Retaliation by Israel .. overwhelming ..

Was Israeli measured retaliation unexpected by Hamas leading to massive casualties for Hamas and their supporters, the Palestinians ?

Though none can blame Israel for the present start of hostilities and retaliation by Israel, the world feels the Israeli response is going out of hand with an equally adamant Hamas unwilling to give up till the last Palestinian is killed.

The concept of retaliation and its importance in fighting between opposing countries and groups is a complex and controversial issue, with varying perspectives and ethical considerations. 

Some reasons why Israeli retaliation might be seen as important for Israel :

Deterrence: Retaliation can be used as a deterrent to prevent future Hamas attacks. The idea is that by inflicting significant costs on the Hamas, they will be less likely to repeat the offense in the future. This assumes that Hamas values minimizing losses and is capable of rational decision-making (not the case presently).

Restoring balance of power: Retaliation can be seen as a way to restore the balance of power after an attack. If Israel suffers a loss without responding, it might appear weak and invite further aggression by Hamas. A strong Israeli  retaliatory response has demonstrated resolve and restored some sense of equilibrium.

Morale and public opinion: Retaliation can be used to boost the morale of one's own side and appease public opinion. Showing a strong response to the Hamas attack can be seen as a sign of leadership and commitment to protecting Israel.

Negotiation leverage: Retaliation can be used as leverage in future negotiations between the parties for release of hostages. By inflicting damage on Hamas, Israel might gain an advantage in securing concessions or favorable terms in a potential agreement.

However, it's crucial to also consider the potential downsides of Israeli retaliation:

Escalation: Retaliation can lead to escalation of this conflict, potentially spiraling into a larger and more destructive global war. Miscalculations or disproportionate responses can create a dangerous feedback loop.

Civilian casualties: Retaliatory strikes has led to unintended civilian casualties, raising ethical concerns and potentially fueling further animosity and resentment globally against Israel.

Loss of legitimacy: Retaliation that is deemed excessive or indiscriminate can damage the international standing and legitimacy of Israel. Israel is beginning to suffer from this poor image of late.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to retaliate is a complex one with no easy answers. It requires careful consideration of the potential benefits and drawbacks, the context of the situation, and the values of the society or group involved. *There are often alternative approaches to conflict resolution that should be explored before resorting to retaliation*, which in this case has not surfaced at all.

It's important to remember that every conflict is unique, and there is no single "correct" response. Open dialogue, diplomacy, and seeking peaceful solutions are crucial in mitigating the risks and consequences of retaliation and working towards lasting peace.

Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence is the ultimate solution to usher in global peace, but can it succeed in Gaza now ?

George..

Interesting EPGDM C& S

 

When Praveen contacted me to engage this subject of Competition and Strategy a second time for EPGDM term 3 students, though hesitant from my first experience, I took the challenge. The first time though all classes I engaged offline, there were no physical students in the class. This second time I was asked to take half classes offline and the other half online. but I engaged all classes offline.

 

With three games played, one on brainstorming, the other on Kaizen and the third on theory of constraints, the students really enjoyed the fun with learning concept. Since the students were industry practitioners, it was interesting to interact with them and the responses and participation in the class discussions were of a higher quality than my MBA class. I can never forget this batch ..  I wish the students all the best in their future managerial journey. Do keep in touch.George                                                                                                                              

52nd voluntary blood donation ..

Feeling healthy and great after this 52nd voluntary single donor platelet donation this morning at St John's blood bank Bangalore. 14 Dec 2023. It's been almost 2 months since my last donation (was busy with classes in full swing) and this time I told doctor Sitalakshmi of my availability and she immediately responded.
 

Physical Advantages: 

Reduced risk of heart disease: Studies suggest regular blood donation lowers iron levels, potentially decreasing the risk of blood clots and conditions like hemochromatosis.
Improved liver health: Donating blood helps remove excess iron, which can accumulate in the liver and cause damage.
Boosted immune system: The body works to replenish donated blood, stimulating the production of new red blood cells, potentially benefiting the immune system.
Lower blood pressure: Maintaining iron levels within a healthy range can contribute to lower blood pressure and reduced risk of cardiovascular issues.
Weight management: Burning around 650 calories during the donation process can contribute to weight management efforts.

Emotional Rewards:
Enhanced sense of purpose and altruism: Knowing your donation can potentially save lives fosters feelings of purpose and satisfaction.
Reduced stress and anxiety: Studies indicate the act of helping others can trigger the release of feel-good hormones, lowering stress and anxiety levels.
Increased self-esteem: Contributing to a worthy cause can boost self-confidence and feelings of self-worth.
Stronger sense of community: Participating in blood drives and connecting with other donors can foster a sense of belonging and community.

Intellectual Stimulation:
Free health screening: Every blood donation comes with a mini health checkup, including iron levels, cholesterol, and blood type, providing valuable insights into your overall health.
Cognitive engagement: Answering pre-donation health questions and understanding the donation process can stimulate cognitive function and keep your mind sharp.
Exposure to new information: Participating in blood drives or campaigns often involves educational materials and resources on blood diseases and health awareness, broadening your knowledge.

I hope these steps of mine give enough motivation to the youngsters to focus on social service foremost in their life over personal accomplishments or growth as we are all dependent on our fellow earthlings and should be caring for the betterment of our planet and its living beings. Frequent blood donation besides making you healthy, also improces your outlook on life, peaking your intellectual accomplishments.

There is no way to be a better role model to the youngsters of the present day.

Actions speak louder than words - popular proverb ..

“Pay less attention to what men say. Just watch what they do.” — Dale Carnegie

Like this model I am happy to be to the world, I am exploring ways i can be a model for the youngsters to today regarding the spartan lifestyle helping preserve resources of mother earth and effective waste treatment, besides greening of the environment.

 

George Easaw

Israel Hamas war enters 24th day ..

The Israel Hamas war is into the 24th day. Hamas is using civilians as human shields and continuing their attacks on Israel. Hamas has got a lot of supporters among Palestinians. 

On one side hamas with Palestinians is fighting israel while on the other side they are crying to the people of the world acting as unfortunate sufferers and  shedding crocodile tears how they are being bombed and destroyed. 

Israel has understood the Hamas and palestine game plan and will not rest without seeing all hamas operatives and sympathizers neutralised, civilians who side with Hamas will suffer great collateral damage. 

It is war, 1500 Israelis were killed, they will not cease fire till they take revenge on Hamas and eliminate each of them.

When hamas brutally raped and mercilessly killed 1500 jews, did they not know that there will be revenge attacks ? 

Hamas declared war on israel, now hamas has to face the logical consequences, it is so  simple.. 

The feeling of inferiority and perennial defeat of the Arabs in Jewish hands is boiling in their minds, leading them to repeat such blunders regularly from time to time. They know they are no match for the jews. Wars of 1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, and 2006 are examples for the world to see. 

"The hardest thing in war is not dying, but living with defeat." - Paul Fussell

Did Israel fumble in vigilance?

The price of peace is eternal vigilance. - Winston Churchill

Israel did not realise the importance of constant vigilance at their borders. There was a laxity which resulted in Hamas militia exploiting it that led to this heavy escalation, war and loss of lives. 

There is no such thing as a good war. Every war is a tragedy. - Unknown

At the rate of 600 to 700 Israeli strikes daily it is just a matter of days before this Islamic terror group Hamas is wiped out.

But then it is not over yet.  With the other violent extremist islamic groups too in the fray, it is hell. 

Like the

Islamic State, 

Mujahideen, 

Taliban, 

Jaish e Mohammed, 

Hizbollah, 

Boko Haram, 

Al qaeda, 

Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, 

Jamait Islami, 

Jaish-e-Mohammed, 

Haqqani network,  

Lashkar-e-Taiba, 

Tehrik-e-Taliban, 

Abu Nidal group, 

Al Aqsar, 

Soldiers of Egypt, 

Ansar-al-Shariya, 

Ansar-al-Islam, 

Armed Islamic group of Algeria, 

Egyptian Islamic Jihad, 

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan 

and at least another twenty more dangerous islamic terror groups. Most of these groups are non existent in our country. Thanks to our democracy and rich heritage of accommodating and incorporating diverse thoughts and ideologies. They have problems not only with the Jews but with all civilised people of the world.

