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Random Thoughts and Collection Including Medical Tips
Random Thoughts and Collection Including Medical Tips
Random Thoughts and Collection Including Medical Tips
Tuesday 18th November 2008: Times of India
Mindbender: If E times ILE equals BANISH, and TE times T equals BOOK, what does TO
times IN equal? Choices: a. breathes b.teaser
c.rutabaga d.poison e.copper.128
Answer: POISON: (Replace every instance of the word ³times´ with an µX¶.)
c
cMy Pension Pay Order: PPO number:
c Mother:c
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If you smoke, particularly in your house, your children will likely suffer from more ears,
nose and chest infections from the second hand smoke than if you don¶t smoke.
The Hindu: What is the easiest way to avoid winter colds and flu?
Wash your hands often. Hand washing is important since disease is transmitted by touching
doorknobs, telephones, and desktops, where germs live. A 2005 study showed that hand washing p
cut children¶s risk of pneumonia and diarrhea in half.
Newscape: New word entry:c, a word that suggests lack of enthusiasm, has beaten other
contenders to become the latest addition to the Collins English Dictionary.
cc ! ³Scintillating´ is pronounced µsin-ti-late-ing¶. The µC¶ is silent. - Word of
Latin origin, meaning µto sparkle¶. A conversation that is µscintillating¶ is witty, interesting and
clever.
What is the meaning of the expression Ñbeginning to grow on someone´?
When we meet someone for the first time, we may not like the person. As we interact with him
more and more, we slowly begin to like him. This is the meaning of this expression. This can be
used with things as well.
³The first time I heard the song, I didn¶t like it. Now it¶s beginning to grow on me.´
Times of India: To avoid back pain, make sure to sit up straight and keep your feet slightly
raised off the floor on a footstool, especially in front of a computer. Get up and walk around the
office or step outside for a break at least every half an hour.
The Hindu: What is the oldest health care system in the world?
Before TCM-Traditional Chinese Medicine- there was Ayurveda, the ancient medical system of
India.Ayurvedic medicine dates back to 6,000 years ago. Ayurveda roughly translates as ³The
Science of Life´.
Times of India: To avoid stress, express your feelings in a non-combative way to significant
people in your life. Don¶t wait for the pressure to build up and then blow your top. Catch the
anger or concern before it causes you stress.
c" TOI, 21, Nov 2008: WHATZIT? ³ INVISIBLE INSANE´ and ³BLIND
IDIOT´. These simply remind us of the proverb ³Out of sight, out of mind´.
Dear Nandhu: 1. I am always excited 2. I tell people where things are at. 3. You can play a game
on me. 4. I am very rich. 5. I give percentages 6.I always look up. 7. And«8. I look like a
twinkling thing in the sky. 9. I keep your things to my right. 10. I keep your things to my left
safely. What are we?
Answer: The numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 0 on a key board when you hold the shift button
down.
Idiom a day: ³Trip the light fantastic´ is to dance. John Milton in L¶ Allegro originated the
expression. (1632):
³Come and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastick toe.´
The idiom was given currency in James W. Blake¶s immensely popular song, µthe Sidewalks of
New York. (1894).
Dear Nandhu: TOI, 21-11-2008: ³Almost´ is the most commonly used longest word in the
English language with all the letters of the word formed in alphabetical order.
Dear Nandhu: TOI, 22-11-2008: Mindbender; each sentence below contains a word that can be
anagrammed to answer or describe the sentence.
Example: Craft that might tip in the ocean.
Answer: Canoe (anagram of Ocean)
1 Writings of a steno: Ans: Notes (anagram of Steno)
2 They affix without paste: Ans: Tapes (anagram of paste)
Having less reason for fears: Ans: Safer (anagram of fears)
Animal that may need a shoer; Ans; Horse (anagram of shoer)
In 1883 the explosion of the volcano Karakatoa released so much dust into the earth¶s
atmosphere that sunsets appeared green and the moon appeared blue for almost two years.
Dear Nandhu: A joke: Q: How can you prevent diseases caused by biting insects?
A: Don¶t bite any.
Swimming regularly in chlorinated pools is not a good idea because you absorb more chlorine in
one swimming session than by drinking chlorinated water for a whole week. Chlorine intake has
been linked to cancer, birth defects, miscarriages and asthma.
Idiom a day: Ñ
indicates an impending disaster- alludes to the legend of
Damocles, a servile courtier to King Dionysius I of Syracuse. The king, weary of Damocles¶
obsequious flattery, invited him to a banquet and seated him under a sword hung by a single hair,
so as to point out to him the precariousness of his position. The idiom was first recorded in 1747.
The same story gave rise to the expression ³Hang by a thread´.
Some energy drinks contain the caffeine equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, yet the amount of
caffeine is often not specified. Scientists are now suggesting that energy drinks prominently
display the caffeine content on the label and also warn of potential health risks.
Organic products cannot be irradiated and are not allowed to contain preservatives or flavour
enhancing chemicals. They also cannot contain traces of heavy metals or other contaminants in
excess of the levels set by the FDA.
The only two animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit
and the parrot.
The Hindu, 24-11-2008,Education plus, Brainbytes: After which French man is the SI derived
unit of Young¶s Modulus and tensile strength named?
Answer: Blaise Pascal. The unit is Pascal.
Times of India, Monday, 24-11-2008:Dear Nandhu: ³ An iron horse with a flaxen tail. The faster
the horse runs, the shorter his tail becomes. What is it?
Answer: A needle and thread.
Avoid taking non-prescription pain relievers more than three times a week because you may get
rebound headaches. They are usually triggered once the effect of the reliever wears off,
prompting you to take another dose. Eventually, you get a headache whenever you stop taking
the medicine
The Hindu: Monday: How much water my body need each day?
According to Mayo Clinic, it takes an average of eight cups of water to replace what your body
loses every day. Add 1 to 2 cups when moderately exercising. Two to three cups for strenuous
exercise.
