the great 'Orange' upset !!

 The expression says it all !!!

 

Not many, not many Cricket lovers would have shown great interest in today’s match – which was delayed by rain and converted to 43 overs game.   Bavuma and Edwards walked out for the toss with floodlights well and truly on, with sky looking overcast.    Bavuma gave the coin a flick,  Edwards called heads.  SA chose to field - Vikramjit Singh and Max O'Dowd opened.

Before you read, remember following that match in 1983 WC when minnows Zimbabwe faced a hostile attack of Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee, Geoff Lawson, Rodney Hogg + spin from Graham Yallop and Akan Border and created history beating Aussies.  Will some upset happen today – this WC 2023  has seen Afghans beat England already.

Holland is a region and former province in the western part of the Netherlands. Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands.  Netherlands,  informally Holland,  is a country in Western Europe along the North Sea coast. In Europe, it consists of 12 provinces that border Germany, Belgium, North Sea and United Kingdom. 

In the Dutch Golden Age, spanning much of the 17th century, the Dutch Empire grew to become one of the major seafaring and economic powers. Science, military and art (especially painting) were among the most acclaimed in the world. By 1650, the Dutch owned 16,000 merchant ships. The Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company established colonies and trading posts all over the world. The Dutch settlement in North America began with the founding of New Amsterdam in 1614. In South Africa, the Dutch settled the Cape Colony in 1652. Dutch colonies in South America were established along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains, among them Colony of Surinam (now Suriname). In Asia, the Dutch established a presence in India too.    

In Dutch innings, towards Aryan Dutt walking in at 10 hit 3 towering sixers.  Dutt’s father is from Hoshiarpur, Punjab but his parents moved to Holland in 1980s where he was born.   

Today’s ODI no. 4672 – the 15^th match at Dharamshala in ICC World Cup 2023 would be talked for long.    At 112 for 6 in 27 overs, Netherlands seemed gone awry but they scripted a turnaround that speaks volumes of their character and resolve. Scott Edwards, who plays a lot of cricket in Australia, led the way with a terrific exhibition of batting, especially against spin, to keep the scorecard chugging along. He was supported amply, first by Logan van Beek and then by Roelof van der Merwe.

Men in orange have seen ups and downs - On January 23, 2014, Netherlands lost their ODI status after losing against Kenya in the final match of the Super Sixes of the World Cup Qualifier for the 2015 tournament. Exactly a year later they won the World Cricket League Division Two title, and late in 2017, they would win the World Cricket League Championship to regain ODI status  

Their qualifying for this WC eliminating West Indies was magical.  Scotland scored 277 and needed to prevent Netherlands from crossing it in 44 overs; de Leede ensured it didn't happen.   With 170 more needed in 20 overs, and then 102 in the final ten, Dutch hopes were hanging on Bas de Leede, who had taken a five-for earlier in the game. The son of former Dutch allrounder and three-time World Cupper Tim, de Leede then proceeded to make the world sit up, with a nerveless century to take Netherlands through - the only Associate in a World Cup that is otherwise an exclusive club of Full Members

Today they posted an imposing 245/8 in 43 overs and their bowlers have ensured that SA was put under pressure and succumbed !! – generally South Africa would choke towards the end of the WC – have they started a little too early !

Full credits to Nederland Capt Edwards who is also their wicket-keeper, their ground fielding and catching .. .. and the bowling of Aryan Dutt, Logan van Beek, Colin Ackermann, Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe & Bas de Leede

A win by Netherland has opened up the conundrums of World Cup 2023  - the pic at the start is : Roelof Erasmus van der Merwe  who has played internationally for both South Africa and the Netherlands, one of the few players to represent more than one international team.

with regards – S. Sampathkumar

17.10.2023 @ 22.30

remembering school days ! - மாங்காய் பத்தை

 The school days of yesteryears offered unlimited charm –in front of the school would be a push cart that contained treasures – among them the cut mango with chillipowder topping was always a hit !!  

ஞாபகம் வருதே ஞாபகம் வருதே  !!

பொக்கிஷமாக நெஞ்சில் புதைந்த

நினைவுகள் எல்லாம் ஞாபகம் வருதே !! 