With this extremism practicing group of people  are we dealing with the most peaceful (??)  religious group of the world. 🙏🙏

George Easaw 

Why the perennial Arab hatred against the Jews ?

Why this perennial Arab hatred against Jews ?

Israel is the only country in the world over 2000 years which has not given in to greater Islamic plan and Arab violence in a move to evict the Israelites out of Jerusalem and its nearby places. Jews have resisted and even shamefully defeated the Arabs in all the wars that led to annexation of the West Bank and Gaza to Israel. The latest attack on 7 October 2023, considered second only to the Jewish holocaust in the 1940s, where hundreds of young Israelis, gathered near Kibbutz Re'im, less than 6 kilometers from the Gaza border, were dancing and celebrating at dawn when Hamas militant fighters appeared from the land and sky and attacked them resulting in 1400 Israeli deaths and almost 5000 Hamas militants and Palestinian deaths, besides the almost 200 Israeli hostages in Hamas control.

Historically, violent Arabs, followers of the totally intolerant violent version of their religion are against any other religion in the middle east and do not want a Jewish state to prosper amongst them. This intolerance to Jews and repeated Arab defeats in wars against Israel cultivates the Arab perpetual hatred against the Jews with a deep desire to witness a defeated and failed Israel.

But the Arab hatred for Jews is not working beneficially for the Arabs. Their perpetual Jewish hatred is resulting in hundreds of Palestinians losing their lives every week in encounters with the Jewish military where Hamas and other terrorist groups are using these Gazan and Palestinian human shields escaping their attacks. Enough videos are in circulation on the internet on how Hamas maintains its stranglehold on the Palestinian people by summarily executing without any trial suspected Palestinians who do not subscribe to the Hamas terrorist stand and are suspected to be informers for the Israelis.

Even though Hamas has stated that their attack was in response to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, continued Israeli settlements, Israeli settler violence, and restrictions on movement between Israel and Gaza, the Hamas attack this time was totally unprovoked and very much violent which shook the world conscience like never before.

As history points out to us, Arabs have been the perpetual losers in this game for the past seventy five years and without a sensible and able leadership, Arabs find they are always at the receiving end. The vengeance and hatred  simmering over the past seventy five years erupted into violence against the Jews. When will good sense prevail among the Arab world nations and Islamic terrorist groups to see reason and stop these attacks on Israel ? 

There are some comments as to why Mossad utterly failed to detect and neutralise this attack even though Egypt gave prior warning to Israel of an impending Hamas attack.  Israel has to accept the failure of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence secret service on this occasion. Another allegation against the Israelis is regarding the failure of the powerful Israeli Pegasus mobile phone spy software to detect this surprise Hamas attack. One point of reason is the Hamas attack besides pointing the unpreparedness of the Jews is a good indicator to the fact that Pegasus does not spy on its users, a positive point for Pegasus.

With all the major factors analysed and Chinese, American and Russian besides UK and French warships moving to the Mediterranean sea, it is enough indication of a serious military confrontation in the middle east, the root cause being a deficient and incapable Arab leadership ..😟😟

Visit to Coonoor ..

One observation. We are in our Honda City 2022 model. I saw just one Honda in this high range. Many Suzuki, Htundai and Tat , Mahindra. Dont know why .. 

Another great platelet apheresis - 51st blood donation..

My 51st voluntary blood donation and 5th platelet apheresis was done this morning at the blood bank of St. John's medical college hospital in Bangalore.  A 2 hr intervention from10 am to 12 noon saw about 600 billion platelets (about 300ml platelets) getting transferred out of my body to the use of a needy patient. The recipient is unknown. 

Alexa and new age audio..

Introduction

New age audio experiences are all about creating a sense of immersion and relaxation through the use of sound. This can be done through a variety of means, such as using high-quality headphones or speakers, listening to binaural beats, or creating a surround sound environment.

One of the best ways to experience new age audio is through streaming services. These services offer a wide variety of music and soundscapes that can be tailored to your individual preferences. You can also use streaming services to create playlists that are perfect for meditation, yoga, or simply relaxing at the end of a long day.

Defining new age audio experience

New age audio experiences are designed to promote relaxation, meditation, and spiritual growth. They often feature nature sounds, such as waves crashing on the shore or birds chirping in the forest. New age audio experiences may also incorporate music, but the music is typically gentle and calming.

The goal of a new age audio experience is to create a sense of peace and tranquility. By listening to new age audio, you can escape from the stresses of everyday life and connect with your inner self.

How to experience new age audio with Alexa

One of the easiest ways to experience new age audio is with Alexa. Alexa is a voice assistant from Amazon that can be used to control smart speakers, such as the Amazon Echo Dot.

To experience new age audio with Alexa, simply say "Alexa, play new age music." Alexa will then play a selection of new age music from Amazon Music. You can also ask Alexa to play specific new age artists or albums.

If you are looking for a more immersive new age audio experience, you can try using Alexa to create a surround sound environment. To do this, you will need to connect two or more smart speakers to your Alexa device. Once you have connected your speakers, you can say "Alexa, play new age music in surround sound." Alexa will then play the music through all of your speakers, creating a more immersive listening experience.

Conclusion

New age audio experiences are a great way to relax, meditate, and connect with your inner self. There are many different ways to experience new age audio, but one of the easiest is with Alexa. With Alexa, you can play new age music from Amazon Music, create a surround sound environment, and even ask Alexa to play specific new age artists or albums.

Human Centred Work Environment - better than lean ?

We frequently hear of work environments that are flexible, quality centred, production centred and so on. Quality centred production system is the famous Lean Operations system where the focus is on improving the processes so that the quality of the output improves. 

An industrial working environment that is better than a lean environment, can help improve productivity, meet present-day challenges, keep employees spirited and productive, and reduce waste, is one that is human-centered.

A human-centered work environment (HCWE) is one that puts the needs of the employees first. Even though this may contradict with the belief that customers are demigods and are to be satisfied forstbefore the employees, the employees are the main factor that ensures the uninterrupted production on the shop floor. It is an environment where employees feel valued, respected, and supported. It is an environment where employees have a voice and are empowered to make decisions. It is an environment where employees are encouraged to be creative and innovative.

Here are some specific ways to create a human-centered work environment:

• Provide employees with the training and resources they need to be successful. This includes providing employees with the opportunity to learn new skills and to develop their careers.
• Give employees a voice in decision-making. This includes involving employees in the planning and implementation of new initiatives.
• Create a culture of collaboration and teamwork. This includes encouraging employees to work together towards common goals.
• Provide employees with opportunities for growth and development. This includes offering employees opportunities to move into new roles and to take on new challenges. This can also involve special training before taking on added responsibilities of the new job role.
  
• Recognize and reward employee achievements. This shows employees that their hard work is appreciated.

A human-centered work environment can help to improve productivity and meet present-day challenges in the following ways:

• Improved employee morale and engagement. Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to be engaged in their work and to be productive. They are also willing to help and collaborate better with their colleagues to ensure that the whole team wins.
  
• Increased creativity and innovation. Employees who are empowered to make decisions and who have a voice in the workplace are more likely to be creative and innovative. Besides they are also ready to take responsibility for their actions.
  
• Reduced turnover and absenteeism. Employees who are satisfied with their jobs are less likely to leave the company or to take sick days.
  
• Improved customer service. Employees who are happy and engaged are more likely to provide excellent customer service.

