'Stop! No more biscuits' - by K J S Chatrath

Biscuits- Photo source Pixabay- for representation purpose only

What do you do when you are 76, have nothing to do and cannot go out of your room because of scorching heat outside? You show your best qualities as a cynic and start finding fault with everything- even the commas and full stops in the newspapers!

So when I read this newspaper report about Health Ministry  GOI’s order banning serving of biscuits in official meetings under his Ministry , I got to work.

What are the main points of this newspaper item:

(i)              Biscuits are a ‘fast food’,

(ii)            Fast food is bad for health

(iii)     Therefore no biscuits should henceforth be served during meetings in Health Ministry, and

(iv)       Instead healthier foods like almonds, akhrot nuts, dates, channa etc should be served.

And before ending let me try to clarify the distinction between ‘fast food’ and ‘junk food’. The first one relates to time of preparation and the second one to the nutritional quality.

So while a Chicken burger served in, say Mcdonald’s, may come under the category of both fast food and junk food, a milk shake served there would not be junk food but just fast food!

Biscuits are, to my mind, neither fast food nor junk food.

Agreed, no?

I must add that I love biscuits and keep on munching biscuits of various types not only during day time but also at night whenever I get up from sleep. But now with the latest advisory from Health Ministry I will have to revisit my policy of taking biscuits.

‘No biscuits, cookies, only healthy snacks in meetings: Health Ministry's circular ‘ - https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/no-biscuits-cookies-only-healthy-snacks-in-meetings-health-ministry-s-circular-119062900061_1.html

'Yoga Day 21st June' - by K J S Chatrath

Why did we choose June 21 as the Day for Yoga?

It may be a very pleasant day in the West, but in India, it is surely one of the hottest days of the year.

Special care needs to be taken so that children and Senior Citizens are not adversely impacted by the heat while participating in this very laudable salute to our ancient Yoga.

Jai Hind.

'Respectful salute to martyrs' - by K J S Chatrath

Respectful salute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in J&K while safeguarding the unity and integrity of India.

 Martyr Major Ketan Sharma 

 Martyrs Havildar Amarjeet Kumar (Left) and martyr Ajit Kumar Sahoo (Right)

JAI HIND

‘It’s Called Genocide’: Newsom Apologizes to the State’s Native Americans’ By Jill Cowan in The New York Timews

Photo with the article as published by the New York Times

 “It’s called genocide,” he said. “That’s what it was, a genocide. No other way to describe it. And that’s the way it needs to be described in the history books.” Says Governor of California, USA. 

‘It’s Called Genocide’: Newsom Apologizes to the State’s Native Americans’ By Jill Cowan.

 Read this article in the New York Times dated June 19, 2019. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/us/newsom-native-american-apology.html

'Explosive Chris Gayle is not taking any sides- or chances' - by K J S Chatrath

'Explosive' Chris Gayle is not taking any sides- or chances!

'Some good news to smile....' - by K J S Chatrath

It does not happen very often. But it did this morning. The day started with two good news in the newspaper:

First that Indian Railways have decided to drop its bizarre plan of providing facility of head and foot massage in trains. But creativity is really at work in the railways. Another news informs that free ORS packages would be distributed amongst rail passengers at two stations in Madhya Pradesh in order to help the passengers tackle heat. One sincerely hopes that Railways have factored in the possibility of huge crowd surges on these two stations with huge crowdswanting to have their packets of ORS!

The second good news is more localised but none the less relates to heat again. Weather forecast has informed of approaching rain showers for three days in the Tricity (Chandigarh-Panchkula-Mohali) starting tomorrow.

And there may be a third good news also- India hopefully wins today's cricket match. One prays that the rain Gods spare the cricket ground in UK for today so that the match is played and the better team (India, naturally!) wins!

' Respectful salute to the martyrs of CRPF' - by K J S Chatrath

 Jai Hind

Respectful salute to the following martyrs of CRPF who sacrificed their lives in Anantnag, J&K yesterday safeguarding the unity and integrity of India.

1. ASI Ramesh Kumar, resident of Jhajjar, Haryana
2. ASI Nirod Sarma, resident of Nalbari, Assam
3. CT Satendra Kumar resident of Muzaffarnagar UP
4. CT Mahesh Kr Kushwaha,resident of Gazipur UP
5. CT Sandeep Yadav, resident of Dewas MP

 JAI HIND 

 

'Massaging in Indian Railways - Some Administrative issues' - by K J S Chatrath

Oldies like me still remember Johny  Walker singing Maalish, Tel Maalish, Champi in Guru Dutt's classic 'Pyasa':  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJiohcg-gKo

And now we have a news that railways are going to introduce massage in its train. First I mis-read it as 'message' and thought that now there would be good Wi-Fi connectivity in the trains.