Times of India:
Mindbender: If E times ILE equals BANISH, and TE times T equals BOOK, what does TO
times IN equal? Choices: a. breathe b.teaser c.rutabaga d.poison e.copper.
Answer: POISON: (Replace every instance of the word ³times´ with an µX¶.
If you smoke, particularly in your house, your children will likely to suffer from more ear, nose
and chest infections from the second hand smoke than if you don¶t smoke
³That would be my husband«he¶s a pain in the neck.
More people see a doctor for chronic back pain than any other kind of pain. Next are headaches
and migraines, neck and facial pain. The annual cost of chronic pain in the U.S. is 100 billion
dollars.
What is Royal disease? Hemophilia is the answer. The blood will not stop oozing from an
opening. Queen Victoria was suffering from this. If father has this daughter is likely to inherit; if
mother has this, the son is likely to inherit. (Ibid).
Times of India: Dear Nandhu, ³What quality do the following letters have in common?
B D G J P R U Answer: They have a combination of curved and straight lines. C O and S
are mere curves. Q is circular with a tail. Other letters are formed with straight lines.
aa is a type of sandstone, flexible enough to bend, yet hard enough to sharpen
knives. ù
WILD YAM has anti-inflammatory properties and is used to help reduce the pain of rheumatoid
arthritis. Herbalists use wild yam to treat colic, flatulence and irritable bowel syndrome. It also
helps in relaxing muscles and reducing pain due to menstrual cramps and endometriosis.
Times of India: ³Wisetrack: ³ No one has ever loved anyone the way everyone wants to be
loved´,
Fact of the matter: A chicken with red earlobes will produce brown eggs, and a chicken with
white earlobes will produce white eggs.
IDIOM-A-Day: BROWN BAGGER: ³ they are people who bring their own supplies. In U.S. a
brownbagger is a workman who takes his lunch in a brown paper bag rather than using the
cafeteria etc; or one who takes his own liquor to a club or a restaurant where alcoholic drinks are
not available
Health Facts: Aloe vera juice has natural detoxifying abilities. Drinking the juice regularly
improves bowel regularity and increases protein absorption, at the same time decreasing
unfriendly bacteria and yeast. It also adds a rich supply of building
materials to produce and maintain healthy skin.
The Hindu, Saturday: ³GRAFFITI´: µThe trouble with child psychology is that children don¶t
understand it¶.
Newscape: ³Green is good´: Even looking at images of greenery can improve mental process
leave alone spending time in the midst of nature, research has found.
Idiom-a-day: Times of India, Tuesday, December 23, 2008: ³Signed, Sealed, and Delivered´: is
to complete the job in hand, satisfactorily and completely.
Usage: ³I finally finished my research paper signed, sealed and delivered´.
This idiom refers to a legal deed duly signed, sealed with a wax seal, and delivered to the new
owner. Later it took a general meaning. Began its usage from mid 1900¶s.
Dear Nandhu: Learn an Idiom: The Hindu: Young World: Tuesday, December 23, 2008: ³Why
is Asha always wanted in the kitchen?
She has a head like a sieve.
A person who has a head like a sieve is extremely forgetful or has a short memory. A sieve is a
kitchen utensil.
One more! ³What did Chetan tell the billiards player´?
I¶ll take my cue from you!
Following somebody¶s example or advice is known as taking a cue from that person. A cue is a
stick used to play the game of billiards.
Pothigai T.V, 24-12-2008: 7.00 p.m: From which plant is Vanilla Essence extracted?
Answer: From Poppy, known as Khas Khas popularly.
Dear Nandhu: Times of India, Thursday, December 25, 2008: While I am in air, I
am not in Oxygen. I am also in water, but not in Hydrogen. I am necessary in all animals, but
you won¶t find me in the zoo. Look in all brains and you will find me there too. What am I?
Answer: The letter µA¶.
The liver of a polar bear contains so much Vitamin A, that it can be fatal if eaten by a human.
A good joke: My wife has an electric blender, toaster, and bread maker. Then she said, µThere
are too many gadgets, and no place to sit¶, so I bought her an electric chair.
!##cc$%&'#($" An also-ran is a loser, failure or an unsuccessful individual. To
end up among the also-rans is to end up on the losing side.
Usage: Jim auditioned for the part, but he knew he did poorly and would end up among the also-
rans.
c
c)* A teaspoon of the powdered pomegranate skin taken with water, early in the
morning will not only purify the blood but will also serve as a good de-worming agent.
c The Hindu, dated 27-12-2008, Saturday: µ Is it important to sleep in a dark
room?¶
Darkness is a key factor in human health. Our bodies are designed to sleep in total darkness.
Studies show that the more your sleep is disrupted by light, the greater the risk of developing
cancer. (By Bron Smith.)
!##ccSaturday, December 27, 2008: Times of India: ³pick holes in¶: «is to find fault
with that thing. The older phrase was to pick a hole in one¶s coat, thus a hole in one¶s coat is a
blot on one¶s reputation.
There are around 3,000 snake species in the world, and about 375 of these are venomous.
c
c" Times of India: Friday, 26-12-2008: µMindbender¶:
I am used to bat with,
Yet I never get a hit.
I am near a ball,
Yet it is never thrown,
Who am I? Answer: Eyelashes.
+!cc !##ccc,-cc. « is to exceed the limits of what is normally done and
to be innovative. Sample usage: ³ they are really pushing the envelope in using these fabrics for ·
their winter line.´ This idiom comes from aviation
Idiom-a-day: (Ibid). ³Drum Out´: «is to expel or dismiss publicly and in disgrace.
Usage: µThey drummed him out of the club because he was so disruptive¶.
A joke: µ What is the difference between a new husband and a new dog?¶
µAfter one year, the dog is still excited to see you¶.
Idiom-a-day; Monday, December 29, 2008: Times of India: ³ cool one¶s heels´
Means µto wait or be kept for a long time, after an appointment has been given one¶.