Waste continues to be the most noticeable extra cost and effort component on the shop floor. A human-centered work environment can also help to reduce waste in the following ways:

• Reduced errors. Employees who are properly trained and who have the resources they need are less likely to make mistakes.
• Reduced rework. Employees who are involved in the planning and implementation of new initiatives are less likely to need to rework their work.
• Reduced scrap. Employees who are empowered to make decisions and who have a voice in the workplace are more likely to be able to identify and prevent waste.
• Improved motivation of workers on the shop floor manning the processes and machines
  

Overall, a human-centered work environment is a better industrial working environment than a lean environment because it is more sustainable in the long term. A human-centered work environment can help to improve productivity, meet present-day challenges, keep employees spirited and productive, and reduce waste.

Mona Lisa ..

Even after 520 years this half-length portrait painting at Louvre Paris, symbolic of Italian Renaissance, still captivates millions across the world..

 

How India is surprising the world with low cost space missions ..

India has had two successful space launches the past ten days, one was the Orbiter, lander and rover of Chandrayaan 3 (successfully landed on ShivShakthi point in the lunar south pole) and the other the space craft Aditya L1  which has also started its 125 daylong journey to the first lagrange point L1 of the sun earth 2 body mass system.

While all nations are upbeat about India rising as a power in space, what is baffling the world nations is our low cost missions. While the Chandrayaan 3 mission cost just about $75 million, the Aditya L1 mission cost is around $ 40 million.

How does India realise these low cost missions ?

Being smart in India is not only being intelligent, but also being very cost sensitive. Cost sensitiveness is part of our genome. If we find anyone splurging money or resources, the society looks down upon him and this is a big demotivator for people to splurge and is motivated to do big things with least expenditure on resources, be it cash, material, time, effort or any other. 

The Indian psyche is focussed on how to do more smart things at less cost. Value creation is part of the Indian thought process. 

The way we source materials, get the technology, pay our scientists and technologists, prepare our budgets, plan out testing, and plan on marketing, all our eyes are trained to carry them put at the lowest cost. Value for an Indian is first focusing on costs along with functions, quality and performance. 

Probably this mindset is in the Indian society due to the looting and hence impoverished economy and stolen natural resources due to the British colonialism which drained us of a massive $41 trillion during the two hundred years of British colonialism. While we are not vociferous on getting this back from the British, we know they never can repay these debts, we are very eager to avoid recurrence of such situations in our country and hence this national drive and urge to conserve resources and costs of any activity and pursuit.

This can be a great lesson for other countries of the world on how to organise and manage such thriftful economies.

Thrift is essential to well ordered living - John D Rockefeller

George..

The MG Sreekumar I appreciate ..

MG Sreekumar is a famous musician in Kerala, who has come out with some very good songs in Malayalam film miusic. He also compered the fampus music show Star Singer and now the famous Top Singer already into the third season on 24 TV channel. Getting ready for season 4.

What surprises the people about MG Sreekumar is his simplicity and innocence. Never in the past fifteen years when he has been mingling with young promising and talented singers has he ever ridiculed any singer or shouted him down. MG has always taken great care to see that his words only give support to the youngster, be it a 20 year old or a 5 year old. 

We Malayalis only hope that MG continues to entertain malayalis as he has been doing all these years. His sincerity to promote new singers in the Malayalam film industry and his simplicity and frankness is laudable.

Continue your good work Sreekumarji.

George..

Super cool Rahul Gandhi ..

 മഹാത്മാഗാന്ധിയുടെ ജന്മനാടായ പുണ്യഭൂമിയായ ഗുജറാത്തിൽ,  വർഗീയവാദികളാൽ കാവി വൽക്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട അതേ ഗുജറാത്തിൽ രാഹുൽ ഗാന്ധി എന്ന് നീതിമാന് ഒരിക്കലും നീതി ലഭിക്കില്ല എന്ന് രാജ്യത്തെ എല്ലാവർക്കും അറിയാമായിരുന്നു..

ഗുജറാത്തിലെ നീതിന്യായ വ്യവസ്ഥ കാവി വൽക്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട് ഇരിക്കുന്നു എന്നുള്ള സത്യം രാജ്യത്തിനു മുഴുവനും  രാജ്യത്തെ പരമോന്നത നീതിന്യായ വ്യവസ്ഥയ്ക്കും നന്നായി അറിയാമായിരുന്നു.

 സുപ്രീംകോടതിയിൽ മാത്രമായിരുന്നു രാജ്യത്തെ ജനങ്ങളുടെ പ്രത്യാശ മുഴുവൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നത്. 

ഗുജറാത്തിലെ നട്ടെല്ലില്ലാത്ത നരേന്ദ്രമോദിയുടെ വാലാട്ടി കളായി മാറിയ വർഗീയ കോടതികൾ രാഹുലിനെതിരെ വിധി എഴുതിയെങ്കിലും സുപ്രീംകോടതി രാഹുലിന് അനുകൂലമായിട്ടാണ് വിധി കൊടുത്തിരിക്കുന്നത്. 

എത്ര നരേന്ദ്രമോദിമാർ ശ്രമിച്ചാലും എത്ര  അമിത്ഷാമാർ ശ്രമിച്ചാലും സത്യത്തെയും ന്യായത്തെയും നീതിയെയും മറയ്ക്കാൻ  ആർക്കും സാധിക്കുകയില്ല

രാഹുൽ ഗാന്ധിയുടെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ ജീവിതത്തിൽ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ സഹായിക്കുന്നത് കോൺഗ്രസ് പാർട്ടിയെക്കാളും ബിജെപിയുടെ നേതാക്കളായ മോദിയും അമിത് ഷായും ആണ് എന്ന് നമുക്ക് നിസ്സംശയം പറയാം.  

രാജ്യം ഈ രണ്ട് നേതാക്കളോട്  വളരെയധികം കടപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു.. 🙏

Rahul Gandhi plans the second Bharat Jodo yatra from West to East of India

As the only Indian politician to ever speak at the reputed Stanford University (even Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Tharoor or Patel were never invited) and having studied at top global Universities like Harvard and Cambridge, combined with his practical field exposure and people intelligence gathered through the tough ordeal of the 4080 km long Bharat Jodo Yatra, there is no contemporary Indian political leader who can match the brilliance, eloquence, maturity, genius, prowess and intelligence of this super humble  soft-spoken young politician Rahul Gandhi. 

The second Bharat Jodo yatra from west to eastern India will sadly seal the nails on the coffins of his political rivals for ever. India is going through very trying and changing times with Rahul trying to open shops of love, tolerance, respect and brotherhood in the markets of hatred, violence and despair .. 🙂🙂

 

One striking thing regarding Rahul Gandhi that strikes his friends and foes alike is his simplicity and humility. He is able to connect with the common man very well and that enables him to understand their problems and empathise with them - a great quality in humans. That was what helped him improve his public image when he visited Manipur in July '23 as the only major national leader to visit the suffering state, not even the Prime Minister could find time to give solace to the Manipuri people. 

As a political leader educated in Harvard and Cambridge, we can look out for more such interventions from Rahul Gandhi to guide India in the trying times ahead.

George..

My 50 th blood donation - Single Donor Platelets ..

 

Some people say that I am off my senses, they say that I am doing it for fame.. The fact is I do it out of a passion to serve humanity and in the process regain the youth in my body by generating fresh blood every two months. Its been almost 3 weeks since my last donation, the 49th. It was a platelet apheresis. So this time I contacted Dr Sitalakshmi from St Johns telling of my willingess to do a platelet apheresis. Due to some job preoccupations, I could not go on the FN of the day. It was a great feeling when I assured Dr. Sitalakshmi, head of Haematology in St Johns hospital Bangalore that I would be coming on the afternoon of 26 July 2023 for my 50th blood donation, this time too a platelet apheresis. 

I had done an earlier platelet apheresis just three weeks back. I had been doing whole blood donations till # 44 and after that I have shifted focus to apheresis. The damage to our body is less, but the utility to the recipient is great. An apheresis is equivalent to almost 6-10 whole blood apheresis, also called single donor platelet donation. 

 

Here is an FAQ I prepared to clear people's doubts on such donations. click here. Earlier when I used to do platelet apheresis,  used to have a slight low backache. For the past two platelet apheresis, I am feeling perfectly fine, no low back ache.

