EXPRESS

EXPRESS

A simple word “Express” can bring off a wide range of effect by application/ communication. Honestly, the use for this term is wide and varied and in a specific place or context it ‘imports’ a fresh but unambiguous specificity.

 Undoubtedly, it qualifies for being treated a ‘magic word’ as, on each occasion, it lends unmistakable credence to the idea planted through the word. As I was contemplating on some idea or the other for blog posting, I stumbled on THIS word, though we use it in most transactions of ours. Literally, one needs no alteration by way of ‘spelling’ or similar ‘modifiers’ to suggest the intended implication.

That is the beauty of this word. At the end of the ‘reading session’, I trust you would ‘express’ solidarity with my line of thought -portraying this word as rendering  a ‘Magical effect’.

EXPRESS [As a Noun]

A facility for ‘rapid transport of men / material’ – say a train or a bus

 Also,  EXPRESS  is a postal delivery system for quick distribution of ‘mails’ to addressees.

EXPRESS [As verb] Shows ‘opinion’ or ‘feeling’ or ‘fact’.

Means the idea is conveyed verbally or emotionally. He expressed his anger in words; he expressed anger through heavy breathing and red face.

Also, to Express helps to ‘indicate’ some fact. The interest payable quarterly is expressed in Rupees.

Oil is expressed from oil seeds by physical pressure of crushing. [To express= press out / squeeze out].

EXPRESS [As adverb]

Send a request by express.  Send a letter through ‘express postal service’].

EXPRESS [As an adjective]

An adjective form of ‘express’, expresses the idea clearly / unambiguously. The King’s wills ‘express desire’ to deposit the art collections of his kingdom to the Art Gallery or museum. 

Another usage relates to innately explain the function.  Express Train / Express Bus

So, the word “express” lends itself to express very many different expressions without change in its form.

Prof. K. Raman 

CLAIRVOYANCE

 CLAIRVOYANCE

What does it refer to?   It is an ability to forecast in advance, the probable events that may happen later. We have heard of ‘premonition’ as an expression relating to items of occurrence in the near future. A far higher ambit and range seem to go with clairvoyance.  

Most of us are aware of Nostradamus –a well known French forecaster [a Clairvoyant] 1503- 1566 ]Later stages in his life brought out skills of ‘occultism’ in him. His published work LES PROPHETIES [1555] drew mixed responses from readers. But, slowly his image of a prophetic grew and till date he and his works are held in esteem. He has the distinct credit of having predicted many major events in the world. As is true of any ‘stunning skill’, academics dismissed Nostradamus –as of being vague in predictions and that any inference could be made from his work. Leaving aside the controversies thereof, it stands to reason to recognize that Nostradamus was a rather unique person in this ability. He was practicing medicine as ‘healer’ and was quite well known in many places.

After one of his visits to Italy, he deviated from medicine and entered the domain of ‘forecasting’. In 1550 Nostradamus brought out in print the first Almanac [something like ‘Panchangam’]; it turned out so popular that he, decided to make it an annual effort compiling his skills of ‘reading into future’.  From his works some 6336 predictions are said to have been made by Nostradamus. Based on the seeming accuracy of forecasts he received requests for reading into personal profiles / future of leading members of the then society from across the world.

He used to make two or three annual publications – Almanac [detailed predictions], Prognostications or Pressages [more generalized predictions].  Nostradamus is said to have claimed of his applying Judicious Astrology.           Whether or not he practiced any exclusive strategy to interpret or suggest predictions, an array of items credited to Nostradamus is indeed stunning.  A broad list shows a grand perception, considering the events credited to his occultism

The great fire of London, The French revolution,  The rise and fall of both Adolph Hitler and Napoleon,

The two world wars   and The nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Apollo moon landing 1969,   The Space shuttle Challenger disaster 1986

The death of Princess of Whales –Diana in 1997

World trade centre Twin Tower attacks on September 11- 2001

His detractors –especially the academics seriously doubt of the veracity of claims ascribed to Nostradamus as mere statements not backed up by any indisputable evidence to show ‘how the prediction was evolved or derived at all. However there are those who do earnestly admire the precision in his works one of which predicts WWIII in 2247 in a raging fight between religions.

 A real astonishment to learn of the powers of human brain, at least among such iconic minds as those of Nostradamus.

Prof. K. Raman

REAR GUARD ACTION

 REAR GUARD ACTION

Obviously, rear guard action –though used ‘as above’ is not a single word. Truly, it is an assembly of words – “action”, “Guard” and “rear”. ALL THE THREE are independent of one another and make ‘sense’ as individual terms. But, when assembled as a phrase/ an idiom, they connote a meaning ‘somewhat’ different from three independent terms.

In essence, RGA suggests a delayed action or response or retaliation as the situation may require.

