 1956 and 410 between Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid versus Pakistan in Lahore in 2006.  

 
Wishing Mayank Agarwal speedy recovery
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
30.1.2024 

WhatsApp group mentality !!

Perhaps we get irate, when a slightly different person enters our group domain !

Imp Pre-script - : intended to make you laugh, not think overly and react.  This is a no response to any of the views expressed in the group by anyone earlier ! 

Every morning, all over India people are waking up to roses, inspirational quotes in pink and pious sentiments trimmed to fit in verse. Whatsapp is perhaps the most widely used messaging platform in the world. We have WA groups and many of us start the day with a coffee tumbler on hand, the other scrolling the innumerable messages on various groups that you are part of.  Some group have definitions, while most have not ! – though group size could be 256, not many would post ! but enjoy (secretly) what is written. 

Before we dismissively say that others are posting rubbish – let us remember that for some it is a great stress reliever.  I know a person (active but ageing) who openly said, when I post a GM message in the group,  and I see couple of persons acknowledging it, it is my way of announcing that I am alive and active today !! 

On a lighter note… I was purely contemplating the way individuals within larger social network groups tend to interact and find  it endlessly fascinating. This post is just an amateur effort to review my observations about interactions within WhatsApp groups over time. These are purely my lighthearted views and observations and are not based on randomized controlled trials, as is the gold standard for evidence in medicine today.  

The posts include “Good Morning” messages (some interesting, many inane), jokes, tips on health, political views, believe this is the truth,  links to news reports, links to social media posts, requests for advice/information etc. As is to be expected, there are reactions to what people post; there are also gratuitous opinions on various goings-on.   Through the day, we receive a barrage of opinions, memes, regurgitated stories, outrageous conspiracy theories, libel-seeking gossip missiles, nostalgia-laden pictures featuring moustaches, and really long jokes.   Belonging to a WhatsApp group is like a lifetime membership of a particularly loquacious and persistent cult.  

There are different people, active posting all the time, forwarding messages, some always criticizing, some always finding fault with the messages, about the timing and more.  End of the day, the phone is in your hand and you chose what to see, read and respond !!   Scroll through your WhatsApp and you'll find people  in a couple of swipes, hiding in groups behind the meme machines and the friends who reply so quickly that you fear they're secretly unemployed.  

There are some  WhatsApp lurkers. The silent friends who haven't grasped the basic concept of WhatsApp: communicating with other people. The little, glowing blue ticks are proof that they’ve seen every word, every blurry photo from nights out, every motivational mid-week meme - but they haven’t made a peep in weeks. You begin to question the point of your friendship. You know their phone hasn’t been stolen because while they have literally zero words to say to you or your other friends - even when someone cries about pain or posts something so scientific and interesting (to you at least)   

As we complain, in every group there are ‘Forwarders” (many of us would fit in that definition too! But would only call others by that name).    Always amongst the most active member of groups and one who probably has the highest posting percentage of the group. A closer look would reveal  almost no original content of interaction except forwarding or reposting others' content. Still there could be life and humour in those forwarded memes and jokes too, if only you choose to enjoy.     

WA groups also have Bomb throwers -  those   individuals who thrive on provocation. Whether it is politics, religion, science, or philosophy there is always one or more individuals who will introduce a clearly provocative stance and then walk away. This typically results in several hours of chaos and reactionary messaging, re-messaging justifications condemnation within the group. During this entire process, the provocateur is persona non grata.   

I post messages daily Spiritual, Sports, photos and more – almost all of them my originals – I get to see hundreds of messages, many of them could remain unread too.  But end of the day, how much of WA I see is decided by Me and me only.  I have developed this habit of seeing WA say once 4 hours ! – and that helps me schedule my time, though I could miss out many friendly and important messages.

Friendly yours, technology helps when we utilize it properly.  Enjoy every moment of life and allow others to live happily too  

With regards – S Sampathkumar

30.1.2024

  

Hartley - who ? - punctures Indian bubble at home !