Usage: I¶ve been cooling my heels in the doctor¶s waiting room for at least an hour.
(Very useful idiom-S.S.)
Dear Nandhu: (Ibid); What rare characteristic do these words all share?
DEVIL, SINNED, GOD, WARTS. Answer: Each word makes another word when spelled
backwards-µ lived, Dennis, dog, straw.
Ibid: The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar
surrendered after 38 minutes.
Ibid: µwisetrack¶: No one is satisfied with his fortune, nor dissatisfied with his intellect.
Sanskrit lives on: Times of India, 29-12-2008, page15: Sanskrit originated about 4,000 years
ago. Professor Satya Vrat Sastry, recipient of Jnanpith (42 nd) Award this year-2008- is an
eminent creative and critical writer in Sanskrit, has published over 7,000 stanzas in Sanskrit. His
Sri Rama Kirti Mahakavyam has run into three editions of 1,000 copies each.
He says that new words are being coined in Samskritam, to keep up with the scientific
developments of today.
He says, Stethoscope is called URASSRAVA YANTRA and computer is called SAM
GANAKA YANTRA.
Prof. Sastri had taught the language to Thailand¶s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Monier Williams: Page217: Uras, means the chest, breast, bosom.
Monier Williams: Page343: Ganaka, means counting, enumerating, one who reckons.
Some notes from The Hindu (T.H) and Times of India (TOI), dated, Tuesday, December 30,
2008:
The cocoa plant¶s botanical name, THEOBROMA CACAO literally means µfood of the gods¶.
(T.H.)
Tailpiece: ³ Politics is just show business for ugly people. (Jay Leno.³
Mars and Venus´: Ah, women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent. ±
(Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche). (For my ³VIVAHAM´ next edition.)
Dear Nandhu: A young scientist urged people to sign a petition demanding a ban on the
chemical µdi hydrogen mono oxide¶.
He said the chemical, is a major component in acid rain and can cause severe burns in gaseous
form and causes erosions and makes automobile brakes ineffective
Almost 86% of the people supported the ban; twelve per cent were undecided; only 2%
recognized the substance for what it was: WATER!
³How gullible are we´? was the title of the scientist¶s project.
TOI: Idiom ±a- day: ³ On the dot ³: To be on the dot is to be precisely or exactly on
Usage: ³ We have to be there at eight O¶ clock on the dot´. . The dot in the idiom is the
mark appearing on the face of a watch or clock indicating the time in question. It may
have originated from the earlier µto a dot¶ meaning µexactly¶, which was used in the
Health facts: Bitter gourd (pakar kaai-S. S) is highly beneficial in the treatment of blood
disorders like boils, scabies, itching, psoriasis and other fungal diseases. When taken with
lime juice, it improves general health.
From µThe Hindu¶ and µTimes of India¶ dated, Wednesday, December 31, 2008:
Health facts: Clinical trials conducted by scientists indicate that µgreen tea¶ increases metabolic
rates, speeds up fat oxidation and improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.
Idiom-a-day: ³Wing it´: To wing it, is to improvise. A person called suddenly to perform on
stage has to wing it.
An example of its usage: ³ She didn¶t really have an explanation for her friend; she was just
winging it´.
The reason why flamingos are pink is because they eat shrimp, which have a red pigment.
From Vaidika Sri- January 2009 issue; Page 38.
The bridegroom¶s feet are washed with water as soon as he enters the marriage hall, by the
father-in-law to be, as the groom is considered as an incarnation of Mahavishnu. Yet, after the
ablution, the feet should be adorned only with sandalwood paste and never with saffron
(kumkumam.) The same is true while washing the feet of Suvasinis, Kanyas, and Sumangalis at
the time of performing Sumangali Prarthana etc. The feet of Vedic Acharyas also should not be
adorned with Kumkumam, on the occasion of performing Sraaddham. So say Dharma Sastras.
(Suvasinee poojai, Kanya poojai, Samaaraadhanai, Sumangali Prarthanai, Sraadham pondra
nikazhchikalil poojikka padupavar ukkum, Thirumanathil Mappillaikkum Kaal alambum podhu,
kaalkalil kumkumathai idak koodaathu. Chandanam mattum idalaam.)
(Suitable for my next Vivaham edition).
From Mangayar Malar, P!c 1 January 2009, page 186. (Suited for my next
Vivaham edition).
µPathu¶ poruthangal paarthu, µNava¶ Grahankalum aadharavaaha, µEnn¶ thikkilum irundhu
uravinarkalai azhaithu, µSapta¶ padhigal chutri, µAru¶ chuvai unavinai makizhnthu alithu,
µPancha¶ bhoothangal saakshiyaka, µChathur¶ Vedangal chirappaai olithida, µMoondru¶
mudichinai manamagalukku muditida, ³Iru¶ manamum inainthanave! µOru¶ manamaayitre,
Thirumanamaai!
From The Hindu and Times of India, January, 1st. 2009, Thursday:
Idiom- a- day: ³ Wild Horses´. When people say, µ wild horses couldn¶t drag me µ, they mean
that nothing or nobody could persuade them.
An example of its usage: ³Wild horses couldn¶t drag me to that movie- it¶s four hours long!´
This idiom is believed to have replaced µwild horses couldn¶t draw it from me¶, referring to the
medieval torture of using horses to stretch a ptisoner to force a confession.
Polar bears are excellent swimmers. They have been known to swim more than sixty miles å
without rest.
Health Facts: Peaches are wonderful to eat when on a weight loss programme because of their
diuretic, depurative and detoxifying properties. They help in reducing rheumatic pain and arterial
hypertension.
Wisetrack:´ Take care of the minute, for the hours will take care of themselves´.
The Hindu: ³Newscape´: Diapers for donkeys: Donkeys have been banned from walking on the
streets of Egypt¶s al- Wadi al- Gadeed governorates without wearing diapers, an official said.
Saturday, January 03, 2009: The Hindu: Health Capsules: Where is the best place on the plane to
avoid air-sickness?