 

Its almost a week after the 50th donation. I am feeling perfectly fine now. The feeling of having been able to influence someone's life through our actions is indeed a great feeling.

I have to specially dedicate this apheresis to my most loved political leader late Sri Oommen Chandy, the former twice CM of Kerala representing Puthupally in Kottayam, my wife Anila's native place. 

George..

A short story on Oommen chandy ..

ചെറുകഥ

Counter No:98

സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിന്റെ പ്രധാനഓഫീസിൽ ഒരു കൗണ്ടർന്റെ മുൻപിൽ മാത്രം വലിയ ബഹളം. കാര്യസ്ഥൻ പത്രോസ് ഇരുന്നിടത്തു നിന്ന് ഒന്ന് എത്തി നോക്കി. ആളെ കണ്ട് അത്ര പരിചയമില്ല. പുതിയ ആൾ ആയിരിക്കണം. എന്നാലും ഇത്ര പെട്ടന്ന് പുതിയ ഒരാൾക്ക് ഏങ്ങനെ കർത്താവ് കൗണ്ടർ കൊടുത്തു?. ഒന്നുകൂടെ പത്രോസ് എത്തിനോക്കി, 'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ - 98' 

പത്രോസ് തന്റെ അടുക്കൽ വെച്ചിട്ടുള്ള കൗണ്ടർ വിവരങ്ങൾ അടങ്ങിയ രജിസ്റ്ററിൽ, 'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ 98' ന്റെ വിവരങ്ങൾ നോക്കി.

പുതിയ അഡ്മിഷൻ

ഡേറ്റ് ഓഫ് ജോയിനിങ് -18 ജൂലൈ 2023

പേര് : ഉമ്മൻ‌ചാണ്ടി

ചെല്ലപ്പേര് : കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞ്

നാട് : പുതുപ്പള്ളി, കേരളം, ഇന്ത്യ

ശെടാ.. ഇന്നലെ വന്നവനും കൗണ്ടർ ഇത്രവേഗത്തിലോ, ഇനി കർത്താവു തത്കാൽ സിസ്റ്റം തുടങ്ങിയോ… പത്രോസ് ഇരുന്ന സീറ്റിൽ നിന്നും ഒന്നുകൂടി എത്തിനോക്കി, തുടക്കകാരന്റെ യാതൊരു ചാഞ്ചല്യവും ഇല്ലാതെ സ്വർഗത്തിലേക്കുള്ള അപേക്ഷകൾ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്ന കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞ്. എന്തേ അവിടെമാത്രം അപേക്ഷകളുടെയും അപേക്ഷകരുടെയും എണ്ണത്തിൽ ഒരു തിക്കും തിരക്കും…എനിക്കിതൊന്നും ഇഷ്ടപ്പെടുന്നില്ല.. പത്രോസിന്റെ ചിന്തകൾ കാട് കയറുവാൻ തുടങ്ങി. ഇന്നലെ വന്ന ആളുടെ അടുക്കൽ പോയി വിവരങ്ങൾ തിരക്കാൻ പത്രോസിന്റെ ആത്മാഭിമാനം അനുവദിച്ചില്ല…എന്നാ നേരെ കർത്താവിന്റെ അടുക്കൽ പോയി ചോദിക്കാമെന്ന് വിചാരിച്ചു, നേരെ അങ്ങോട്ട് ഇറങ്ങി…

ഡോറിൽ മുട്ടി അല്പം കതക് തുറന്ന് തല അകത്തിട്ട് 'May I Come In Jesus'? എന്ന് ഒഫീഷ്യലിറ്റി ഒട്ടും കുറക്കാതെ സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിന്റെ താക്കോൽക്കാരൻ കർത്താവിനോട് ചോദിച്ചു..

കയറിവരാൻ ആംഗ്യം കാണിച്ചു കർത്താവ് ഫോണിൽ സംസാരം തുടരുകയാണ്… ഫോണിന്റെ ഡിസ്പ്ലേയിൽ സംസാരം തുടങ്ങിയിട്ട് 15 മിനിറ്റ് എന്നെഴുതിയത് പത്രോസ് കണ്ടു…. ശ്ശെടാ.. ഇതാരാ ഇത്രക്ക് വിളിക്കുന്നത്….? പത്രോസ് വീണ്ടും ചിന്തയിലാണ്ടു…കൈ കഴച്ചിട്ടാവണം കർത്താവു ഫോൺ ലൗഡ് സ്പീക്കറിൽ ഇട്ടു റെസിവർ വെച്ചു സംസാരം തുടർന്നു…

'കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞെ നീ പറയുന്നതൊക്കെ ശരിയാണ്… പക്ഷെ അവന്റെ കൈലിരിപ്പ് നിനക്ക് അറിയാൻ പാടില്ലേ ?'

'കർത്താവേ അത് ശരിതന്നെ, അവന്റെ സാഹചര്യങ്ങളും കൂട്ടുകാരും അങ്ങനെ ആയതുകൊണ്ട് പറ്റിപോകുന്നതല്ലേ കർത്താവേ'

'അതുകൊണ്ട് എന്തും ചെയ്യാമെന്നാണോ?'

'അതല്ല കർത്താവേ നാം ഇപ്പോൾ ഇവനെ കൈവിട്ടാൽ ഇവൻ നശിച്ചുപോകും.കൂട്ടത്തിൽ അവന്റെ കുടുംബവും വഴിയാധാരമാകും. അത് വേണോ?'

'കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞേ, നീ ഫീലിംഗ്സ് ഇറക്കി കളിക്കല്ലേ.. ഫീലിങ്ങിസിൽ ഞാൻ വീഴുമെന്ന് ആരാ പറഞ്ഞെ? ലാസറോ, മർത്തയോ, അതോ മറിയമോ??'

'ആരുമല്ല കർത്താവേ, എനിക്കിത്തിരി ഫീലിംഗ്സ് കൂടുതൽ ആണ്. മറ്റുള്ളവരുടെ കഷ്ടപ്പാടുകൾ കണ്ടാൽ എനിക്ക് വിഷമം ആണ്, കരച്ചിൽ വരും. അവർക്കുവേണ്ടി എന്തെങ്കിലും ചെയ്യുന്നത് വരെ പിന്നെ എനിക്കൊരു സമാധാനം കിട്ടില്ല..'

'കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞേ, നീ ഓവർ ആക്കല്ലേ… നിനക്കിപ്പോൾ കുട്ടിക്ക് ചികൽസിക്കാനുള്ള പണവും വേണം, നേരത്തെ പെൻഡിങ്ങിൽ വെച്ച അപേക്ഷയിൽ ഒരു വീടും വേണം.അത്രയല്ലേ ഉള്ളൂ…ചികത്സ സഹായത്തിനു ഒരു ഒരു സംഘടനയുടെ ആൾകാർ നാളെ അവരെ സമീപിച്ചു വേണ്ടത് ചെയ്യും… വീട് വേണ്ടവർക്ക്, ഇടവക വഴി അതും ഒരുക്കും.. അത് പോരെ നിനക്ക്..?'

'മതി.. അതുമതി.. കർത്താവിന്റെ ഉറപ്പാണ് എന്റെ ഉറപ്പ്.'

'പിന്നെ… കർത്താവേ,  ഇതൊന്നും എനിക്ക് വേണ്ടിയല്ല കേട്ടോ.. ഞാൻ പേരിനും പെരുമക്കും വേണ്ടി ഒന്നും ചെയ്യാറില്ല എന്നറിയാലോ.. എനിക്കു വേണ്ടപ്പെട്ടവരാണ് ഇവരെല്ലാം.. അതുകൊണ്ടാണ്….താങ്ക്സ്..എന്നാ വെച്ചോട്ടെ….?'

'ശരി… കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞേ… കൗണ്ടറിലെ തിരക്ക് ഞാൻ കാണുന്നുണ്ട്… പണി നടക്കട്ടെ '

ഫോൺ ഡിസ്‌ക്കണക്ട് ചെയ്ത് കർത്താവു കസേരയിലേക്ക് ചാരിയിരുന്നു…

തുടർന്ന് പത്രോസിനെ നോക്കി..