 

What an ignominious defeat at our own place !!  ~ and if Team India were to play unchanged in the next Test at Visakhapatnam – that could be very bitter !!

 

Most of us may not know or remember Donna Hartley-Wass MBE, a British athlete.  Hartley-Wass graced the cover of fitness magazines during her bodybuilding heyday in the late 1980s.  She was an ace sprinter; in 1977 she was U.K. 400 metres champion. In 1977, she married fellow athlete Bill Hartley. The marriage later ended in divorce.  In 1978, Hartley won two Commonwealth gold medals in Edmonton, Canada, where she won the 400 metres, and the 4x400 relay.  In 1980, she competed at the Moscow Olympic Games where she won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 relay. 

You might have seen the connection already .. .. the scorecard reads :   England 246 (Stokes 70, Bairstow 37, Ashwin 3-68, Jadeja 3-88) and 420 (Pope 196, Duckett 47, Bumrah 4-41, Ashwin 3-126) beat India 436 (Jadeja 87, Rahul 86, Jaiswal 80) and 202 (Rohit 39, Hartley 7-62) by 28 runs 

England pulled off one of their greatest Test wins in front of the raucous Barmy Army and a stunned home crowd in Hyderabad. A team that had fallen behind by 190 in the first innings - a deficit never before reversed by a visiting team in India – made history though  their most experienced spinner injured, half their side gone before scores were levelled,  did so emphatically even though a hilarious last-wicket stand took India to within 29 runs of their target. 

Another pathetic performance at home on a turning track – as India struggled in the second essay – I am appalled at the performance Shubman Gill who is given so much opportunities and this guy who walks in with a swagger like King Richards  .. .. if Gavaskar, Manjrekar were on mike, they would immediately say he is finest player of spin combining brute power with finesse ! – in his dozen tests, he has made runs gainst New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and failed against England, South Africa, Australia – Shereyas Iyer !! 

After England lost four of their first five wickets in the first innings to defensive shots, and when criticis were raving about England no able to play spin, perhaps their coach after whom  Bazball is named, told them that  it is more acceptable to get out reverse-sweeping than defending.  Ollie Pope responded with a great knock missing a double ton by just 4 runs. 

But .. .. Indians who taste spin daily were undone by a debutant from Ormskirk,   a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England.  Farokh Engineer joined Lancashire in 1968, and Clive Lloyd joined in 1969; together they  helped establish Lancashire as one of the best one day sides in England.  But this  Indian team needs to learn from Dick Barlow (not to be confused with Eddie Barlow of South Africa).  This Barlow played seven times for England against Australia in England: in the match which gave rise to the Ashes at the Oval in 1882; and at Lord's, the Oval, and Old Trafford in 1884 and 1886. Dick Barlow carried his bat for just 5 not out in Lancashire's total of 69 in two and a half hours against Nottinghamshire on a treacherous, rain-affected Trent Bridge pitch in July 1882. 

The man of the day was Tom Hartley with figures of 26.2 -5-62-7 was born to Donna Wass and Bill Hartley. Bill Hartley, won 4 x 400m European Championship gold in 1974. Tom Hartley  is a tall left-arm spinner who enjoyed a breakthrough season for Lancashire in the shortened summer of 2020: injuries and international call-ups gave him the opportunity to play four Bob Willis Trophy games, and he was selected as part of a three-pronged spin attack which led Lancashire to Finals Day.  Hartley's two main assets in T20 cricket are his height and his accuracy, but he shone so well in a Test debut.  

 

Tom Hartley  hails from Ormskirk, a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. The name is Old Norse in origin and is derived from Ormres kirkja, from a personal name, Ormr (which means "serpent" or dragon), and the Old Norse word kirkja for church.  Ormr may have been a Viking who settled here. There is no reference to Ormskirk in the Domesday Book of 1086, but it has been suggested that it may have been part of Lathom at that time.  