 

முதல் முதலாக பழகிய நீச்சல்

முதல் முதலாக ஓட்டிய சைக்கிள்

முதல் வகுப்பெடுத்த மல்லிகா டீச்சா்  .. ..

முதல் முதலாக வாங்கிய மாங்காய் பத்தை !!

Sparrow War !!

On April 17, 1867, doctor, naturalist, and “race scientist” Charles Pickering stood before a meeting of the Boston Society of Natural History to decry the “great evil” portended by the recent introduction of the _________  elsewhere in the country, calling it the “acknowledged enemy of mankind for more than five thousand years.” He warned that these “impudent parasites” stole human food and that their supposed benefits for insect control were far outweighed by their pernicious grain thievery. He even cited English poetry as proof that the birds’ “destructive propensities” were well known in that country. 

There was a declared war – yes, can you imagine -  ‘Sparrow War’ !!  

பறவைகள்  அழகானவை.  சிறு வயதிலிருந்து நம் வீட்டினருகிலேயே பார்த்துப் பழக்கப்பட்டவை சிட்டுக்குருவிகள். அவை சிறகடித்துப் பறப்பதையும், தத்தித்தத்திச் செல்வதையும், கூடு கட்ட இடம் தேடுவதையும், தானியங்களைக் கொத்திக்கொத்திச் சாப்பிடுவதையும்,  படபடவெனச் சிறகடித்துக் சுற்றி சுற்றி பறப்பதையும் கண்டு ஆனந்தம் அடைந்து இருப்போம். 

விட்டு விடுதலையாகி நிற்பாய் இந்தச் சிட்டுக் குருவியினைப் போலே

எட்டுத் திசையும் பறந்து திரிகுவை; ஏறியக் காற்றில் விரைவோடு நீந்துவை  

 என்ற மஹாகவி பாரதியாரின் வரிகள் மிகவும் பிரபலம். பறவைகளின் சுதந்திரம் குறித்து பாரதியார் எழுதிய அந்த வரிகள் இன்றும்  காலம் கடந்து நிற்கிறது.  

 

The little  brown birds   found just about everywhere were seen in Boston too, perched outside apartment buildings, gleaning crumbs from café tables, and even fluttering and hopping around the courtyard at the BPL’s Central Library.   

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g.  Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings.

The Sparrow war dates back to 1899, by which time the tide of public opinion had turned against the house sparrow, known at that time as the English sparrow. The Globe called the birds "notoriously unclean" and an "esthetic disgrace to Boston," decrying everything from the "unsightly heaps of refuse which the sparrows construct and use for nests" to their role as "mobber and robber of hosts of native song birds."  

500 eminent citizens of the city, "including a bishop," appealed to Mayor Quincy to take action against the birds, and on March 3rd the mayor gave orders to "begin the work of exterminating the English sparrow."  But eventually, the  extermination campaign was a failure, the stage was set for the sparrows to persist as they have to the present day. Yet, they remained a convenient subject of public discourse. A 1909 Globe discussion equated the house sparrows with unwanted human immigration, and in the nineteen-teens through nineteen-forties a house sparrow named 'Bully' played the villain in bedtime stories published in the Globe.  

Today, it seems, the public and authority are resigned to the house sparrows' presence. The birds are everywhere, and it is doubtful whether efforts to remove them would stand any chance of success.

 

குருவி இனமே அருகி விட்டது என சிலர் கூறினாலும், இன்னமும் பல கண்ணில் படுகின்றன. இதோ திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் நான் எடுத்த புகைப்படம் .. 

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
17.10.2023
The first  pic and some inputs taken from Boston Public library. 

Dogs as Pets ! - Toy Poodle

Do you know who is a ‘Cynologist’  !?

 

How fond are you of dogs !  - I am happy seeing them at a distance, but when closer feel very uncomfortable, especially street dogs when you are returning home by walk or on a two-wheeler late night in a low lit road. 