പത്രോസ് ഇതെല്ലാം കേട്ട് കർത്താവിനെ സാകൂതം വീക്ഷിക്കുവായിരുന്നു…

ഇതെല്ലാം 'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ 98' ലെ കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞു തന്നെയാണോ എന്നു പത്രോസ് സംശയിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്..

'എന്താ പത്രോസെ വന്നകാലിൽ നില്കുന്നത്…. ഇരിക്കാൻ പാടില്ലായിരുന്നോ.. എന്താണ് പ്രശ്നം?'…അപ്പോഴാണ് പത്രോസ് എന്തിനാണ് വന്നതെന്ന് ഓർമിക്കുന്നത്..

'കർത്താവേ,പുതിയ 'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ -98'ൽ, ആരാണ് ഇത്രപെട്ടന്ന് ജോലി ആരംഭിച്ചത്… കഴിഞ്ഞ ആഴ്ചയിൽ തന്ന ലിസ്റ്റിൽ ഇല്ലാത്ത പേരാണല്ലോ ഈ പേര്…?'

'ആ പത്രോസെ, അക്കാര്യം പറയാൻ വിളിക്കാനിരിക്കുകആയിരുന്നു ഞാൻ.. അദ്ദേഹമാണ് ഇപ്പോൾ ഫോണിൽ വിളിച്ചത്.. പേര് ഉമ്മൻ‌ചാണ്ടി… ഭൂമിയിൽ നാട്ടുകാർക്കിടയിൽ കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞു… ആളു മിടുക്കനാ..'

'അതുകൊണ്ട്?' പത്രോസിനു വിട്ടുകൊടുക്കാൻ മനസ് വന്നില്ല..

'പത്രോസെ, കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിനെ നീ ശരിക്ക് മനസിലാക്കിയില്ല എന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു… കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിന്റെ കണക് പുസ്‌തകം എടുത്തു നോക്കിയാൽ അറിയാം കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞു ആരായിരുന്നു എന്നുള്ളത്…'

'പത്രോസെ, കഴിഞ്ഞ 18 നാണു കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞു സ്വർഗത്തിൽ എത്തുന്നത്.. ആ ദിവസങ്ങളിൽ ഭൂമിയുടെ ഒരറ്റത്തു തിരുവനന്തപുരം മുതൽ പുതുപ്പള്ളി വരെ ജനസാഗരം ആയിരുന്നു.. ലോകത്തിന്റെ വിവിധഭാഗങ്ങളിൽ ഇരുന്ന് കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിനെ ഓർക്കാത്ത മലയാളികൾ ഇല്ല…'

'നീ ചായകുടിച്ചോ? ' ഇടക്ക് നിർത്തി കർത്താവ് പത്രോസിനോട് ചോദിച്ചു…

'ഇല്ല…'

'എന്നാൽ, ഇത് കുടി…' ഒരു ഗ്ലാസ് ചായ എടുത്തു പത്രോസിനു കൊടുത്തു, ഒരു ഗ്ലാസ് ചായ തനിക്കുമെടുത്തു ഒരു സിപ് കുടിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്, പതിയെ ജനാലക്ക് അരികിലേക്ക് നീങ്ങി കർത്താവു 'കൌണ്ടർ നമ്പർ -98' ലേക്ക് നോക്കി ആശ്ചര്യപ്പെട്ടു..

വർധിച്ചുവരുന്ന അപേക്ഷകൾ; മടുപ്പില്ലാതെ, അനുഭാവപൂർവം,  അപേക്ഷകരുടെ പരാതികളും ആവലാതികളും കേൾക്കുന്ന കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്‌, സ്ത്രീകളും പുരുഷന്മാരും കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളും അക്കൂട്ടത്തിൽ ഉണ്ട്..കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിന്റെ സഹായത്തിനായി നിർത്തിയിരിക്കുന്ന കുഞ്ഞുമാലാഖാമാർ പണിയെടുത്തു മടുത്തിട്ടുണ്ടാകണം…. കണക്കുകൂട്ടലുകൾ തെറ്റിച്ചു ഇങ്ങനെ ഒരു അനുഭവം സ്വർഗത്തിൽ ആദ്യമായാണ്….

'അപ്പോ… പത്രോസെ ' കർത്താവ് തുടർന്നു….

'വെറും മൂന്നാലു മണിക്കൂറുകൾ കൊണ്ട് തീരേണ്ട കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിന്റെ അവസാന യാത്ര, പുതുപ്പള്ളിയിൽ എത്താൻ 30-36 മണിക്കൂറുകൾ എടുത്തു.. അവിടെ എത്തപ്പെടാൻ പറ്റാത്ത മലയാളികൾ, അദ്ദേഹത്തെ സ്നേഹിക്കുന്നവർ,  ലോകത്തിന്റെ വിവിധ ഭാഗങ്ങളിലിരുന്നു മനസുകൊണ്ട് കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിനെ അനുഗമിച്ചു…അങ്ങ് തിരുവനന്തപുരം മുതൽ പുതുപ്പള്ളി വരെ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ കാത്തുനിന്നവരിൽ ഓരോരുത്തർക്കും കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിന്റെ ഓരോ കഥ പറയുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു, ചിലരെ നേരിട്ട് സഹായിച്ചതിന്റെ കഥകൾ, മറ്റുചിലരെ അദ്ദേഹം വഴി അഭ്യൂദയകാംഷികൾ സഹായിച്ചു. അതിലും പെടാത്തവരെ ഗവണ്മെന്റ് സംവിധാനങ്ങളിലൂടെ…മിക്കതും അറിയപ്പെട്ടത് അദ്ദേഹം മരിച്ചുകഴിഞ്ഞതിനു ശേഷം എന്നതാണ് ഇതിന്റെയെല്ലാം ഹൈലൈറ്റ്…

'നിങ്ങൾ എനിക്ക് തന്ന അവസാന യാത്ര ഓർമ ഉണ്ടോ പത്രോസെ… '

പത്രോസിന്റെ മുഖം വിവർണ്ണമായി..

പത്രോസിനു വിഷമം ആയി എന്നു മനസിലാക്കിയ കർത്താവ് പറഞ്ഞു, 'പത്രോസെ ഞാൻ വെറുതെ പറഞ്ഞതാ…. ചിരിക്കെടോ….'

'പത്രോസേ, നിനക്ക് ഓർമ്മയുണ്ടോ, നിങ്ങൾ ശിഷ്യന്മാരിൽ ആരാണ് വലിയവൻ എന്ന് അറിയാൻ പരസ്പരം തർക്കിച്ചത്…? 