A sad day for the Indian fan which will be healed only if some of the stars with punctured status are dropped from the Team and some other youngsters are given a chance.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
28.1.2024

 

Tusker dance at Guruvayur

Dance is a fine art - of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and  symbolic value, which soothes the mind … 

ஊர்வசி ஊர்வசி !  - டேக் இட் ஈசி ஊர்வசி

ஊசி போல ஒடம்பிருந்தா ! தேவை இல்ல பார்மசி   

.. ....     ........... .........

வாழ்க்கையில் வெல்லவே!  டேக் இட் ஈசி பாலிசி

வானவில் வாழ்க்கையில்  ..   வாலிபம் ஒரு பேண்டசி  

 

Prabhu Deva shot to fame in that ‘oorvasi, oorvasi – take it easy policy’ song .. .. no insurance Policy that !!  Movie -   Kadhahan  released in 1994   directed by S. Shankar and produced by KT Kunjumon that  had Prabhu Deva and Nagma alongside  Raghuvaran, Girish Karnad and Vadivelu 

This majestic komban of Guruvayur enjoying its bath – did some artistic performance too !! 

Efforts are most important !!

Every achievement starts with small tries. No fruit is ever gotten without an attempt

Morning thoughts  -  learnings from monkey !

trink, tring - sound of music !!

 

ஆதௌ கீர்தனம்பரத்திலே, முன்னே ஒரு காலத்தில் ஒவ்வொரு நம்பராக டயல் பண்ணி (சில நேரங்களில் ராங் கால் போட்டு!)

ஹலோ.. ஹலோ.. சுகமா  .. ….   ஆமா .. நீங்க நலமா.

majestic tusker of Guruvayur bathing !

 

The  majestic komban of  Guruvayur enjoying its bath

Success story of an youngster from remote Baracara, and some black history !!

The only way to get to Baracara is by very small boat. From Guyana’s port town of New Amsterdam, the trip up the Canje River is about 225km but can apparently take up to two days, so thick and tangled is the grass that grows along the banks of the narrow waterway 

If you are 50+ - some of your conversation might meander to the lack of facilities of those days, when you grow up and if you are a Cricket fan, you might also think of those famed pace bowlers from the Caribbean islands !! 

Remember seeing the great Andy Roberts at Chepauk Pongal test in 1975 bowling alongside Keith Boyce, Vanburn Holder & Bernard Julien.. .. later came fast bowlers like – Michael Holding, Daniel, Colin Croft, Joel Garner Sylvester Clarke, Malcolm Marshall, Winston Davis, Eldine Baptiste, Courtney Walsh, Patrick Patterson, Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bishop .. .. and slowly we started forgetting WI pacer names !

 

Today another Fast bowler from West Indies playing just his second test if making people talk about him.    It is a story of a young man from a tiny hamlet, isolated from anything resembling competitive cricket by its lack of telephone and internet access - and all that overgrown grass - making an international Test debut in Adelaide seems even less likely than West Indies threatening to upset Australia. The prospect of him dismissing Steve Smith off the first ball of that Test debut added another layer of awesome implausibility.. 

Baracara is, for all intents and purposes, in the middle of nowhere. And it is from the middle of nowhere where West Indies’ revelatory new quick hails. Second Test as it happened today at Brisbane : Windies claimed first win on Australian soil in 27 years. Baracara is the only maroon village in Guyana.   

When WI embarked on this tour of Australia, even supports could not back up the team as it was a new look side with seven uncapped players !!  Today, at Brisbane in the day night test the scorecard reads: 

West Indies :  311 & 193  beat Australia - 289/9d & 207 – WI won by 8 runs !!! 

The 24-year-old Shamar Joseph has had just five first-class matches under his belt but viewed as a very exciting prospect. Not long ago he was working as a security guard to help look after his young family. Made his first-class debut early last year and claimed 12 wickets in two matches on the A tour of South Africa. Was also part of the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad which won the CPL. 