Sit as close to the wing as possible to avoid airsickness. Avoid the rear of the plane because it is
the farthest from the center and you will feel more up-and ± down motion during turbulent
weather.
Dear Nandhu, (Times of India): ³They are three errers in this puzzle- what are they?´
Answer: Spelling for µerrers¶; it should be µthere¶ instead of µthey¶; there are only two errors.
The male howler monkey of Central and South America is the noisiest land animal. It can be
heard clearly from a distance of ten miles.
!c2 3c ³My girl friend and I are perfect for each other, she loves me and I love
myself too«´ (For my next edition).
Idiom-a-day: ³Hold the Fort´: To hold the fort is to keep things running during the absence of
others. Hold the fort is assuming responsibility, especially in another¶s absence and maintaining
a secure position.
Usage: µHarry did a good job of holding the fort until his mother returned¶.
Health Facts: Mulberries have a strong anti-inflammatory and antiseptic property. They are used
to clean the blood and fresh the system. People with acid saturated bodies, gout and arthritis are
advised to eat mulberries.
(For my next ³Vivaham´ edition). From ³Narayaneeyam´, Canto
79,Marriage of Rukmini, Book, Page 240, Slokas 4,5,6 and 7.
Times of India: Sunday, January 04, 2009: Dear Nandhu: Mindbender: µWhat does this rebus
represent? ABDFGHJKLMNOPQRSUVXYZ:
Answer: ³twice removed´- - The letters ³TWICE´ have been removed from the alphabet, hence
the phrase.
Health Facts: Cranberry helps in treating urinary tract infections, particularly cystitis, in women.
Small amounts of cranberries may help lower levels of calcium in urine, thereby preventing
stone formation
Idiom-a-day: FLY BLIND: To fly blind is to feel one¶s way and proceed by guesswork.
Usage: ³ There are no directions for assembling this air plane model, so I¶m flying blind´.
Idiom-a-day: Thursday, January 08, 2009: Times of India: ³ To talk like a Dutch Uncle´: To
talk like a Dutch uncle is to reprove firmly but kindly. Dutch Uncle is a stern, candid critic or
advisor.
Usage: µ When I got in trouble with the teacher again, the principal talked to me like a Dutch
Uncle¶. pp
This expression alludes to the sternness and sobriety attributed to the Dutch. It has been in use
since the early 1800s.
Health Facts: Brazil nuts have anti-cancer properties due to their exceptionally high levels of
Selenium. They are also very effective incurring anaemia, tuberculosis and malnourishment.
If darkness makes you shiver, then it may be a case of ACHLUOPHOBIA. Other children like
animals a lot, but if you don¶t, it is called AGRIZOOPHOBIA. Is it difficult for you to move
closer to the kitchen when the stove is burning? Then you may be suffering from
ARSONPHOBIA, fear of fire.
Fear of stairs of steep slopes is BATHMOPHOBIA
At school, children fear of being ridiculed or laughed at by their friends and classmates, that fear
is called CATAGELOPHOBIA.
Would you rather suffer from toothache instead of visiting your dentist? DENTOPHOBIA is
how that fear is called.
Are you afraid of your dad punishing you for breaking your new toy, it is POINEPHOBIA.
SOME PHOBIAS:
Fear of long words: Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Fear of beds: Clinophobia
Fear of children: Paedophobia
Morbid fear of sleep and falling asleep: Hypnophobia
Morbid fear of insanity: Lyssophobia
Fear of crossing the road: Dromophobia
Fear of ugly people: Unatractiphobia
Fear of trivia about phobias: Phobatrivaphobia.
Swan Crime: A Muslim man who was so hungry while fasting during the holy month of
Ramzan that he killed a mute swan at a boating pond to eat was jailed for two months in Britain.
(Newscape, The Hindu).
Dear Nandhu: µMind bender¶: What is so incredible about the sentence below?
A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough;
after falling into a slough, he coughed, houghed, and hiccoughed.
Hint: There are nine things you would want to notice.
Answer: There are nine occurrences of the letters µough¶ with a different pronunciation (though
it may depend on where you are from).
Wisetrack: To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
The planet PLUTO was named by 11-year old Venetia Phair (a girl) of Epsom Surrey, England,
in 1930.
Banana: This common fruit is considered to have aphrodisiac powers ± not only because its
shape, but also its creamy lush texture. The enzyme Bromelain present in bananas enhances male
performance.
Chocolate: This contains both a sedative which relaxes and lowers inhibitions and a stimulant to
increase the desire for physical contact. Which may explain why it was banned from some
monasteries centuries ago.
Avocado: The Aztecs called the Avocado tree Ahuacuatl, which literally translated means
µtesticle tree¶.
Basil: Sweet basil is said to stimulate sex drive and boost fertility. It¶s also touted to produce a
general sense of well being for the body and mind.
Coriander: The Arabian Nights narrates a tale of a merchant who¶d been childless for 40 years
was cured by a concoction that included coriander.
Garlic: The µheat¶ in garlic stirs sexual desires.
Ginger: Ginger root raw, cooked or crystallized stimulates the circulatory system.
Honey: Many Egyptian potions were based on honey, including cures for sterility and impotence.
Medieval seducers plied their partners with Mead, a fermented drink using honey. Lovers on
their honeymoon drank mead considered to µsweeten¶ marital ties. Compare, µMadhuparkam¶,
offered to the bridegrooms on the day of the marriage²(S.S).
Mustard: Believed to stimulate the sexual glands and increase desire.
Nutmeg: (Jathikkai in Tamizh): Highly praised by Chinese women as an aphrodisiac. In quantity
it creates a hallucinogenic effect.
Perfumes made of natural foodstuffs like almond, vanilla, Chinese herbs and spices act as a
pheromone to communicate emotions by smell. The scent and flavour of vanilla increase lust.