ഈ കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു ഉണ്ടല്ലോ, വേറെ ലെവൽ ആണ്…. നേതാവ് ആയിരുന്നിട്ടും ഭരണാധികാരി ആയിരുന്നിട്ടും, പള്ളിയിൽ പോയാൽ വാതിൽ പടിയിൽ ഇരിക്കാനും, സാധാരണകാരുടെ കൂടെ വാഹനങ്ങളിൽ യാത്ര ചെയ്യാനും, അവരോട് സംസാരിക്കാനും, സെക്യൂരിറ്റി ഒന്നുമില്ലാതെ ജനമധ്യത്തിൽ അവരുമായി ഇടപെഴകാനും ഒരു ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടും അദ്ദേഹത്തിനില്ലായിരുന്നു… എവിടെ പോയാലും അപേക്ഷകളുമായി എത്തുന്നവർ.. അതിപ്പോ പള്ളിയിൽ ആയാലും, വീട്ടിൽ ആയാലും, ഓഫിസിൽ ആയാലും യാത്രയിൽ ആയാലും കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിനു അതൊരു പ്രശ്നം അല്ലായിരുന്നു… ആക്കാലത് കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിന്റെ കൈയിൽ നിൽക്കാത്ത കേസുകൾ മാത്രമാണ് പുതുപ്പള്ളിയിൽ നിന്നും എന്റെ അടുക്കൽ വന്നിരുന്നത്…'

കർത്താവ് തുടർന്നു..' ഇനി സഹനങ്ങളെകുറിച്ച് പറഞ്ഞാലോ…മിടുക്കനായ നേതാവും ഭരണാധികാരിയും ആയത്കൊണ്ട് ശത്രുക്കളുടെ സ്ഥിരം നോട്ടപുള്ളി ആയിരുന്നു…അശ്ലീല കഥകൾ മെനഞ്ഞു അദ്ദേഹത്തെയും കുടുംബത്തെയും രാഷ്ട്രീയമായി ഇല്ലാതാക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചപ്പോഴും ദേഹോപദ്രവം എല്പിച്ചപ്പോഴും ആക്ഷോഭ്യനായി നിലകൊണ്ട അദ്ദേഹം ശത്രുകളോട് നിരുപധികം ക്ഷമിച്ചു അവരെ നേടിയെടുക്കാൻ പോലും അദ്ദേഹം സമർത്ഥനായിരുന്നു…ഈ കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു സ്വർഗത്തിലേക്ക് കുറേപേരെ കൊണ്ടുവരും.. എനിക്കുറപ്പാണ്..'

'ഇനിയും കൂടുതൽ അറിയണമെങ്കിൽ കഴിഞ്ഞദിവസങ്ങളിലെ വാർത്തകൾ കണ്ടുനോക്കു.. അപ്പോൾ അറിയാം കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞു ആരായിരുന്നു എന്നുള്ളത് '

കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിനെ പുകഴ്ത്തിയുള്ള കർത്താവിന്റെ സംസാരം പത്രോസിന് അത്രക് അങ്ങ് പിടിച്ചില്ല.. പത്രോസ് പറഞ്ഞു..

'അത് പിന്നെ കർത്താവെ, കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിനെതിരെ മറ്റുചില ആരോപണങ്ങൾ നേരത്തെ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അത് മറന്നോ..…'

പത്രോസിന്റെ ചിന്ത മനസിലാക്കിയ കർത്താവ് പറഞ്ഞു…'പത്രോസെ എനിക്കറിയാമായിരുന്നു നീ ഇത് പറയുമെന്ന്…എടാ നീ ഒന്ന് ഓർത്തു നോക്കിയേ…. ഇസ്രായേലിൽ, ചങ്കായി നിന്നെ ഞാൻ കൊണ്ട് നടന്നില്ലേ…. നിന്നെ എന്റെ സഭയുടെ നേതാവാക്കും എന്നു ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞതല്ലെ…. എന്റെ എല്ലാ സന്തോഷത്തിലും നീ എന്റെ കൂടെയുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ലേ… എന്നിട്ടും നീ എന്നെ തള്ളി പറഞ്ഞില്ലേ… അതും മൂന്ന് പ്രാവശ്യം…. ഞാൻ കുരിശിൽ വേദന സഹിച്ചു കിടന്നപ്പോൾ നിങ്ങളാരെങ്കിലും എന്റെ കുരിശിന്റെ ചാരത്തു ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നോ…. എന്നിട്ടും ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളെ കൈവിട്ടോ….? ദേ, അപ്പുറത്തിരിക്കുന്ന അഗസ്റ്റിനെ കണ്ടോ ആള് എന്നാ അലമ്പായിരുന്നു എന്നു പറയേണ്ടല്ലോ…. തൊട്ടപ്പുറത്തു നോക്കിക്കേ, ആ ഇരിക്കുന്ന ഫ്രാഞ്ചി… അലമ്പിൽ അഗസ്റ്റിന്റെ തൊട്ട് താഴെ നിൽകുമായിരുന്നു അവനും…ഞാൻ ആരെയെങ്കിലും കൈവിട്ടോ…?

പത്രോസേ, മാനുഷികമായ ബലഹീനതകളിലും എനിക്ക് പ്രിയപെട്ടവൻ ആകുവാൻ എന്നിലുള്ള അവരുടെ വിശ്വാസം മതിയെനിക്കു… ബാക്കി കുറവുകൾ എന്നിലൂടെയുള്ള കൃപയിലും കരുണയിലും ഞാൻ ഇല്ലാതാക്കും …എന്നിട്ട് പൂർണമായി ഞാൻ അവരെ ഇങ്ങോട്ട് കൊണ്ടുവരും….. എന്റെ രാജാക്കന്മാർ ആയി വഴിക്കാൻ തന്നെ….'

ക്ഷമിക്കണം കർത്താവേ ഞാനത് പറയാൻ പാടില്ലായിരുന്നു…. കർത്താവ് പത്രോസിനെ നോക്കി മന്ദഹസിച്ചു…കർത്താവ് പറഞ്ഞു, നീ ചെന്ന് ആ കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിനു എന്തെങ്കിലും സഹായം വേണോ എന്നു ചോദിക്ക്..പിന്നെ ആ കുഞ്ഞു മാലാഖാമാരെ അവിടുന്ന് മാറ്റണം.. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പണിയെടുത്തു അവർ ഒരു വഴിക്കാകും അവിടെ തലമൂത്ത മാലാഖാമാർ ആണ് കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിനു പറ്റിയത്…'

'ശരി കർത്താവേ..' പത്രോസ് പുറത്തേക്കിറങ്ങി.

കൈയിൽ പിടിച്ച ഗ്ലാസിലെ ചായ വീണ്ടും കുടിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ജനാലയിലൂടെ 'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ 98' ലേക്ക് നോക്കുമ്പോൾ, ഒരു കൈയിൽ ഫോണും മറുകൈയിൽ അപേക്ഷകളും ഒരു പേനയുമായി ചായകുടിക്കുന്ന കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു… ആ വിളിക്കുന്നത് രാമപുരത്തെ കുഞ്ഞച്ചൻ പുണ്ണ്യളനെയാണ്.. ഒരു ഫയലിൽ കുഞ്ഞച്ചൻ ഇടപെട്ട് പ്രശ്നം തീർക്കാൻ പറ്റുമോന്ന് അറിയാനാണ്….തൊട്ടപ്പുറത്, പണിയെടുത്തു മടുത്തു, എളിക്കു കൈകൊടുത്തു നിൽക്കുന്ന കുഞ്ഞു മാലാഖാമാർ… ഇപ്പുറത്, അപേക്ഷകളുമായി കുഞ്ഞുഞ്ഞിന്റെ അടുക്കൽ എത്താൻ പറ്റിയതിന്റെ സന്തോഷത്തിൽ ആയിരിക്കുന്ന കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിന്റെ സ്വന്തം ജനവും…

കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു ആള് കൊള്ളാമല്ലോ എന്ന് കർത്താവു മനസ്സിൽ പറഞ്ഞു…. അപ്പോഴേക്കും ഫോൺ വീണ്ടും റിങ് ചെയ്തു…. കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞാണ്…അടുത്ത അപേക്ഷയുമായി….

'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ 98' ൽ ഓരോ ദിവസവും ആള് കൂടുകയാണ്.. പകലെന്നോ രാത്രിയെന്നോ കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിനു വിചാരമില്ല… ഭൂമിയിൽ ചെയ്തത് പോലെ സ്വർഗത്തിലും, അപേക്ഷകളുമായി വരുന്നവർക്കുവേണ്ടി കർത്താവിനു മുൻപിൽ മാധ്യസ്ഥം വഹിക്കാൻ കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു സദാ ഉത്സുകനാണ്…തന്നെ ദ്വേഷിച്ചവരോട് പോലും പരിഭവവും പരാതിയുമില്ലാതെ എല്ലാവർക്കുമായി കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു സ്വർഗത്തിലിരുന്നു പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുന്നു….