He had a sensational start to his career at Adelaide when he removed Steven Smith with his first ball in the  first Test. Joseph, 24, had already made an impression on the opening day in Adelaide when he struck 36 in a last-wicket stand of 55 with Kemar Roach.  .. .. and when he was given the ball for the ninth over of Australia's innings that he wrote himself a place in the game's history. Hitting a good length outside off with his first delivery, he drew Smith - opening for the first time in Tests - into playing, and the thick edge was well held at third slip. It made him the 23rd bowler to take a wicket with his first ball in men's Tests, and just the second West Indian after Tyrell Johnson against England at The Oval in 1939. 

At Brisbane, Shamar Joseph returned from a toe injury and spectacularly ripped through Australia on day four with a remarkable seven -wicket haul to create history with magical figures of 11.5-0-68-7 !! 

Steven Smith stood  in West Indies' way of a monumental upset after he struck his first half-century as an opener. He defied the heroic Joseph, who summoned speeds around 150kmh, to reach dinner on 76 not out with Australia still needing 29 runs for victory at 187 for 8. Nathan Lyon was unbeaten on 5.  Australia appeared to be cruising towards the target of 216 at 113 for 2 until Joseph turned the match on its head with the wickets of Cameron Green and Travis Head in consecutive balls.  Joseph claimed his second five-wicket haul in as many matches by dismissing Mitchell Starc. 

There had been grave doubt over whether Joseph could bowl after he was struck on the toe by an inswinging delivery by Starc late on day three that forced him to retire hurt.  But he was cleared of a fracture and produced a spell in overcast and humid conditions that rocked Australia and set up a grandstand finish after dinner.

West Indies have not beaten Australia in a Test match since 2003 and their last Test win in Australia was in February 1997. There were fears of the day's play being majorly interrupted after heavy showers lashed Brisbane overnight and in the morning. But the bad weather cleared and play resumed on schedule 

Baracara was founded as a maroon community in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region of Guyana, located on the Canje River. A group of escaped slaves settled in Baracara in the early 19th century,  and occupied both the east and west banks of the river. The demographics are mostly Afro-Guyanese. The economy of the village is based on subsistence farming and logging.  Unlike neighbouring Suriname where tribes like the Ndyuka and Saramaka established autonomous territories, escaped slaves in Guyana were hunted by the local Amerindian tribes for reward.  The incentive was very successful: on 5 May 1764, after the Berbice slave uprising, the post holder at Courantyne, near present-day Orealla, reported that he had paid out ƒ 1,074 for captured slaves, and ƒ 1,080 for 180 cut-off hands of killed slaves.  In 1740, Thomas Hildebrand was given permission to look for silver in the Blue Mountains using slaves. The hard work and rough treatment resulted in six deaths among the slaves.  The next year, a group of mining slaves escaped to Creole Island on the Cuyuni River. The location was too difficult to conquer, therefore a deal was negotiated and concluded on 8 February 1742. The slaves would be freed, and never had to work in the mines, if they promised to perform a fixed amount of work on the plantations. Three slaves who did not accept the offer were hunted and killed by the local Amerindians. 

The gruesome history is wherever the Europe landed, they treated people of the land cruelly,  indulged in slave trade, plundered the riches and took tons and tons of wealth back home in ships and these people were hailed as promoting peace and harmony.  Some black History !!

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
28.1.2024

  

Morning life of a Squirrel

வயுத்துக்காக மனுசன் இங்கே கயிற்றில் ஆடுறான் பாரு

ஆடி முடிச்சி இறங்கி வந்தா அப்புறம் தான்டா சோறு  .. ..  

சோம்பேறியாக இருந்து விட்டாக்கா சோறு கிடைக்காது தம்பி

சுருசுருப்பில்லாம தூங்கிட்டு இருந்தா துணியும் இருக்காது தம்பி

ஓடி ஓடி உழைக்கணும்
படம்:நல்ல நேரம்
இசை: K.V.மகாதேவன்
பாடல் : வாலி
பாடியவர்: டி.எம். சௌந்தரராஜன் 

 

Tree squirrels have ultra sharp claws.  When a squirrel digs his needle-like nails into a tree limb, he can get a strong grip, allowing him to climb upwards and downwards, or even cling to a tree limb or tree trunk using only his hind legs. His claws also allow him to grip as he jumps from tree to tree, using his tail as a rudder, allowing him to swerve or stay the course.
 