Dogs are often the best pets – or is it the cats ?  At Chandigarh, the civic body has proposed newer restrictions - from prohibition in taking pet dogs to certain places, including Sukhna Lake, to being fined Rs 10,000 as single-time penalty, from proposing a ban on seven breeds/  “In response to the evolving dynamics of urban life in Chandigarh, where the presence of pet and community dogs has become increasingly prominent, the Municipal Corporation recognises the importance of harmonising the interactions between humans and these four-legged companions. The amendments in existing bylaws reflect a commitment to creating a more harmonious coexistence between humans and their beloved companions in our vibrant city of Chandigarh. Accordingly, draft has been prepared,” the civic body notes. 

The owner will have to keep the dog(s) chained/leashed (not longer than 1.5-2.0 metres) while taking it outside.  All ferocious dog(s) will be duly muzzled and a stick will be carried by the escort accompanying the dog(s) while taking it out. Dog(s) with aggressive behaviour shall be got trained through dog trainers registered with Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, to avoid any unwanted incident.  The owner will have to ensure that the dog(s) wear a collar affixed with the metal token issued by the registration authority, at all the times. 

ஒவ்வொரு நாய் வளர்ப்பவரும் சொல்வது - எங்க நாய் (இப்படி அழைக்கக்கூடாது !! - அதன் பெயரைத்தான் சொல்லவேண்டும்!) சாது, கடிக்காது !  - நம் பயம் - கடித்தால் என்ன செய்வது, கடிக்க வேண்டாமே, மேலே பாய்வது போல பாவலா  காட்டினாலே போதுமே !  மேலும் -  ஏய், சும்மா இரு, அவர் நம்மவர் தான் என்ற செல்ல அதட்டல் அதன் மூளைக்கு உடனடியாக சென்று சேருமா !!

 

A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that dog owners tend to have higher self-esteem than those without pets. !! Cat owners, on the other hand, appear to have slightly lower self-esteem compared with their non-pet owning counterparts. These findings are consistent with other psychological research regarding pet ownership and well-being. Personality traits also play a role in determining happiness among pet owners. One study found that dog and cat owners differ in terms of the Big Five personality traits: neuroticism, extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness.  The authors of the research found that dog owners were more agreeable and less neurotic than cat owners. Dog owners were also found to be more extroverted, which is another indicator of well-being. 

Well I have neither a dog nor a cat ! – and most apartment dwellers like me can ill-afford to raise animals !!  -  the otherday at Hyderabad near Hussainsagar lake, saw a cute little dog.  Despite its  diminutive size,  this breed which reportedly costs anywhere between 30000 to 75000  stands proudly among dogdom's true aristocrats. Beneath the curly, low-allergen coat is an elegant athlete and companion for all reasons and seasons.  Read that they  come in three size varieties: Standards should be more than 15 inches tall at the shoulder; Miniatures are 15 inches or under; Toys stand no more than 10 inches. All three varieties have the same build and proportions.   

The one photographed is ‘toy Poodle’ -  the Poodle, called the Pudel in German and the Caniche in French, is a breed of water dog?.   They have a distinctive thick, curly coat that comes in many colors and patterns, with only solid colors recognized by breed registries. Poodles are active and intelligent, and are particularly able to learn from humans. Poodles tend to live 10–18 years, with smaller varieties tending to live longer than larger ones.

 

A water dog is a type of gundog (hunters)  bred to flush and retrieve game from water. Water dogs are considered the progenitors of most modern retriever dog breeds.  Toy Poodle is a sensitive dog that wants to be a member of the family. The breed has an uncanny ability to read body language and anticipate owner commands, sometimes acting before you speak or gesture. But this sensitivity can also make some toys skittish, snappy, or territorial. They may be quick to bark and act suspicious of strangers!!  

Cynology  is the study of matters related to canines or domestic dogs. It could also denote  a serious zoological approach to the study of dogs as well as by writers on canine subjects, dog breeders, trainers and enthusiasts who study the dog informally.  

The ground rule of Chandigarh that would make the lives of all others liveable, is – the owner of the registered dog(s) [should be of all dogs !] will keep the dogs under his/her control at all times so that it does not intimidate, annoy, hurt or bite any person. Damage or injury caused by a registered dog(s) to any person or to his/her property and sole liability to compensate the victim, if required, shall remain with the owner of the registered dogs. The dog(s) will be impounded for observation of behaviour and penalty will be imposed over the owner. 

With regards – S Sampathkumar
16.10.2023