Bunker Pia Jha, says µRaspberries and strawberries are perfect for hand feeding your man. High
in vitamin C, they make for great post-sex stimulants. Both are described in erotic literature as
fruit nipples. Caffeine too, in small amounts, stimulates the body and mind for an µall-nighter¶.
Health Facts: µPumpkin seeds are used to enlarge the prostate glands. They also reduce the
formation of calcium oxalate crystals, which lead to bladder stones. Zinc in the fruit is also vital
to the immune system as it helps in improving resistance and wound-healing capacity.
On October 12, 2008, Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California, USA, ate 45 slices of Pizza in 10 p
minutes.
A good Joke from The Hindu, Dated 12-1-2009, Monday, from Metroplus pages/ page2.
Announcement with a twist: Some welcome message, this from the pilot!
³ We are pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. . . Unfortunately none
of them are on this flight . . .!´
Occasionally, airline flight attendants make an effort to make the ³in-flight safety lecture´ a bit
more entertaining. Here is one. p·
³ There may be fifty ways to leave your lover, but there are only six ways out of this airplane . .
.´
The pilot again. ³ Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the
seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay inside the plane till we
land . . .it¶s a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern.´ And,
then, these came after landing.
³ As you exit the plane, please make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind
will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.´
From Times of India, Monday, January 12, 2009 Wisetrack: You will always find time to do the
things you want to do.
Health Facts: Coconut is good to develop the thorax and has a terrific effect on the nerves. It is
also good for arteriosclerosis problems. It plays an important part in the metabolic process of
polyunsaturated fatty acids and prevents the development of free radicals,
Random Thoughts and Collection including C0llections, including Medical Tips.
If you smoke, particularly in your house, your children will likely suffer from more ear, nose and
chest infections from the second hand smoke than if you don¶t smoke. p
The Hindu: What is the easiest way to avoid winter colds and flu?
Wash your hands often. Hand-washing is important since touching doorknobs, telephones, and
desktops, where germs live, transmits disease. A 2005 study showed that hand washing cut
children¶s risk of pneumonia and diarrhea in half.
Newscape: New word entry: ³Meh´, a word that suggests lack of enthusiasm, has beaten other
contenders to become the latest addition to the Collins English Dictionary.
Know your English: ³Scintillating´ is pronounced µsin-ti-late-ing¶. The µC¶ is silent. - word of
Latin origin, meaning µto sparkle¶. A conversation that is µscintillating¶ is witty, interesting and
clever.ty, interesting and clever.
Dear Nandhu: The Hindu, Education plus, Nov 17/24, 2008:After which Frenchman is the SI
unit of Young¶s Modulus and tensile strength named?
Answer: Blaise Pascal. The unit is Pascal.
Times of India: The average adult loses about two quarts of water daily through
perspiration,urination,bowel movements and breathing. This water needs to be replaced because
the body does not store an extra supply. To keep your body well hydrated, drink eight to twelve
cups of water throughout the day.
Idiom-a-day: OUT of WHOLE CLOTH: When something is out of whole cloth it is based
entirely on falsehood, fabrication and fiction.
In 1800¶s it was common practice for tailors to deceive the customers and, instead of using
whole cloth, actually made garments from piece goods. Their advertising slogan,´ Cut out of p
whole cloth´, thus came to mean, ³made up, false.
The Hindu: Young World: Thirty ducks are going to the pond. If eight of them got lost, five go
astray and seventeen reach the pond, where are the remaining ducks?
µThere are no remaining ducks! Heh, heh!¶
The long, straight rod used to play billiards and snookers is called a CUE. You know
what a queue is.
PHOBIA: RANIDAPHOBIA: A person who is terrified of frogs is said to suffer from
Ranidaphobia.
The phrase ³all the rage´ means very fashionable or trendy. ³Rage´ also means anger.
Nandhu Dearest: ³If you add up all the digits in 0123456789, you will get 45. If instead you
multiply all the digits, will the product be more or less than 100?
Answer: Because 0 comes, the product will become Zero.
There¶s something wrong in the way this proverb has been written. How?
³THEN WHE IAT CS TWAY, AHE AICE MRE PT ALAY¶
Answer: The first letters of the words have got interchanged. The proverb is´ When the cat is
away the mice are at play.´
Ibid: Mangosteen contains compounds that have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Research indicates that it acts against several cancer cell lines, including breast cancer and
leukemia. Also, the fruit exhibits anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties. (Remarks by
S.S: Mangosteen is available/grown only in Kuttalam, in the Western Ghauts and in Indonesia,
and nowhere in the world. Mangustan Pazham is its local name.)
Times of India: Idiom-a-day: ³Bleed someone white´: means µto extort money.¶ You bleed
someone white when you take whatever little still belongs to the person.
Usage: µThat contractor would have bled the department white, but fortunately he was
apprehended in time.¶ Presumably this term alludes to losing so much blood that one turns pale
(and perhaps also to the idea that money is the life blood of commerce.
Times of India: (Sunday, December 21, 2008): ³If I could rearrange the alphabets, I¶d put U and
I together´. (Fit for my ³VIVAHAM´ next edition ±S.S).
Health Facts: Some of the fats in chocolate do not impact our cholesterol levels. The fats in
chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid, and 1/3 palmitic acid. Oleic acid is a healthy
monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil. Stearic acid has a neutral effect on
cholesterol. Palmitic acid alone raises cholesterol.
Dear Nandhu: µfact of the matter¶: GADFY¶ written by Earnest Wright in 1939,is a 50,000+
word book, which does not contain a single word with ³e´ in it.
Idiom-a-day: Clean Bill of Health: It is a report confirming the absence of fault or guilt in a
person or a thing.
Usage: He had a foolproof alibi so the police had to give him a clean bill of health.
This term comes from a 17 th-century practice of requiring ships to produce a medical document
(bill) attesting the absence of infectious diseases on board, before docking.