In Battle field

RGA is practiced as a delayed defence or protection of sovereignty of the land; an army which is ‘retreating’ , unable to contain the advancing enemy  slowly retraces to mainland. During the ‘retreat’, the army chooses to employ skills of thwarting the enemy  by creating hurdles,  like cutting off roads, or damaging the bridges to baffle the advancement of enemy or planting explosives on the path causing disruption of movement of men and material for the enemy.  The action may also safeguard the communication system of the domestic forces.. This kind of ‘late’ reaction against the advancing enemy is named RGA.

Cricket reporting / commentary

Another situation when RGA finds verbal expression is during the description or commentary of the’ on-going’ events in a cricket match. Yes, sometimes the most recognized batsmen on a team , fail to make good scores  to make a big fight of the match. For a paltry 103 or 104 runs 6 or 7 0f the top order batsmen have been dismissed by the rival team. Surprisingly, the lower-down players 8 /9 launch an offence by sound performance and pile up another 80-90 runs raising their score to near 200 for 7 , results in a respectable performance , besides frustrating the opponent’s  desire to bundle them out. Such late fight to save the match and pride of the team is described RGA in cricket description.  

Another instance

The use of ‘commandos’ to combat the terrorists [who had laid siege over parts of Mumbai in an attempt to terrorize civilians] also can be described as RGA because, before any salvage could occur quite some damage had been inflicted. Such late actions are typically RGA in view of the time taken.

RGA IN INSTITUTIONS

Quite a few institutions in our country slump into slumber almost as a routine and try to launch RGA more or less as a routine.

Teaching

Many teachers visit classroom as per the work stipulated. Do they visit the lessons as often and stick to work in those hours of work. At least 15-20% keep talking to students through best part of the teaching sessions –on topics not prescribed for study. They earnestly ‘believe’ that they are the most sought after on the campus. Students relish such pedestrian teaching until the fear of public examination looms large  and ‘feel’ butterflies in stomach. Thereafter, they hate the gossip mongers among teachers. These teachers abruptly come to their senses and ‘rush through’ the topics[ RGA] , leaving everything in doubt, just keen to ‘complete’ the topics. 

LEARNING

Equally bad are some learners; they stay relaxed and less attentive till about a month before the final examinations. They too swing into RGA and TRY TO ‘memorize’ cartloads of matter and suffer ‘mental fatigue’. In teaching and learning, RGA  cannot  provide the advantages of systematic approach of steady  learning through daily efforts.  Like ‘healthy living’ learning has to be a daily exercise of balanced effort. RGA is no panacea and cannot be a substitute for progressive approach to any work.

Prof. K. Raman

CASHEW [Bot : Anacardium occidentale]

 CASHEW  [Bot :  Anacardium occidentale]

Cashew has two tree forms – Tall [45 ft] dwarf [20 ft ]. T he dwarf is preferred for ease of harvest and also for its higher yield over that of the tall variety. Seemingly, there are no special efforts to maintain these evergreen trees and they do not show fastidious requirements of nutrition  or soil supplements ; often these crops occur in semi-arid landscape overlarge stretches of land.

There are two major products directly derived from these trees – the Cashew apple [fleshy pink yellow part] and the highly valued ‘seed containing’ nut. The nut is the actual fruit and the fleshy fruit-like part subtending the nut is just the stalk  tamil ‘ Kaambu= காம்பு  ]. When fully ripe, the stalk is fleshy and has a typical fruity aroma and can be eaten fresh. If not fully ripe, the fluid from the pulp can cause blisters and burn like injuries to lips and corners of the mouth.

The externally ‘unattractive ‘curved shell holds a curved seed – the actual delicacy and pride of cashew nut . The seeds could be eaten raw or fried or as additive to a variety of sweet s- solids/ semi solids or fluids along with the mesmerizing gentle aroma of ‘saffron shreds’. In view of its place of pride in all rich preparations, somehow cashew nuts have acquired a status of aristocracy while the fruit-like part is treated as one of penury.

A CLARIFICATION

It is customary to brand any ‘coming forward’ to do something quite ahead of others as ‘ Mundhirikkottai’ , purely based on a wrong understanding that in cashew , the fruit stays behind while the seed is jutting out [far ahead of the fruit itself]. Actually, what is considered a fruit is not the fruit [it being the stalk [ காம்பு]] of the fruit and the seed is actually the fruit itself by all scientific considerations. ஆகவே, முந்திரிக்கொட்டை தான் பழம் , பழம் போல தோன்றுவது காம்புப்பகுதி என்பதை அறிவோம்.]

Three major trades revolve around cashew products.

1 These are the fruit pulp trade using cashew apple.

2 The crushed fruit pulp can be put through a fermentation cycle to derive an alcoholic beverage ‘Feni” or “Fenny” quite popular in and around Goa.