Good Morning.  Adaptation is the key to survive.
Morning thoughts & Words of wisdom from  Aasami Sirippu Sinthanaiyaan
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
22.1.2024 

  

Masakadza ton; the pathetic economic stage of Zimbabwe

As I had posted earlier, the practice matches are practice matches and not much of significance be attached to the scores or the results. Sri Lanka, coming off a 4-2 series defeat in New Zealand, had their confidence further dented by  Zimbabwe  is the news.  Dimuth Karunaratne top-scored with 58 in Sri Lanka's 279 for 8 as it batted first after winning to toss at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval.  Zimbabwe made surprisingly easy work of running down that total on the same pitch on which they reduced New Zealand to 157 for 7 in a rained-out match on Monday. After slipping to 35 for 2, Brendan Taylor (63) put on 127 for the the third wicket with Masakadza, who then saw Zimbabwe comfortably home in an unbroken 119-run partnership with Sean Williams (51).

There has not been much to cheer about for Zimbabwe, the landlocked country in Southern Africa between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique.   What is now Zimbabwe was historically the site of many prominent kingdoms and empires, as well as a major route for migration and trade.  The not so happy news of  Central bank chief John Mangudya's announcement dealt another blow to elusive hopes of a solid economic recovery in the southern African nation that had to abandon its own currency at the peak of a severe recession and switch to the US dollar instead. Mangudya said the economy remained too depressed to allow for any salary hikes. "Given the lack of competitiveness and its negative effects on the economy, we do not see any room for wage and salary increases," Mangudya said. The wage freeze will apply to civil servants and parastatal companies, but to the dismay of unions, private companies were expected to follow suit.  The World Bank says 72 per cent of Zimbabweans live below the poverty line, while many economists put the real unemployment rate at 80 per cent, up from an official 11 per cent.

The Balancing Rocks are geomorphological features of igneous rocks found in many parts of Zimbabwe, and are particularly noteworthy in Matopos National Park and near the township of Epworth to the southeast of Harare. The formations are of natural occurrence in a perfectly balanced state without other support. Their popularity grew when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe featured the formations on the last series of Zimbabwean banknotes.  The Balancing Rocks have been used as a metaphorical theme to explain the importance of development coupled with preserving the fragile environment of Zimbabwe as similar to that of the Balancing Rocks found in Epworth, Matopos and in other areas.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has its origins in the Bank of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was created in March 1956 as a central bank for the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The Reserve Bank was the successor to the Central Currency Board, which had the sole right to issue currency.  The paper money of Zimbabwe were physical forms of Zimbabwe’s four incarnations of the dollar ($ or Z$) from 1980 to 2009. The banknotes of the first dollar replaced those of the Rhodesian dollar at par in 1980 following the proclamation of independence. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe issued most of the banknotes and other types of currency notes in its history, including Bearer cheques and Agro cheques.  The banknotes of the third dollar were originally scheduled to be demonetised on 30 June 2009 but the Zimbabwean dollar as a whole has been suspended since 12 April 2009, implying that banknotes of both the third and fourth dollar are not de jure legal tender.

Once known for its billion dollar notes and hyper-inflation, Zimbabwe must be the only place in the world to have eight currencies as legal tender - none of them its own. For the last five years most people have been using US dollars or South African rand, but pula from Botswana and British pound sterling have also been changing hands. The Central  bank is also allowing the use of Australian dollars, Chinese yuan, Indian rupees and Japanese yen.  The customers can open bank accounts in these currencies but the hard cash is not yet in circulation.

There has been surge in counterfeit notes. Given the complexities of the multiple currency system, there are fears that forgery will be easier with unfamiliar notes.  Zimbabwe's liquidity crisis means shopkeepers and market traders often give change in sweets, airtime for mobile phones and even condoms.  For economist Christopher Mugaga, the introduction of new currencies is not the solution to Zimbabwe's economic woes, with its chronic unemployment and shrinking manufacturing sector.