But alas no. It is about 'head' massage and 'foot' massage.

Planning is about setting your priorities. Though I am a great admirer of Indian Railways (IR), but I do not quite understand their priorities. What are railways for? For transporting people (and goods)  from one station to another. So obviously what is important is the railway journey and not the five or ten minutes that one may be spending on the railways stations. But sadly, IR thinks otherwise. It wants to make the railways stations look like airports even if for doing this it has to take financial and technical help from foreign countries.

And as if this were not enough, they are starting masssage services.  May be they  think that some people who go to some foreign countries to get 'massage' done would now flock to the trains of IR instead.

They are planning to monetize these services and hope to earn about Rs. 20 lakhs per year from this.

For this 3-5 masseurs would be provided in each train. Of course I have some doubts:

(i) Would a cadre of 'masseurs' be introduced  in the already bloated manpower of the railways?

(ii) Since one can not discriminate on the basis of sex, so the same service will have to be provided to interested lady passengers too. So there would be a seperate cadre of 'Lady Masseurs' too?

(iii) Would they be sporting a seperate uniform?

(iv) Recruitment Rules will have to be put in place for these two cadres;

(v) Would Railway Board conduct the recruitment exams or a separate organisation be set up for that?

(vi) Would the recruitment process also include a demonstration of massaging skills by the candidates? 

(vii) Would there be a separate set of Conduct Rules for  masseurs;

(viii) Would a centralized Training Institute be set up to train them?

(ix) Would they be sent abroad to study methods of massaging in various countries.
 
(x) What would be the promotional avenues for these cadres- posts of 'Head Masseurs' and 'Principal Head Masseurs'?

(xi) Who would write the annual confidential reports of these personnel- persons who avail of this service or the TTE?

(xii) Would they be entitled to pensionry benefits and yearly bonus?

(xiii) Would the massaging facilities be provided in all classes (Imagine passengers in Shatabadi trains getting massaging in full view of the 70 passengers of the coach 😆?)

I am sure I have missed out  quite a few problem areas.

My Take:

(i) Please improve the level of cleanliness in the railways instead of coming out with such original schemes. 

(ii) Mandate of the railways is NOT to provide massaging facilities but to efficiently transport people and goods.

'New Navy Chief suggests simplicity in functions & protocol' - by Manu Pabby ET

In first address, Navy Chief launches all-out attack on VIP culture

New Navy chief advocates for regulations on ceremonial practices to cut down on wasteful expenditure....By Manu Pubby

So very refreshing.

Read more at:
//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/69657942.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

'In praise of beauty' - by K J S Chatrath

Today I was thumbing through an old 2006 issue of Time Newsmagazine and was happy to find the photo of one of my favourite actresses- Charlize Theron....

If you don't know who she is, then I will only say 'What a pity'!

'Respectful salute to rafter who died saving two tourists in Kashmir' - by K J S Chatrath

                                                                                              (Photo source: internet)

Respectful salute to late Rouf Ahmad Dar who lost his life saving 2 tourists in Kashmir.

Jai Hind!

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/kashmiri-rafter-dies-saving-2-tourists-hailed-as-hero/781884.html

'Persons you dont like...' - by K J S Chatrath

😡

There are persons you do not like.

 For no particular reason.

 In fact for no logical reason.

It is just that you do not like them.

The person who tops such list of mine is film producer Karan Johar!

'Katrina, Kaif and all that rummy' - by K J S Chatrath

This is an old joke but good for a repeat.

Hurricane Katrina was an extremely destructive and deadly Category 5 hurricane that made landfall on Florida and Louisiana in August 2005, causing catastrophic damage; particularly in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. The death toll numbering 1833 exposed the incompetence of USA's Federal Emergancy Management Authority (FEMA). 

 Katrina Kaif, talented Indian actress.

 

 Md. Kaif- welknown Indian cricket player who was at his zenith in 2005 when Katrina had struck the USA.

Katrina Kaif & Md. Kaif posing for a picture for the fans.

So, this is  the story of Katrina Kaif!