Strange translation of words not heard so far: S. S: Dina Malar: Sunday, December 21,
2008,Page15: ³ Vazhakku chollil µDHOOMARADHANDI¶ ennum oru chol undu. Aanaal adhu
,c! endru koorappada vendum. Adhan porul, µvaravukku minchiya selavu
cheyyum oodhaari penn enpathaam.
In English ± ³a woman who is a spendthrift´.
Note: My mother often had used the slang µdhoomaradhandi¶ on the undisciplined and irregular
girls and ladies. I am not sure whether she knew the real meaning as we have learnt now.
THETRUPPAL: The equivalent English term is-SNAGGLE TOOTH.
The Hindu, 24-12-2008,Wednesday: Health Capsule: ³How many germs are on my hand´?
³150 different species of bacteria? µYUK¶.
The average human hand harbors 150 different species of bacteria. After taking samples from the
palms of 51 college students, researchers were able to identify 4,742 species of bacteria.
From The Hindu and Times of India: Monday, January 05, 2009:
Health Capsules: How can I get the best power nap?
First jovially! µ Whatever you do, don¶t let anyone catch you asleep with your mouth gaping
open!!
Now seriously: Unplug phones. Make the room as dark as possible. Find a comfortable place to
rest. Try to take your nap in the early or midafternoon.
Dear Nandhu: Mindbender: µ It has a mouth but does not speak or bite; it has a
bed but does not sleep. What is it?
Answer: River.
Heath Facts: Tangerine, due to its high phosphorous and calcium content, benefits the
development of the skeleton. Since it also contains magnesium, it tonics the articulation and
flexibility of muscles. It also benefits the intestines and the nervous system.
Idiom-a- day: ³DAVY JONES¶S LOCKER: It is the bottom of the sea, specifically the grave of
those who died at sea.
Usage: µ Caught out at sea during the hurricane, they thought they were heading for Davy
Jones¶s locker.
Davy Jones is a name given to the evil spirit of the sea²first recorded in 172.6.
GRAMMAR GURU: The nagging wife said to her husband, ³Look at Rajan next door. He
blows his wife a kiss every morning as he leaves home! I wish you could do that!´ The worried
husband replied, I daren¶t do so darling! I hardly know that woman!´ Well, there are quite a few
things we¶d love to do but dare not!
There are certain verbs in English, which are said to be anomalous. They defy the regular rules.
One such verb is DARE. Its archaic form is Durst. In modern English, dare is not a very common
verb. In informal style, people generally use expressions like,¶ he is afraid to say what he thinks¶,
rather than, µ he dare not say what he thinks.
What is anomalous about DARE?
First of all, it functions both as an auxiliary and a main verb. According to the American
Heritage Book of English usage, when we use DARE:
As main verb, we place the infinitive TO after dare.
³ I dare to complain to the Principal, even if it gets me into trouble´.
To make negative statements and positive questions we use the auxiliary DO with DARE as in
the case of any other regular verb. p
³ I do not dare to face him´.
³ Do I dare to defy the rules´?
When dare functions as an auxiliary, it need not agree with the subject.
³He dare not come here without my permission´.
³Dare we tell her the truth?´
However, dare as main verb agrees with the subject.
³If he dare to come, I¶ll be surprised´.
As a main verb, DARE has the meaning, ³be brave enough to¶ or µ to have sufficient courage¶.
³The reporters dared to go to the trouble spot´
In the transitive form as main verb, DARE means challenge.
³I dare you to disobey me´.
As an auxiliary, the verb DARE emphasizes attitude and involvement.
Compare the following:
³How dare she take the exam without ever once coming to class?´
³How did she dare to take the exam without ever once coming to class?´
The first sentence expresses indignation at such an act., whereas the second sentence is merely a
genuine request for information.
MICHAEL SWAN lists a number of special occasions when DARE is preferred.
³Don¶t you dare!´ is sometimes used to discourage people from doing unwanted things.
³How dare you´ is sometimes used as an indignant exclamation!
³I dare say´ is used to mean ³ I think probably´, ³I suppose´:´I dare say it will rain soon´. ³ I
dare say you are ready for a drink´.
Children use ³ I dare you to challenge each other to do frightening things´ ³ I dare you to run
across the road with tour eyes shut´.
Now do you dare to use dare? I dare you do it! You shall not dare to use dare. .
And one more, ibid, page113: At a Mumbai school-leaving party, senior girls were asked a
contest question: ³Would you marry a fabulously rich man with no brains or a brilliant one with
little money?´
The girls gave all kinds of answers substantiating them with elaborate pros and cons.
But the winner said, ³The rich one, µcause I¶ve got the brains´.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009: From The Hindu and Times of India:
Idiom-a-day: BLACK LIST: Black list is a list of persons or things considered undesirable or
deserving punishment. Black list is the list of those in disgrace, or those who have incurred
censure or punishment. A list of bankrupts for the private guidance of the mercantile community.
Usage: ³ Japanese beetles are on my black list of garden pests´.
Health Facts: Sesame seed is excellent for underweight and malnourished people. It is used in the
relief of colitis, gastritis, heartburn, and indigestion. Sesame seed oil is used in the treatment of
complicated fracture wounds.
HEALTH CAPSULES: BY BRON SMITH: Does working in the yard qualify as rest?
Your one-day rest per week should not include working in the garden, cleaning house, or even
cooking meals.
Restful activities include: Meditation, Reading, Watching a movie, Going out for lunch or
dinner, or spending time with children, family and friends.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009: Times of India: ³Idiom ±a- day´: .All roads lead to Rome¶: ³
when many different methods produce the same result and all efforts of thought converge in a
common center, then we say that all roads lead to Rome´.
This idiom is based on the vastness of Roman Empire and to importance of Rome at that time.
The metaphor was already being used in the 1100¶s.
Health Facts: Hawthorn berries are rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids and have pulp that is
high on sugar and low on protein and fat. These berries are used in the treatment of heart
palpitations, angina and stroke. This action is attributed to the bioflavonoids and vitamin C
present in the berries.