During last year's election campaign, allies of President Robert Mugabe hinted at this, prompting warnings it could lead to a return of hyper-inflation, which was cured by the introduction of foreign currencies. The Zimbabwean dollar (sign: $, or Z$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies) was the official currency of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 12 April 2009, with a period of inflation, followed by hyperinflation. Despite attempts to control inflation by legislation, and three redenominations (in 2006, 2008 and 2009), use of the Zimbabwean dollar as an official currency was effectively abandoned on 12 April 2009 due to the skyrocketing inflation.

Sad to read of the economic situation of the country

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

12^th Feb 2015.

when redbull ran on the roads !!!

Red Bull is an energy drink sold by Austrian company Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the highest selling energy drink in the world, with 5.387 billion cans sold in 2013.  Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an existing energy drink which was first invented and sold in Thailand. He took this idea, modified the ingredients to suit the tastes of westerners, and, in partnership with Chaleo Yoovidhya, founded Red Bull GmbH in Chakkapong.   The Red Bull company slogan is "Red Bull gives you wings"  and the product is marketed through advertising, events (Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Crashed Ice), sports team ownerships,  celebrity endorsements, and music, through its record label Red Bull Records.

It has succeed well in marketing but the slogan - "Red Bull gives you wings"  that has been there for nearly two decades did land them in trouble too.  a few months back, reports suggested that the Company agreed to pay out more than $13 million after settling a US class action lawsuit that accused the company of false and misleading advertising claims.  Red Bull claims in its marketing that the drink can improve concentration and reaction speeds, but the plaintiff in the case said these claims are false and lack scientific support. While the suit did not allege that plaintiffs were disappointed that they didn't grow actualy wings, it does claim that Red Bull relies a lot on terms like "wings" and "boost" to give consumers the impression that the drink gives people some sort of physical lift or enhancement.  It was stated that Red Bull through the settlement will reimburse customers disappointed the energy drink hasn't lived up to their expectations with either a check for $10 or a voucher for $15 worth of Red Bull products.

However the class-action lawsuit may not mean big to individuals as it is stated that the check is  much smaller than originally anticipated.  Moving away,  Sea often throws up interesting things and things  floating on sea stir up anxiety.  There have been cases of collision at sea and the immediate concern is oil slick.  The beauty of coast and navigational waters is often polluted by ships, especially oil carriers.  At common law, the liability of ship owners for maritime pollution is dealt with by the torts of nuisance and negligence.    Marine Cargo Insurance covers goods in transit from one place to another.  At land, even when goods are packed very well, there could be road accidents, accidents involving the truck that carries the cargo – and goods could spill on the road.  When such spillage occur, depending on the nature of the commodity, and the way they are packed – there could be further damage, pilferage and shortage.

   

The drink that ‘can give wings’ was no different when the truck loaded with thousands of cans had an accident.  MailOnline reported of the spillage of hundreds of crates of cans on the carriageway of the southbound M6 near Blackburn, Lancashire in end Jan 2015. 

The North West Motorway Police tweeted an image of the crash at midday as motorists were faced with queues stretching for 10 miles. The chaos was sparked when a large lorry left the carriageway between junctions 19 and 18 of the major motorway, coming to a halt in a ditch.  As the heavy goods vehicle jack-knifed across the road, it shed its load, closing two lanes and causing long tailbacks… some of the motorists felt the kick as they were forced to queue while the fizzy drinks found their wings.

Not an amusing sight for those who had to wait seeing thousands spill on the road !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

16^th Feb 2015.

that glitzy golden eye ...... !!

Long ago, in a local conflict a friend was slapped on the face, he cowed down and was very nervous – started searching for something – later on the floor, he could locate that tiny object, fortunately not trampled and with no scratches.  It was his ‘contact lens’.  A contact lens, or simply contact, is a thin lens placed directly on the surface of the eye. Contact lenses are considered medical devices and can be worn to correct vision, or for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons.