3 Cashew seeds an international delicacy by its sheer taste and aroma.

There are a number of nutritional advantages from cashew. These are as under [per 100 grams of cashew nut]

Energy = 553 cal, Carbs= 30.0 g, Protein= 18.0 grams.   Saturated fat =7.7 g, Poly unsaturated fat= 7.8 g, Poly monosaturated fat= 23.8 g, Cholesterol = 0.0 mg,  Sodium = 12 mg , Dietary fibre= 3.3 g,Sugar =5.9 g

Calcium = 37.0 mg,  Iron = 6.6 mg, Potassium =680 mg,  Vitamin- C = 0.5 mg

Roasted cashew is considered very good  for health as it provides rich fibre and supplies HDL or favorable lipid and does not elevate cholesterol level.

Prof. K. Raman 

 

ITCH

 ITCH

Itch is a universal irritant. What?  Yes, itch irritates the person undergoing the agony and the on-looker gets irritated that the other person scratches every now and then and throws up a signal of ‘disrespect’ to the guest/ visitor. Honestly the sufferer never intends any disrespect to anyone; but the social disposition steps in uninvited and causes dislocations to interpersonal equations. Everyone, every now and then keeps scratching parts of self as a plain routine with no ‘conscious’ feeling that ‘I am scratching’. It does happen more or less unnoticed. But when the event turns ‘intense’, the victim suffers ‘stigmatization’ for unsociable behavior.

I place a hypothetical challenge.

Sit on the floor facing east. Watch the clock for ‘time now’. Take a pledge that for the next 5 minutes, “I shall stay steady and would not scratch my person, come what may”.  In a few seconds from the vow, you are shaken to your roots by the abrupt ‘itch’ on the tip of your nose. For a few initial moments your vow demands your sticking to determination. But, itch is more determined to knock off you and your vow together with consummate ease. Alas, you cave in; but re-register your vow to stay stoic for the next three minutes. Gladly you pass an eventless 2 minutes plus, when a ‘mega itch’ throws up on your chin and turns intolerable. With about 35 seconds to go, you succumb to the demand and liberally scratch your chin with all 4 fingers [minus the thumb] of your right hand. The moral is “never take a bet with Itch’. It can destabilize you, your pride, social status and anything else that you stand for.

If you wish to brand anything as an ‘inopportune intruder’, you can right away confer it on to itch.

Why do I suggest so?

Quite often we witness people passing through the agony of itch that tries to compete with the solemnity of the moment. In a gathering after the proceedings when National; Anthem is sung, at least a few  manage to take a few seconds of ‘scratching’ if they are in some invisible pocket in the audience. But those vulnerable to be ‘seen’ by dignitaries, soon after the session  run to a hideout to ‘kill’ the itch. The same plight had already been showcased In a COMMERCIAL CLIPPING’ promoting the sale of some ointment to quell itch; when the umpire in a play session is unable to display the intended signal , himself being under the nasty grip of itch. Such is the omnipresence of itch, that is omnipotent in killing both solemnity and personal dignity in one stroke and disappear for long thereafter.

The agony / frequency gets worse while travelling in humid crowded trains or buses , where one needs to have a hold somewhere to keep self from being thrown off balance for want of grip. Whether or not one scratches his/her head for solving some problem, [s]he scratches self almost next to breathing. That is the unanticipated arrival and unintended display of solution [scratching]  to itch.

Prof. K.Raman

 

 

 

BRINJAL, EGG PLANT, AUBERGINE [Botanically Solanum melongena ]

 BRINJAL, EGG PLANT, AUBERGINE [Botanically Solanum melongena]

How many names for a single item?  Brinjal in India, Singapore, Malaysia;  Egg plant in US/ Canada/ Australia and Aubergine in UK and Ireland. Used as a vegetable world over. The plant seems to have had its origin in Asia and Africa. This is a stuff of mixed reception among varied vegetables. Some like it, some aver it, some tolerate it and very few hail it. There is a restriction over the use of this vegetable by expectant mothers. There is an unfounded suggestion that Brinjal may affect the well being of fetus. Since, a lot of sentiments go with food prescriptions in our society, precious little can be achieved in dispelling notions.

Brinjal shares kinship with Tomato, Potato and Tobacco – all members of the same family[Solanaceae]. Curiously, Brinjal varieties differ in size, shape, colour and sheen of the fruit colour. Young fruits of brinjal are shiny and brilliant –especially the deep pink varieties. Though, a cousin of Tomato/ Potato, the fruit skin of brinjal cannot be peeled off except by steam cooking.

Fruits of brinjal are quite mealy with soft pulp studded with innumerable tiny seeds. There is no way of removing the seeds from the pulp and the total fruit is edible,including the green cap like vest [Calyx] atop the fruit. In fact, in several homes, the stub-like stalk alone is chopped off and the entire fruit with its cap is sliced and cooked.