ഈ കഥ ഇവിടെ അവസാനിക്കുന്നു..

(കേരളത്തിലെ, തകർന്ന രാഷ്ട്രീയ സംസ്കാരത്തിന് ഉണർവ്വായി, പുതിയ ദിശാബോധമായി, വഴികാട്ടിയായി കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞു ജന ഹൃദയങ്ങളിൽ ചിരപ്രതിഷ്ഠ നേടിയിരിക്കുന്നു…ആ മഹാത്മാവിന്റെ ഓർമകൾക്ക് മുൻപിൽ ഒരിക്കൽക്കൂടി പ്രണാമം..

'കൗണ്ടർ നമ്പർ '98' - പുതുപ്പള്ളി ലേജിസലേറ്റീവ് അസ്സെമ്പ്ളി യുടെ നമ്പർ ആണ്. അതാണ് കഥയുടെ പേരായി, സ്വർഗത്തിലെ കുഞ്ഞൂഞ്ഞിന്റെ കൗണ്ടർ ആയി കഥയിൽ ചേർത്തിരിക്കുന്നത്.)

ജോ❤️സി Josit George

Are you a workaholic ?

The other day I happened to interact with my PhD Supervisor Prof. Narayan Rangaraj who had come to Bangalore to my home and also Alliance central campus. He casually made the remark and asked me from seeng my workplace and hom setup, whether I am a workaholioc ?

His comments made me think deeply. Actually I realised that I was indeed one, al my social interactions had reduced though family interactions were strong, I preferred being at my work area or on my desktop machine, keeping mysefl busy with academic reading and writing, preparation for classes and the like. I searched on the internet how to break free from work-aholism and here is what I got using generative AI in ChatGPT.

Break Free from Workaholism

 

Turning away from being a workaholic can be a challenging but worthwhile endeavor. Here are some steps you can take to help you break free from workaholic tendencies:

1. Recognize the signs: Be honest with yourself and acknowledge that your workaholic behavior is negatively impacting your overall well-being, relationships, and quality of life. Reflect on the consequences of being a workaholic and the areas of your life that have been neglected.

2. Define your priorities: Clarify what truly matters to you beyond work. Consider your personal relationships, health, hobbies, and other interests that bring you joy and fulfillment. Identify the areas of your life that you want to prioritize and make a conscious decision to allocate time and energy to them.

3. Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Determine specific working hours and strive to stick to them. Avoid bringing work-related tasks or thoughts into your personal time. Communicate your boundaries with colleagues and set expectations with your employer regarding your availability outside of work hours.

4. Delegate and collaborate: Accept that you cannot do everything on your own and learn to delegate tasks to others. Trust your colleagues or employees to take on responsibilities and share the workload. Embrace collaboration and teamwork, which can help alleviate the need to shoulder the entire burden yourself.

5. Take breaks and practice self-care: Schedule regular breaks throughout your workday to rest and recharge. Engage in activities that promote relaxation, such as meditation, exercise, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones. Prioritize self-care and ensure you are getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

6. Develop a healthy work-life balance: Strive to achieve a healthy balance between work and personal life. Allocate time for activities that are not work-related and that help you rejuvenate. Create a schedule that allows you to pursue your personal interests, spend time with loved ones, and take care of your physical and mental well-being.

7. Challenge perfectionism: Workaholic tendencies often stem from a desire for perfection and fear of failure. Recognize that perfection is unattainable and that mistakes are part of the learning process. Embrace a growth mindset that allows you to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and improvement.

8. Seek support: Surround yourself with a support system that understands your desire to change your workaholic habits. Share your goals and challenges with trusted friends, family members, or even a therapist. They can provide guidance, encouragement, and accountability throughout your journey.

9. Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress as you gradually transition away from workaholic habits. Recognize the positive changes you have made and the improvements in other areas of your life. Celebrating milestones will help reinforce your commitment to a healthier work-life balance.

Remember, breaking free from workaholism is a process that takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself, and remember that your well-being and overall happiness are worth prioritizing alongside your professional achievements.

#49 - a Platelet donation

Here is the billions story .. The other day I was contacted by the head of hematology dept Dr Rajalakshmi saying there is an urgent need of platelets at St John's hospital Bangalore for a cancer patient. Considering this as a God given opportunity I decided to visit St John's blood bank. 

I donated 350 billions of platelets at St. John's hospital on 5 July 2023. My fortyninth blood donation.. 

😁

In the platelet apheresis machine it starts at 0, then goes to 1 x 10** 11, then 2 x 10**11 and then 3 x 10**11 and finally 3.2 x 10 **11. It takes about 45 minutes when the whole blood from our body goes into the apheresis machine and only platelets are taken out, about 300 ml platelets total. Two and a half hours I spent at the hospital, right from tests etc.. 

Each patient needs upto 75 ml platelets at a time and so my 300 ml platelets gets used by 4 patients or 1 patient over 4 times.. A whole blood donation on the other hand, gets used only by 1 patient, whichever component he needs, either platelets or RBC or plasma and other components are wasted.

Apheresis is thus a very efficient procedure. 🙂🙂🙏

Earlier with platelet apheresis, after 2 days I used to get a small low back ache. But after the end Feb 23 WBC apheresis and the platelet apheresis now, I have had no low back ache.  The daily consumption of cod liver oil capsules has been having a positive impact on my health of late. Thank God. Waiting for the 50th donation, which in all likelihood will be again a platelet apheresis..

George..

AI selected best quotes on Death

Best 25 AI selected quotes on Death

"Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come." - Rabindranath Tagore

"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." - J.K. Rowling

"Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity." - Mother Teresa

"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." - Mark Twain

"Death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed." - J.K. Rowling

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live." - Norman Cousins

"The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends, and where the other begins?" - Edgar Allan Poe

"Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it." - Haruki Murakami

"Death is the final wake-up call." - Douglas Horton

"The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

"Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them." - George Eliot

"Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic." - W.H. Auden

"Death is the liberator of him whom freedom cannot release, the physician of him whom medicine cannot cure, and the comforter of him whom time cannot console." - Charles Caleb Colton

"Death is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity." - John Milton

"Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life." - Steve Jobs

"Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present." - Ludwig Wittgenstein

"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." - Marcus Aurelius

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal." - Irish Proverb

"The idea is to die young as late as possible." - Ashley Montagu

"Death is not the opposite of life, but a mirror of our existence." - Paulo Coelho

"Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time. It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other." - Leo Buscaglia

"Death is a stripping away of all that is not you. The secret of life is to die before you die and find that there is no death." - Eckhart Tolle

"Death is a friend of ours; and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at home." - Francis Bacon

"Death is the ultimate truth of life, and accepting its inevitability brings true freedom." - Unknown

Indira Gandhi - Ma Durga

From the Internet ..

The year was 1971 and the month November. 

“If India pokes its nose in Pakistan, US will not keep its trap shut. India will be taught a lesson.”

- Richard Nixon

“India regards America as a friend. Not a boss. India is capable of writing its own destiny. We know and are aware how to deal with each one according to circumstances.”

- Indira Gandhi 

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi articulated these exact words sitting with the US President Richard Nixon in the White House, while maintaining an eye-to-eye contact. This incident was narrated by the then Secretary of State and NSA, Henry Kissinger, in his autobiography. 

That was the day when the Indo-US joint media address was cancelled by Indira Gandhi who walked away from the White House in her inimitable style. 

Kissinger, while ushering Indira Gandhi into her car, had commented, "Madam Prime Minister, don't you feel you could have been a little more patient with the President?" 

Indira Gandhi replied, "Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your valuable suggestion. Being a developing country, we have our backbones straight - & enough will and resources to fight all atrocities. We shall prove that days are gone when a power can rule and often control any nation from thousands of miles away.”

Thereafter, as soon as her Air India Boeing touched down at Palam runway in Delhi, Indira Gandhi summoned the leader of the opposition, Atal Behari Vajpayee to her residence. 

Post an hour of discussion behind closed doors, Vajpayee was seen hurrying back. It was thereafter known that Vajpayee would be representing India at the United Nations. 

