rare 'White elephant' and the flag of Laos !!

Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR) is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma,  China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.  

Understand in the Sanga period, benevolent Kings would give elephant as prize to poets ~ obviously, it was not the animal only but wealth that went along ensuring their upkeep.  In our mythology, “Airavatham” is the white elephant who carries Indira.  Airavata has four tusks and seven trunks and is spotless white. It is known as Erawan in Thai. Airavata is also the third son of Kashyap and Kadru.  Airavatha is the King of elephants and brother of Garuda.  By some reference, King Bimbisara had one such white elephant,  captured in wild  and named Sechanaka which means "watering" as the elephant used to water the plants by himself without any prior training.

In reality, ‘A white elephant’ is a burden rather than prized possession – the owner  cannot dispose of  but the cost of keeping that of maintenance would be out of proportion to its usefulness.  The term derives from the story that the kings of Siam, now Thailand, were accustomed to make a present of one of these animals to courtiers who had rendered themselves obnoxious in order to ruin the recipient by the cost of its maintenance. In modern usage, it refers to objects / ventures that are considered not of any use. 

Elsewhere ‘white elephants’ are sacred in Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.  To possess a white elephant was regarded (and is still regarded in Thailand and Burma) as a sign that the monarch reigned with justice and power, and that the kingdom was blessed with peace and prosperity. The opulence expected of anyone that owned a beast of such stature was great.   The thai term  ‘chang samkhan’, actually translates as 'auspicious elephant', being "white" in terms of an aspect of purity.

Scientifically, a white elephant (also albino elephant) is a rare kind of elephant, but not a distinct species. Although often depicted as snowwhite, their skin is normally a soft reddish-brown, turning a light pink when wet.  They have fair eyelashes and toenails. The Burmese rulers and the King of Thailand do possess white elephants.   

A rare white elephant has been captured in Myanmar, state media said recently – the creature traditionally seen as a sign of political good fortune in a country edging towards breakthrough national elections. The pink-tinged pachyderm, which was caught in a forest reserve in the Irrawaddy Delta area of Pathein, is the ninth white elephant to be held in captivity in the former junta-run country, according to a report in the Global New Light of Myanmar.

The female elephant is thought to be about seven years old, is around 190cm tall and has “pearl coloured eyes”. They have been found at opportune moments for the country, which has been ruled by a quasi-civilian government since 2011. The discovery of a white elephant just before elections in 2010 was hailed by state media as the mark of a successful “democratic transition”, despite widespread criticism of the polls with allegations of cheating and the absence of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar is currently preparing for another general election, a key test of the country’s political reforms and one that is likely to see significant wins for Suu Kyi’s party. [source : www.scmp.com/news/asia/]

From 1952 until the fall of the royal government in 1975 the country of Laos had a red flag, with a white three-headed elephant (the god Erawan) in the middle. On top of the elephant is a nine-folded umbrella, while the elephant itself stands on a five-level pedestal. The white elephant is a common royal symbol in Southeast Asia, the three heads referred to the three former kingdoms Vientiane, Luangprabang, and Champasak which made up the country.  The nine-folded umbrella is also a royal symbol, originating from Mount Meru in the Buddhist cosmology. The pedestal represented the law on which the country rested.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

16^th Mar 2015.

Photo of Laos flag :  "Flag of Laos (1952-1975)" by Thommy - Own work, based on Flags of the World - Laos, 1952-1975 and Coat of arms of Laos (1952-1975).svg. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons; 

 Photo - of white elephant : the atlantic.com

rare sighting of civet cat in an ATM !!

Sure you have heard of ‘Punugu poonai’ – the civet cat.  It is not exactly a cat but a small nocturnal mammal that lives in forests.  The word civet also refers to the distinctive musky scent produced by the animals.   The civet has catlike body, long legs,  long tail, and a masked face resembling a raccoon or weasel. In some areas of the world, it has become an endangered species, hunted for its fur or as a food source. The civet's taste for fruit has been its downfall in at least one area of Southeast Asia; the durian fruit is also called "civet fruit," because it is used as bait for catching civets. The civet not only is fond of fruit, but has had a love-hate relationship with growers of a particular coffee bean in Viet Nam. Civets love this bean, and search out the tastiest examples with their long, foxlike nose.

It is considered sacred too – according to scriptures - aromatic substances javvadu, kasthuri and punugu  are used in rituals.  The three aromatic substances are used at the Tirumala temple  providing a long-lasting and refreshing fragrance.  Have read that  Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is rearing the animal `civet' in its Sri Venkateswara Dairy Farm.

From the traditional withdrawal from Bank standing in queue filling challans and always appearing bemused, automated teller machines (ATM) have changed the way of money transaction. All and sundry now flaunt no. of cards and allowing withdrawal from ATM of any bank has just added to the confusion. Still people do queue before select ATMs.  Currency notes are not the only thing that ATM disposes – some give coins; some Gold bars and gold coins and a Company introduced  gold, silver and diamond sales through vending machines.  Aavin used to dispense milk from automated vending machines. 