‘Operation Goldeneye’  was an Allied plan during World War II, which was to monitor Spain after a possible alliance between Francisco Franco and the Axis powers and to undertake sabotage operations.  Goldeneye or whistler (Bucephala clangula) is a species of small tree-hole nesting northern hemisphere seaducks belonging to the genus Bucephala. Goldeneyes eat fish, crustaceans, and other marine life. The "whistler" name comes from the noise their beating wings make in flight.  They are  medium sized diving ducks. Males look black and white with a greenish black head and a circular white patch in front of the yellow eye. Females are smaller… In every party, people try to grab attention in many ways – women try to dress themselves to glory, wearing choicest attire, bold earrings, dazzling jewellery and more ……..

Golden Eye (1995) is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 officer James Bond.  It was released in 1995 after a six-year hiatus in the series caused by legal disputes, during which Timothy Dalton resigned from the role of James Bond and was replaced by Pierce Brosnan. M was also recast, with actress Judi Dench becoming the first woman to portray the character, replacing Robert Brown. GoldenEye was the first Bond film made after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, which provided a background for the plot.  The name "GoldenEye" paid  homage to James Bond's creator, Ian Fleming who was part of that operation Goldeneye in Spain. 

Recently read about ‘wink-activated telescopic contact lenses’ that  give your eyes 2.8x optical zoom ~ there have been techno-enhancement to hearing, now  Swedish optics researcher Eric Tremblay claims of providing contact lens with the ability to zoom in on stuff that one is looking at.  It is stated that the lenses work by incorporating a very thin reflective telescope inside a 1.55mm thick contact lens. Small mirrors positioned inside of this lens capture light before it enters your eye and bounce it around, expanding the perceived size of objects and magnifying your view up to 2.8 times. It’s sort of  having low-resolution binoculars directly on your eye.

The first generation of these zoom lenses were designed specifically for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), so the magnification was always on. The only way to deactivate the eagle vision was to remove the contacts from your eyeballs, which wasn’t exactly ideal.  Now,  after two years of careful adjustments, the lenses have oxygen permeability i.e., the  tiny air channels (roughly 0.1mm wide) within the lenses  allow oxygen to reach the surface of the eye making  them more comfortable, less fatiguing, and more usable in daily life.

That is not all -  Mailonline reports of an Indian Doctor infusing contact lenses with 24 carat Gold to create that ultimate glitzy look !  Indian women are lured by that yellow metal and wear lot of gold jewellery – but adding glamour to look by adding gold to eye is unimaginable !   A Mumbai Doctor has done just that by creating contact lenses infused with nano gold particles. Dr Chandrashekhar Chawan fused the gold with regular contact lenses to create a 'glitter' effect for wearers.  The 24-carat particles were added to the normal eyewear at Shekhar Eye Research India in a specialised paste form.

In order to avoid contact between the eyes and the gold, an extra layer is applied.  Several customers showed off their glittering and spell-binding eyes in Dr Chawan's office.  The gold flecks are added to the contact lenses in a specialised paste format; each contact weighs 5g and it is not known whether the tiny gold flecks affect vision. ….. and if that wasn't luxurious enough, the same doctor has also created contact lenses infused with diamonds. Describing his diamond contact lenses to USA Today, Dr Chawan said: ' I got mixed responses - some said it looks scary, but most of the people loved it.'

Some experts in the US have expressed safety fears over the lenses, which Dr Chawan hopes to sell outside of India. Some say the bulky lenses used in orders to protect the eye from the gold are not ideal and they are yet to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.  Not aimed at common man, the cost of having ultimate sparkling eyes would be around Rs.10 lakhs + approx……

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

17^th Feb 2015.

Majestic kombans of Guruvayur

Gigantic, mammoth, fearsome – yet gentle  affable Kombans (tuskers) of Kerala (Guruvaryur the one pictured here) 

Changala kilukkam kellkkumbol

Chankilakathoru peda pedappu

When she hears the jingling of (elephant) chains,  Her heart beats too fast

( a film song) 

One need not travel to Tsavo,Kenya – just a trip to Malainadu is satisfying !  