Health Facts: Times of India, 9 January, Friday: Passion fruit, also known as purple granadilla,
is rich in vitamin C and A, iron and potassium. If eaten with the seeds, it is an excellent source of
dietary fibre. Taking the fruit before going to bed helps in inducing sleep. They also have anti-
fever properties.
$--4cPc$4 March 14 was P day. How did it happen? (By Fay Kaufhold, Young World,
The Hindu, Friday, 28.3. 2008, Page5).
Confused? P is one of the most important numbers in mathematics. It is the ratio between the
circumference ( C ) and diameter ( d ) of any circle.
C/d = P = 3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288. The digits of P go on forever and
have no pattern!
When you use, you have to use an approximation. Often we use 3.14. March 14 is written as
3/14 in the U.S date format. So March 14 is P-day!
If you want to be more accurate you could celebrate Pminute, that is March 14 at 1:59. What
about P- second?
In 2006 a Chinese man called Akira Haraguchi recited the first lakh digits of P from memory
without error. (Does not his name sound like a Japanese name?²S.S) It took him 16 hours. How
did he do it?
HE memorized stories. How could this sentence help you to remember more digits?
³ How I wish I could recollect pi easily today!´
Why don¶t you write a longer sentence of your own to help you remember more digits? (**)
To learn more about P and the amazing world of mathematics visit www.heymath.com
(**) CLUE: Count the number of letters in each word of your¶wish¶.
Health Capsules: ³ How do I use honey to speed healing of wounds?
Apply far honey (not commercial brands that are heated). To sterile gauze and wound, change
dressing every 24 hours. This can be used for superficial wounds, cuts and burns. Studies show
burns treated with honey healed 4 days faster than those without it. (By Bron Smith)
Health Capsules: by Bron Smith: The Hindu, Dated 8-1- 2008, Tuesday: µ What benefit
do I get from eating onions?
Onions offer powerful cancer protection. People who ate at least 2 per week had 38% lower
colorectal cancer risk, 43% lower ovarian cancer risk and 56% lower throat cancer risk. But
you¶ve gotta really like onions to eat 2 per week.
Marriage Galore! µMars and Venus¶: The Hindu, Saturday, 22.12. 2007: ³ In my house I am
the boss, my wife is just the decision maker. (Woody Allen).
Idiom-a-day: PYRRHIC VICTORY: This is a victory won at too heavy a price; a victory that is
offset by staggering losses.
Usage: ³ They lost so many soldiers in battle that, even though they won the war, it was a
Pyrrhic victory´.
This expression alludes to King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who defeated the Romans at Asculum in AD
279, but lost his best officers and many of his troops. Pyrrhus then said: ³another such victory
and we are lost.´ In English, the term was first recorded (used figuratively) in 1879.
ù
$(( $2c2$%'( Commerce Professor to student: ³What is the most important source of
finance for starting a business´?
Student: ³Father-in-law´.
16-1-2009: c$c!.!c#c&5c ³It was about 4:00A.M. I am not sure about the
time. I stand in front of an age-old temple with lot of splendorous architectural marvels. I soon
realize that OUR Veeralakshmi Amman Koil that was in that shape, a few centuries ago. Our
Veeralakshmi appears huge to a height of about forty feet, with proportionate girth of body
structure. She appears to be taller than Nanganallur Anjaneyar, in my dream. She is so huge in
sitting posture itself.
From somewhere there appears, the Great KUZHANTHAI ANANDA SWAMIGAL. I am
astonished. He says,´ You saw a very charming, great and powerful temple, just now in your
dream. But, don¶t you find the temple, quite un-attended, and poorly maintained these days? No
doubt, the Goddess, Our Mother is extremely powerful. People do not care to maintain this
powerful temple and do not realize Her enormous powers. It is a pity indeed´.
At this time Sri Veeralakshmi, richly attired and well bedecked with jewellery comes and sits
with us, taking the form of a human lady, and joins our conversation. I am not able decipher
what she spoke to us. She was very casual in talking to us.
Finally, She commands, ³ Do something for the temple´.
My dream also comes to close. I report this to Amma and Appa, in the morning itself´
January 16, 2009, Friday: The Hindu: Newscape: µSadness for Health: An American study
suggests that sadness is good for human health; it serves an evolutionary purpose and helps us
learn from mistakes
January 16, 2009, Friday: Times of India: Health facts: Linseeds strengthen the body¶s defense
system. They also reduce high levels of oestrogen in blood, a risk factor in breast cancer. They
contain mucilaginous fibre, which soothes the delicate linings of the stomach and digestive tract
Nandhu Dear: ³ I can only live when there is light, although I die if the light falls on me. Who
am I? ³ Answer: A shadow
Gorillas are considered apes, not monkeys. The difference between them is that, apes do not have
tails.
Idiom-a-day: ³ a piece of cake´; something that is very easy to do is µa piece of cake¶. Example:
³ Can you finish your homework in ten minutes?´ Reply: ³It will be a piece of cake.´ µ a piece of
cake¶ is something that is so easy to do that is like eating a piece of cake. Example: ³ how was
your test today?´ Reply: ³ it was a piece of cake¶. You say µpiece of cake¶ to illustrate how easy
it is for you to do something. Example: ³I¶ve always had a hard time studying history, but math
is a piece of cake´. You are very confident that you can do something, which you think is a
piece of cake. Example; ³Do you expect to win your tennis match today?´ Reply: ³It will be a
piece of cake¶.
Times of India, 20-1-2009, Tuesday: µIdiom-a-day¶: ³An arm and a leg´:
³An arm and a leg´ is a high price to pay. Example: ³How much did you pay for that watch?
Answer: ³An arm and a leg´.
Something that costs you an arm and a leg costs you too much. Example: ³I have to move out of
this hotel. It is costing me an arm and a leg´. If it cost you an arm and a leg, it was very
expensive. Example: ³Be careful with that phone. It cost me an arm and a leg.