Users of ATM have had to cope up with peculiar problems – some are in deserted areas – in some you would find the security sleeping inside ! – this one is far different.  TOI reports that visitors to an ATM in Adyar on Tuesday [3.3.15] morning had unusual company waiting atop the kiosk shutter– a palm civet cat. The rare visitor was soon rescued and handed over to the zoo authorities by Blue Cross.

Blue Cross said the bank staff received information about the presence of some animal on top of the rolling shutters at the ATM counter in the morning. But, they were not quite sure about the species. They informed Blue Cross about it. A team came with a cage and the civet cat was trapped in it, without any injury. However, it took three hours to make it move into the cage, he said.  A  wildlife biologist of National Conservation Foundation, who studies small carnivores, told TOI that civet cats, also known as toddy cats, are adaptable animals. Basically a nocturnal animal, they are always usually found on trees. An omnivorous animal, civet cats feed on fruits as well as birds and other smaller animals. The natural habitat of the civet cat includes dry evergreen forests and agriculture fields surrounded by trees.

With such areas increasingly being taken over by concrete structures, civet cats often get stranded in human habitations. In old houses, they sometimes make the attic their home. It is also called a ‘toddy cat’, for villagers claim that they can tap the toddy from the palm tree; that is stated to be a myth though.  Theosophical Society, Adyar,  Guindy National Park, IIT-M campus, Madras Christian College campus, Vandalur zoo and the forests that stretch up to Chingleput  are some of the places where one can spot palm civets.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

4^th Mar 2015.

diet drinks make people obese ~ Diabetes becoming epidemic

If you are above 40 ~ in the group of friends,  the discussion on health and more specifically on whether you are afflicted by ‘……..’ is bound to happen !  …. It is no disease but only a ‘disorder’ - One need to adapt a controlled way of living …. Sounds simple – when practised – life will be normal, ---- and ask those affected, how difficult is to control temptation [and not to yield to it !] …. Outwardly people will look normal – they can be of various walks of life; could be the most educated too…. still, given a chance of being alone in a party – they would jump to take more than the usual share of jamuns, lick ice-cream and more……some will say an additional dose of medicine will take care..

It is ‘Diabetes mellitus’  or simply diabetes [colloquially sugar] - a metabolic disease in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. For some of those affected, it is a daily struggle ~ others too strive hard to keep things under control, for, uncontrolled blood sugar puts people at risk for a range of dangerous complications, some short-term and others longer term, including damage to the eyes, kidneys and heart. Managing diabetes is too important.

Newspaper reports reveal that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently underwent 12-days of naturopathy treatment at Bengaluru for chronic cough and diabetes. “Cough gone, sugar under control. Feeling fresh and fit. (I) am excited to return to resume work,” Kejriwal tweeted before leaving for Delhi. The 46-year-old AAP leader was discharged from Jindal Nature Cure Institute on the outskirts of Bengaluru where he was admitted on March 5 and returned to Delhi around 8 pm on Monday.

Diabetes could become a global epidemic affecting one in 12 adults around the world cries this report in MailOnline.  Diabetes is 'epidemic' with 400 million sufferers worldwide: Number with condition set to soar by 55% within 20 years unless humans change way they eat and exercise. Researchers estimate 382million people suffered from diabetes in 2013; at current rates number of sufferers globally could be 592 million by 2035 .  In China and India 10 per cent of adult population suffer from the condition and this  compares to the global average of 8.3 per cent, according to study published in the journal Pharmaco Economics. Around 10 per cent of sufferers have type 1 diabetes – an auto-immune disorder that is usually present from childhood. But the other 90 per cent have type 2 diabetes – an illness driven by a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.

The study, published in the journal Pharmaco Economics, cites data from the International Diabetes Federation estimating that 8.3 per cent of adults aged 20 to 79 now suffer from diabetes. Mr Seuring and his colleagues analysed the impact on increasing number of diabetics on the economies of 20 countries. They found that increased healthcare costs and reduced workforce productivity could severely dent economic growth. Charity warns diabetes is becoming a 'UK health emergency'.  He said: ‘People in the UK with diabetes experience an income loss of £887 per year. But it is carers in the UK who are the worst hit financially, with a reduction in income of £1327 annually.’

There is a tendency to take ‘Diet Coke’ ‘diet Pepsi’ ‘zero coke’ and other sugar free drinks and sugarfree chocholates and sweets by those afflicted.  Another report in Daily of the Science Reporter threatens that ‘Over-65s who drink fizzy low-calorie drinks every day increase their waist size by three inches over a decade’. Those  who regularly have diet drinks in later life are more likely to develop a pot belly, research suggests. This was more than four times as much as pensioners who said they never had diet drinks.

