The Agony of the Aged

I am in the mid- eighties. The lessons from the Whatsapp University where I am registered contain many forwards, videos and audios extolling the virtues of developing a detached view of life and matters.  Spirituality, as opposed to indulgence in worldly pursuits, is suggested as the mantra for daring the inevitable extinction of life.  For the body, some minimal physical activity like walking and for the mind, some form of meditation is recommended. I have tried but failed. 

  Let me begin with my attempt to walk 30 minutes a day for at least   5 days a week.  My problem is choosing the 5 days.  Should they be successive 5 days or odd/even or random five days?  Should weekends Saturdays and Sundays and other holidays be excluded?   Should they be in the mornings or evenings or some days in the morning and other days in the evening?  Of course, I have duly invested in buying the appropriate footwear, shorts, T-shirts, caps, and even a walking stick but the choice problem is looming so large that the walks have yet to begin.

 Next, about the minimum aerobic exercises for keeping the body trim and the BMI within limits. . Here too I am not able to start because the question of whether to do them before or after the morning ablutions has yet to be reconciled.  The only thing I am able to practice regularly is the Savasana suggested to do in the end. Many a day, it extends to almost 15 minutes against the recommended 3 minutes.

Controlling the diet to keep away cholesterol, BP, diabetes, and the inevitable obesity by avoiding the Five Whites, i.e. salt, sugar, butter, milk, and maida, is easier said than done.  While sugar has been discontinued in my coffee and tea,   I cannot eat sugar/saccharin-less cake, pastry, jalebi or rosogolla.

In our youth, there was no internet and digital compulsion.  Railway tickets were obtained across the counter after waiting for hours and for journeys when berths were available.  All payments were on a cash basis and overdue settlement was interest-free. No EMI on credit card entailing exorbitant interest charges.    Online purchases were unheard of. Therefore, there was no fear of disclosing OTP or passwords to unauthorized persons. Memorizing the Aadhaar and PAN card numbers did not arise... The balances in my Bank Savings Accounts were safe. The Bank Cashier was a friend though he made one wait while he sipped tea or chatted with his colleague. No ATMs to expose your Balance of mind and money.   Fraudsters are on the prowl.  One cannot pin them down for stealing one’s PIN.   The online customer care number,  though accessible 24/7, is vexatious enough to offer unwanted options except the chance to speak to some person for airing a problem other than those included in the programmed menu of options.

All in all, I am in a fix not able to go spiritual, keep my body and mind healthy,  protect even my meager bank balance or cope with the challenges of the internet and digital technology.  Will they or I pass before long.?

ReplyForward

 The Octal Numbering System

The current events celebrating 8 years of rule induced me to research to see if there exists a numbering system with a base of 8. By Jove, or rather by Byju the eEdu expert, such a system does exist used in computers

Mortals like us are used to the decimal system of numbers which uses 10 as the base. A number, say 1064, is explained as 1x10^3+0x10^2+6x10^1+4x10^0 + 1000+0+6x10+4x1= 1000+0+60+4+ 1064. We have used the successive powers of 10 from 0 to 3 in the direction right to left. In the Octal system, we use various powers of 8 to write a  number.  So, our number 1064 in the decimal system would be written as 1x8^3+0x8^2+6x8^1+4x8^0 =512+0+48+4x8^0 =512+48+8=568

In the normal course of our lives, we are so used to the decimal system that we celebrate major events like birth and wedding anniversaries on completion of one, ten, fifty, sixty, hundred, and so on, all multiples of 10. A decade is 10 years and a generation is 25 years.  Film producers celebrate 100 days from the date of a film’s release as a major event. For Kangana Ranavat, the octal system would give a different number for our year of real independence.

 The Octopus, which is an eight-limbedmollusk mollusk, should be comfortable in the octal system, while we humans have to find new uses for our extra two fingers in our hands and toes. The time is ripe for us in India, after Aryabhata who devised the decimal system of positional numeration, to change to the Octal system of numbers.

 

Who is Who in India?

The recent NSE scam resulting in the sacking and subsequent arrest of its CEO has once more confused me as regards names and their associated gender identity.  Except once in the beginning when newspaper and TV channels mentioned the scamster’s name Chitra Ramakrishna, led me to think that the accused is a woman by the name Chitra.  However, in subsequent reports of the scam the name mentioned was   Ramakrishna, an unambiguous male name.  . Mercifully for me, the accompanying photo was that of a middle-aged woman thus ending my confusion. Similarly, when  Prabha  Narasimhan’s recent elevation in Colgate & Palmolive was announced in newspapers with her photo, I had no doubt that she was a woman; but two paragraphs down in the report where the profile appeared,  the name was  Narasimhan,   an obviously male name.  It made me wonder why the impressive profile of a male should find a place in an announcement of the elevation of a woman.  

What is the name of the Chief Executive Officer of Alphabet and its subsidiary Google? Is it Pichai or Sundar?  His own company Google mentions, “ Pichai Sundararajan, better known as Sundar Pichai ……, Pichai earned his degree from IIT ……..” and records the names of his spouse, parents, and children in two parts with  Pichai as a common second part. Am I to infer that his given name is Pichai though he is usually referred to as Sundar Pichai? As one of the richest men in the USA, his name as Sundar (handsome) Pichai (donation) appears appropriate!

After the Adhaar card and Passport, I leave it to you to choose for my name one or the other from   Venkata Raman Arunachalam or Arunachalam Venkata Raman or A. V . Raman.     

 

Kohli's Resignation

 

It has happened, the worst-feared catastrophe; Virat Kohli has announced his resignation as captain of our Test cricket team suddenly in the wake of losing the series against South Africa.  The news has hit the nation like a thunderbolt.  Newspapers are carrying analysis of this national tragedy in column after column by everyone connected with cricket. BCCI officials, sports correspondents, cricketers  past and present, his team mates, managers, coaches, support staff and cricket fans from across the country, advertisers et al, are dissecting this with reference to its timing like when BCCI President is recuperating from his recent illness, the oncoming series in SriLanka, and not the least elections in five States. Not to be left behind, TV channels are beaming the news in every edition besides conducting panel discussions on the impact of this Tsunami on the future of Indian cricket with particular reference to The World Cup, The ICC Cup etc.  The emotional tribute by his wife Anushka Sharma and other Hollywood persona is particularly heart rending.  Short of an official Gazette Notification from Government, every other form of communication like social, print and electronic media has come into play carrying  the poignancy created  by  this  news of the decade. Twitter is agog with this unexpected calamity wondering what would happen to the moneybag Corporates bidding for cricketers for IPL and sponsors like Byju.   

There is also the question regarding his successor as captain causing great anguish. Will  he  a batter like  Rohit Sharma or K.L.Rahul or, for a change, a wicket keeper captain like Rishabh Pant or a pace bowler captain  like Jasprit Bumrah.  Social commentator and columnist  like Santosh Desai in his weekly column in The Times of India has addressed this earth shaking news under the caption “A Resignation Foretold” and discussed the matter threadbare including   Kohli’s souring relationship with BCCI. He  asks “ Was it Kohli’s growing unpopularity with a vocal section because of his advocacy of a cracker-free Diwali and his standing up for Shami when he was being trolled communally ? ” He also says that BCCI has decided to do what politicians excel at – insert itself into a situation and mess it up thoroughly  without a plan and no clear successor in place .

In the Indian context the views and opinions of two other cricket aficionados, Ram Chandra Guha and Shashi Tharoor will be eagerly watched.