Donald Paul of BBC had jumped in with a question to Vajpayee, "Indira ji regards you as a staunch critic. In spite of that, are you sure you'd be at the United Nations shouting your throat (voice) out in favour of the Incumbent Government?”

Vajpayee had a repartee.. "A rose adorns a garden, so does a Lily. Each is beset with the idea that they are individually the most beautiful. When the garden falls in a crisis, it's no secret that the garden has to safeguard its beauty as one. I have come today to save the garden. This is called Indian Democracy." 

The resultant history is all known to us. America sent 270 famed Patton tanks to Pakistan. They called the world media to demonstrate that these tanks were produced under exclusive technology, and are/were thus indestructible. The intention was very clear. This was a warning signal to the rest of the world that no one should help India. 

America did not stop here. Burma-Shell the only US company supplying oil to India, was told to stop. They were sternly told by US to cease dealing with India anymore. 

India's history thereafter was only about fighting back. Indira Gandhi's incisive diplomacy ensured oil came in from Ukraine. 

A battle that lasted just a day destroyed a majority of the 270 Patton tanks, in the Thar Desert. The destroyed tanks were brought into India for display at traffic crossings. The hot deserts of Rajasthan still stands as a witness where US pride was decimated.

A war that lasted eighteen days thereafter culminated in the capture of 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war.

  

Mujibur Rahman was released from Lahore Jail. 

The month now was March - Indira Gandhi recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation in the Indian Parliament. 

Vajpayee addressed Indira Gandhi as “Maa Durga.”

These events had a packet of long lasting manifested fallouts. 

— India's own oil company, viz. Indian Oil came into being. 

— India expressed itself as a nation of strength in the eyes of the world. 

— India led the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) from the front. Its leadership was unquestioned. 

Times and events of such strength however did get submerged into the great depths of yore and lore. 

Truthful history till date nevertheless remains as a baton that needs to be passed down generations. 

*This year is the 50th anniversary of the Indo Pak Bangladesh war. Our children must read this, lest we forget.*

AI mediated Malankara orthodox Christian service

This is an AI mediated sample outline for a Malankara Orthodox Christian Sunday church service that includes prayers and hymns: 

 

• Prelude:

• Instrumental music or a choir leading a traditional Orthodox hymn.

• Procession and Invocation:

• The priest, deacons, and altar servers process to the sanctuary.

• The congregation stands and the priest offers an invocation, beginning with "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, amen."

• Trisagion Hymn:

• The choir or congregation sings the Trisagion Hymn ("Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us").

• Opening Prayer:

• The priest offers a prayer of praise and thanksgiving, addressing God's attributes and seeking His presence.

• Qolo (Liturgical Chants):

• The choir or a group of chanters sing traditional Qolo (chants) in Syriac or Malayalam, praising God and invoking the intercession of saints.

• Scripture Reading:

• A selected passage from the Holy Bible, including an Old Testament and New Testament reading.

• Sermon:

• The priest delivers a sermon or homily based on the scripture readings, providing spiritual guidance and exhortation.

• Prayers of Intercession

• The priest leads the congregation in prayers for the church, the clergy, the faithful, the community, the nation, and the world.

• The intercessory prayers may include specific petitions for the sick, those in need, and the departed.

• Hymn: "Doxology of the Holy Cross":

• The congregation sings the hymn "Doxology of the Holy Cross," glorifying the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.

• Liturgy of the Faithful:

• The Eucharistic liturgy begins, including the Anaphora (consecration) and the participation of the faithful in receiving Holy Communion.

• During this time, various hymns and prayers are recited, such as the Sanctus, the Holy, Holy, Holy, and the Lord's Prayer.

• Hymn: "Lamb of God": The congregation sings the hymn "Lamb of God," acknowledging Christ as the sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.

• Final Blessing and Dismissal:

• The priest offers a final blessing and dismissal, sending the congregation with God's grace and peace.

   
  

Note: This is a general outline based on the Malankara Orthodox Christian tradition. Actual practices and hymns may vary depending on the specific parish and the liturgical season or feast being celebrated.

How Amazon and AI is changing our lifestyle ..

When was the last time you went to a shop to buy books, dresses, footwear, electronic gadgets, home furnishings, home furniture or home cleaning items and the like ?

It will come as a big surprise to realise that over the past four or five years ever since the Covid scourge, almost all of the above purchases went online and were made over the net with the help of a website. The order fulfilment went flawless. The deliveries were on time, the product features and performance were as promised, the product was authentic. 

The product returns if any, went flawlessly, one never had to followup regarding refunds and pickup. If ever one felt like talking about a product or delivery to a customer service executive, it was just a click away.

When was the last time one went to a shop to book travel tickets, flight, rail or bus and book our stay at hotels across the country or to buy medicines ? Our shift to the online comfortable mode is more or less over and complete except for visits to the doctor and dentist.

When was the last time we went to a bank to withdraw money or open a fixed deposit or pay our monthly EMIs and our utilities bills ? We carry excess money in our digital wallets and not in  the physical ones. The technology behind United Payment Interface (UPI) and the many digital wallets have made transactons easier, reliable and documented. Even our visits to entertainment hubs, theatres, sports and games complexes have been secured digitally. 

Life over the past five years has become a lot more easier, pleasant, enjoyable, safe and secure. Thanks to technology and technological interventions. Artificial intelligence has played a great role in smoothening and expediting these experiences enabling creation of a  very fertile land for great innovations to follow.

The healthcare sector, justifiable so, remains still in the physical domain, till when ? The digital illustrations are copyrighted and created through Generative AI. 

Our lifestyle has changed a lot. AI so far, is working for the benefit of humanity ..

George 

An AI powered home - is it for the better ?

The quote by Sundar Pichai on AI is given on the right. His quote is very important to humanity as his company influences more than three fourth of humanity, through the cloud, Gmail, Google maps, Google Playstore, Google Chrome and the like,

I got my first Amazon AI pod Echo dot in 2017 Oct, within 2 months of Amazon releasing it in India. Ever since I have been a great fan of AI pods by Amazon, as it made by music listening experience much richer and joyful. Through Amazon AI, I came to know of artists of whom I had never heard and who were as good or even better than the artistes I knew. After a gap of 3 years after Amazon's Alexa, Google also got into this area with Google home. 

 

As of Sunday,14 May  2023, I have finally got my whole home in Electronic city Bangalore AI powered. With Amazon AI pods in all rooms, front room lights controlled by AI and Google Home in 2 rooms, it is AI way. In addition my office room in Alliance University central campus is also powered by an Amazon echo dot AI pod.

Dont know whether is for the good or bad, but keeping a bit ahead on the Gartner hype curve 2023. Only time can tell.

As a teaching professional, it is of utmost importance for me to be ahead of the hype curve. In the hype curve Machine Learning is just finished its initial hope and is climbing the rational bounds while Natural Languge processing in on the downward slope of the initial hype.

 

The AI apps that I work to make life easier, pleasant and enjoyable are 

• Google Maps, 
• Amazon AI Alexa and Google home for selecting a great collection of songs and artistes across all genres, languages and strains, including classical, instrumental and percussion, 
• Google AI and Open AI for lot of technology and management related topics for carrying research and greater understanding, 
• generative AI apps for artistic output, artistic AI apps, 
• AI powered ecommerce apps of Amazon with unmatched security,  
• Gmail emailing app offering powerful AI powered security 
• Amazon and Google AI smart assistants and the like.

Are you aware enough of the developments that are happening across the world on the Internet ? 

Nick Bostrom, the Oxford Professor and Swedish philosopher, author of Super Intelligence, Human Enhancement, Global Catastrophic Risks and others says this about Machine Inteligence,

Machine Intelligence is the last invention that humanity will ever need to make - Nick Bostrom

Nick Bostrom is of the strong opinion that the moment machine intelligence crosses that of humans, we will become useless and will become subservient to machines, that also speaks of the doom on humanity and the human race.

George