A large waist size is thought to contribute to a higher risk of heart problems, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Experts say fat that gathers around the middle produces more dangerous chemicals and is closer to the body’s vital organs than that on the bottom, hips and thighs. Over ten years, University of Texas scientists followed 749 pensioners from the age of 65, tracking their diet, weight and waist size. The research, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that those who did not consume diet drinks saw their waist size increase by 0.80 inches during the study, while those who had them occasionally gained 1.83 inches.  Those who drank a can a day saw their waist size increase by 3.16 inches.

The study did not explore the reasons behind the link - and critics point out that those who drink diet products are more likely to be predisposed to obesity. The burden of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, along with healthcare costs, is great in the ever-increasing senior population. People in their old ages want weight reduction and commonly believe that diet soft drinks will help to reduce the calorie intake.

Confusing to say the least !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar 18^th Mar 2015. Photo : http://svthw.org/

Savannah goats - herded by Cheetos !!!

Modern day children are choosy and would not settle down for anything less than what they want !

Cheetos  is a brand of cheese-flavored, puffed cornmeal snacks made by Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Fritos creator Charles Elmer Doolin invented Cheetos in 1948, and began national distribution in the U.S. The initial success of Cheetos was a contributing factor to the merger between The Frito Company and H.W. Lay & Company in 1961 to form Frito-Lay. In 1965 Frito-Lay became a subsidiary of The Pepsi-Cola Company, forming PepsiCo, the current owner of the Cheetos brand. Cheetos has been the top selling brand cheese puffs in its primary market of the United States.  

Ever imagined this utility of ‘Cheetos’ which even their manufacturers would not have claimed !!

In Feb this year, they introduced the new limited-edition flavour  -  making it the first and only time Cheetos has made a sweet version of its iconic crunchy puff in the brand’s 67-year history. With Chester sporting bunny ears and carrying an Easter basket, it's likely parent company Frito-Lay is eyeing the kids' market with these. It is cinnamon brown instead of cheesy orange. From the salty snack brand, Frito is trying to lure the sweettooth...

The domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the family Bovidae and is closely related to the sheep.  There reportedly  are over 300 distinct breeds of goat.  Female goats are referred to as "does" or "nannies", intact males as "bucks", "billies", or "rams" and their offspring are "kids".

The Online Sales is picking up in India and many retailers are alarmed at its penetration and the discounts offered.  One of the top leaders, Amazon is globally selling everything online – it is stated that one can purchase all kinds of lawnmowers from Amazon, from old-fashioned rotary push mowers to ultra-modern robotic mowers ~and that is not all, - they’ll even let you rent goats to keep your lawn under control. This eco-friendly service is being offered in the lawn care section of Amazon’s growing Home Services.  So, one can rent goats to mow their lawn but not a person to do the yard work !    Amazon’s home turf in Seattle, of course, is covered. Some California cities should be, too. Ruminant lawn care has been championed by a couple major tech companies there.

Police say Cheetos helped them catch goats roaming free in Savannah. Savannah-Chatham police say these goats, which were found wandering around the city, will soon be available for adoption.

 Photo courtesy of Savannah-Chatham police

Police are crediting Cheetos and teamwork with the recovery of six goats found wandering in midtown Savannah.  “That was our saving grace,” said Savannah-Chatham Animal Control officer Christina Sutherin. “They started to follow a Cheetos bag. They ate the entire contents of the bag.” After metro police were called about the loose pack of livestock in the road at 52nd and Exchange streets, a patrol officer found the animals impeding traffic and was able to corral them until animal control could arrive. “They were foraging,” Sutherin said. “They were just out looking for food. They were grazing on several people’s bushes and plants, along with some of the shrubbery there along the side of the road.”

The small herd created something of a spectacle for residents as it wandered on Myrtle Street near Burroughs and 48th streets, Sutherin said. One man was able to contain a juvenile goat in his fenced-in yard, and animal control officers got the other five contained in another enclosure. A spectator with a bag of the cheese-flavored puffed corn treats jumped in, and officers were able to lead the sometimes noisy herd into an animal control vehicle, Sutherin said. “They didn’t appreciate being handled very much or put on the truck, but for the most part they were cooperative,” Sutherin said. Part of the trick, she said, was getting the rest of the herd to follow the large male goat, whom officers have named Big Daddy Goat.

Sutherin said the goats belonged to a man who had been cited by property maintenance personnel for keeping the animals within city limits, which is against ordinance. He apparently moved them to an area near where they were found – he  has since been cited for livestock at large. The goats, now just “kind of hanging out” at animal control headquarters on Sallie Mood Drive, will be available for adoption to approved individuals in a few days. Sutherin said people who live in areas of the county where residential goats are allowed must have at least 2 acres of land.  This was  not the first time animal control has been called for goats at-large, though Sutherin said it’s the first time she’s encountered a herd.

“Goats are notorious for escaping,” she said. “They need to have a very strong fenced-in area, plus they can jump. They’re pretty agile.”

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

19^th May 2015.

http://savannahnow.com/news/