Some varieties have fruits with pure white skin. These fruits hang like eggs in the plant. Thus the plant is called Egg plant; the fruits are also suggested to be ‘egg plants’ as discarding the suffix ‘plant’ would refer to hen’s egg .

From human health point of view, fruits of Brinjal / Egg plant offer a variety advantages through elements, fibres,   Antioxidants like Polyphenols, Lutein, Zeaxanthin and so on. Several ions as under are replenished by these fruits in our diet. About 100 grams of fruit can yield [ in milli grams]

Calcium= 9.0, Copper =0.08, Iron= 0.25 , Magnesium= 12-14 , Potassium= 117, Phosphorous= 14

The fruits do not yield high calories but are rich in Soluble fibre to about 9% Egg plants are suggested to control high blood cholesterol; also, the fruits do not enhance blood sugar . So, persons of all age can consume this vegetable.

Prof. K. Raman 

TESTING

TESTING

Testing what? Anything can be tested.  Sometimes  testing is done by ‘Tasting’  At times some of our shopkeepers [from Hindi heartland] ask us to wait saying that the electric bulb will be given after ‘tasting’ though he implies ‘testing’. In this case, while he claims to b ‘tasting’ the bulb, actually he is testing our patience by throwing up a bizarre claim of tasting the bulb.

Another tasting of bitter feeling arises when the amplifier in the public address system is set for some political meeting, when the ‘all in one’ person comes through air in a language purported to be ‘English’. He would   always ‘shout’ into the receiver ‘ALO, ALO ,ONE TU, THIRY MYKKU TESTING and would repeat ALO, ALO, ALO, ONE , KOYNGGGGG;  again after a minute ALO, ALO, ONE, TU, THIRY , MYKKU TESTING. Of course you would have deciphered, ALO= Hello, TU= 2, THIRY =3 and that KOYNGGGGG = SHRIEK sound from the amplifier circuit which reveals ‘impatience’ while testing.

Physician advises you ‘go for a blood test‘ from a specified clinical laboratory and insists that you undergo the prescribed test only from that lab as it is the most reliable testing lab. But there you find girls in the age bracket of 12-15 , moving around in Apron- clad attire and drawing samples from everyone sitting in stoic silence from a lurking fear as to ‘what they would spell out after a few hours ‘about blood status . After the time a long report is given and the Physician proclaims everything is fine except that you cut down your salt intake. “No sir, I don’t eat salt”. The angered Doctor repeats ‘Tell your people to prepare low salt recipes and forget outright the pickle in your lunch. Can I take pickle for supper”? No salt – day or night. Now, who tested whom by getting on the nerves of the other man? Both tested the patience of each other. In handling a patient, Doctors need patience if they expect Patients to call on them. A patient ought to be patient though it tests your patience . If the patient is impatient with the hospital protocols, [s]he, may become IN-PATIENT from being one of ‘out patients’.

Another Testing area,  where one needs monumental patience is ‘OPHTHALMOLOGY’ [ Eye clinic]. Real testing of patience happens here with the addition of a liquid to your eyes as ‘Pupil Dilator’. You are asked to keep your eyes shut [also your mouth]. The pupil dilator is a liberal irritant though for a few seconds. With eyes closed, the patient murmurs in pain to the white clad person visible as haze’ sister it irritates’. The sister [the white attire] reacts,” I am brother, not sister” [ he is a clergy awaiting his turn for test]. After 10 minutes or so, the assistant shines a torch into your eye and again adds dilator to the eyes, as the dilation achieved is inadequate. This time it is less irritating. One needs to go through a stream of testing stages to pinpoint the type and scale of defect in vision and the therapy needed for restoring normal vision. In eye test, everything is a testing time and testing the patient’s patience. Actually, the time spent on surgery table is rather brief if we recount for how long we had to undergo varied tests to ascertain the best course of action.

Another nightmare of test is the Entrance test for eligibility to join Profession studies. We find whole families under tree shelters [perhaps without the domestic pets] keeping their fingers crossed as to the prospect of the son/ grandson into Medicine/ Engineering or for some overseas University.  

Real testing of PATIENCE happens during Job selection Interviews.

A volley of questions is thrown to the candidates; they [the job seekers] triumphantly visit the chamber, as if the management cannot ignore his/ her  ‘candidature’.  Once the session begins the candidate slips into coma-like silence, with no firm answer to any question from Subject or GK / Current affairs or International diplomacy etc., Many are mortally afraid to open their mouth , as the fear of poor communication lays a siege on the faculty called ‘speech’. Actually, the interviewers feel cruelly fatigued by job-seekers’ silence. Life moves on /on by tests, trials and tribulations.  

 Prof. K. Raman