There are few places on Earth where you can glimpse one of the Super Tuskers – the remnants of the world’s most majestic megafauna.  Tsavo, situated in the south and eastern section of Kenya, nestled almost equidistant from Nairobi and Mombasa, two of Kenya’s largest cities and the current and former capital respectively, is just one of these places.  

A Super Tusker is a male bull elephant with tusks that weigh over 100lbs (45kgs) each. Tusks of that size are usually so long that they scrape along the ground when the elephant walks. Only bulls can be Super Tuskers, but there are female elephants with huge tusks that don’t quite reach 100lbs.  They are called Iconic Cows.  

While almost all the temple elephants in Tamil Nadu are cow elephants, one can see gigantic tuskers in Kerala, especially Thrissur and Guruvayur.  

With regards – S Sampathkumar
21.1.2024 

Richness measure ! - the biscuit shop !!

Are you rich or poor !  - when someone talks about Biscuit, if your mind wanders of that glistening yellow metal ! and the nos. you have – you are !! – and if one thinks of the brittle famous (or otherwise)  Marie cookies -  that you relish with cup of hot tea – you are !!  - how good was the last month for you ? 

Billionaires at the top of the Forbes list had a pretty good December—at least in terms of their stockholdings. As of January 1, 2024, seven of the world’s top 10 richest people are wealthier than they were a month ago!  Their fortunes collectively rose by $30 billion during December—a much smaller jump than the $115 billion rise during November 2023. One of the biggest gainers —Mark Zuckerberg—leaped into the No. 5 spot, up from No. 7 richest in the world on December 1. He now ranks ahead of Bill Gates, who for years was the world’s richest person. 

Forbes has been keeping track of the world’s billionaires since 1987. Earlier this year, they found 2,640 of them for their  annual list. Throughout the year, Forbes updates  their fortunes on a daily basis. Many billionaires hold much of their net worth in the stock of the company they founded or cofounded. As that stock price moves, their fortune moves along with it. 

Together the world’s 10 richest people, according to Forbes, are worth $1.47 trillion as of the strike of midnight on January 1—up from $1.44 trillion a month ago. The two biggest gainers in the past month (in dollar terms) were Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault; each is up $9.4 billion compared with December 1 due to increases in the share price of their respective companies. 

Elon Musk is still the world’s richest person, worth $251 billion. The CEO of electric carmaker Tesla, Musk also owns stakes in privately held rocket firm SpaceX and social media company X, formerly known as Twitter. 

For most of the first half of 2023, French luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault was the world’s richest person, per Forbes—but that changed on June 8, 2023, when Musk overtook Arnault to become No. 1 in the world again. As of January 1, Arnault still ranks No. 2 richest, worth an estimated $200.7 billion.  Arnault, the CEO and chairman of LVMH, has built the company into a giant with more than 70 brands, from Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior to Tiffany & Co. and Sephora. 

Jeff Bezos is rich. This much we know to be true. But exactly how rich he is, and how his wealth compares to the 7.594 billion people in the world (minus one) who aren’t Jeff Bezos is difficult to fathom. Trying to comprehend it usually involves one of those descriptions of eternity where a bird sharpens its beak on a mountain every thousand years until the rock is worn away, except in this case the mountain is made of money and the scratches represent the average annual income of an American worker. 

In our school days, as we walked unhurriedly in the streets (life has changed, most parents now are late by 5 mins or so and rush to schools in a 2 wheeler, blaring horn and cursing everyone!) – there were shops on the road, on wheels and shops in buildings.  We deciphered that one owning a shop on a building was richer and thought that the  son / daughter of the shop selling biscuits was the luckiest one !

 

The Marie biscuit was created by the London bakery Peek Freans in 1874 to commemorate the marriage of the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to the Duke of Edinburgh.  It became popular throughout Europe, particularly in Portugal and Spain where, following the Civil War, the biscuit became a symbol of the country's economic recovery after bakeries produced mass quantities to consume a surplus of wheat. 

.. .. and as one ages and strolls towards retirement, newer meanings and wisdom dawns !!
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
20.1.2024