Dear Nandhu: ³Can you think of a word that changes both number and gender when you add the
letter µS¶. Answer: PRINCES.
Marriage Galore! ³God made man. . .and then He thought of something better. So He made
woman.
Health Facts: Apple, if eaten regularly, can reduce blood cholesterol levels. It also counters
constipation and diarrhoea. Apples are also traditionally used to cure arthritis, rheumatism and
gout.
From µYoung World¶, The Hindu, Dated, 20.1.2009, Tuesday:
The word µVerb¶ is a noun.
The word µbig¶ is small.
A new word: TRANSUMER is a consumer in transit. (e.g.) A person who shops while waiting at
the airport.
BAGGRAVATION: Anger one endures if one¶s baggage has not arrived and others¶ have.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009: Times of India: Idiom-a-day: ³A Wolf In Sheep¶s Clothing:
This refers to a dangerous person pretending to be harmless. Example; ³ I want you to stay away
from that boy. He¶s a wolf in sheep¶s clothing´.
µA wolf in a sheep¶s clothing¶ is a person who plans to do something bad (a wolf) while ·
pretending to be good and innocent (µin sheep¶s clothing¶). In the past, wolves had a reputation
of being wild and dangerous, and killing sheep. µ A wolf in sheep¶s clothing¶ is a very dangerous
wolf because we are unprepared for the attack.
Health Facts: Walnuts help in maintaining heart health. The linoleic acid in them can reduce
blood cholesterol levels. They also prevent blood clots. The high calorie concentration and their
substantial nutrient levels, make them god for people with small appetites.
³Experience without learning is better than learning without experience´.
VĀSTU GĀYATRĪ
Om Anugraha Roopāya Vidmahé Bhoomiputrāya Dheemahï /
Tannō Vāstu Prachōdayāt //
(From Avall Vikatan, 30-1-2009 issue.), Page 33.
³Oprah Winfrey just announced that she¶s planning to attend Barack Obama¶s inauguration.
Oprah says she¶s very excited to see Obama become the second most prominent person in the
world´.
From Page 17; ³A medical Marvel´ µAround the World¶. ³92- year-old woman, pregnant for 60
years since 1948 stuns docs´.
Doctors treating an elderly Chinese woman for stomachache were stunned when they found that
she had been carrying an unborn child for 60 years. Ninety-two-year old Huang Yijun of
Huangjiaotan, revealed that her child had died in the womb back in 1948, and that she did not
have it removed because doctors would charge £ 100 for the job.
Health Facts: Wheat grass juice is rich in Chlorophyll, enzymes, minerals and fiber. It is very
effective in preventing and curing cancer. It purifies the blood and raises the hemoglobin level in
the blood. Hence excellent for radiant and glowing skin.
The Hindu, Dated 22-1-2009 : Health Capsule: (By Bron Smith). µWhy do bananas raise blood
sugar faster than apples?¶
³Apples are a better choice for diabetics´.
Apples contain mainly Fructose, which raises blood sugar slowly, whereas bananas contain both
Fructose and Glucose, causing blood sugar levels to rise quickly.
Times of India, Friday, January 23, 2009: µMindbender¶: µWhat does this sentence mean? ³
There¶s no value to be derived from demanding attention by loud screeches over fallen white
liquid from the lactic glands of a female bovine´.
Answer: Don¶t cry over spilled milk.
µThere are no blossoms on the branches of a fig tree, instead they are inside the fruit¶.
Health Facts: Carrots have vitamin A and are very good for the eyes. They are one of the richest
sources of ß- carotene. Carrot juice, if taken in the morning on an empty stomach is very
beneficial. It develops immunity, prevents premature ageing and has anti-cancer properties.
Idiom-a-day: µTo add insult to injury¶: It is to upset someone and then to deliver a second insult,
to make an already bad situation worse by a second insulting act or remark.
Some authorities claim a very ancient origin for this phrase, tracing it back to a book of fables by
the Roman writer Phaedrus from about 25 B.C. The fable in question is The Bald Man and the
fly in which a man attempts to squash an insect, which has just stung him on his bald patch by
delivering a smart smack. The fly escapes the blow and mocks him for wanting to avenge the
bite of a tiny insect with death. To the injury of the sting he has only succeeded in adding the
insult of the self-inflicted blow.
The Hindu, Friday, January 23, 2009: µHealth Capsules¶, By Bron Smith:
Which fruits raise blood sugar quickly?
Dates, Watermelon, Pineapple, Raisins, Papaya and Apricots are listed on the top of the
Glycemic index. These fruits raise blood sugar quickly and should be approached with caution
by diabetics.
Note: The Doctors here, (Dr.CLK or Dr. Jana) say that Papaya is acceptable. Controversy to be
cleared.
An easy sloka on Lord Dattatreya, from Vaidika Sree: December 2008 issue, page6.
³ Ādau Brahmā Madhyĕ Vishnurantĕ deva: sadaS¶iva: /
Mūrtitraya swaroopāya Dattātrĕya namostu Te´ //
All the three primordial deities offered themselves to the great Sage Atri, in the form of infants.
Hence, they acquired the name µ Dattatreya¶. Datta means µoffered¶ and Ātrĕya means µ to the
sage Atri¶.
Idiom-a-day: ³At the drop of a hat´: If you would do something quickly and easily, without
thinking about it, you would do it at the drop of a hat.
Example: ³Would you travel around the world if you had the money?´
Reply: ³At the drop of a hat´.
Example: ³I would take a job like that at the drop of a hat´.
The Hindu, Monday, January 26, 2009: Health capsules, By Bron Smith:
What is the most important nutrient to maintain blood pressure?
A diet high in potassium can keep blood pressure in the normal range. Eating a banana a day can
help. Studies have shown that 5,000 m.g of potassium per day may lower the risk of high blood
pressure by 25%
Times of India: Mindbender: Can you find the hidden country in the following sentence?
µ I really fear lions and tiger, but the animal I fear most is the mouse¶.
Answer: In the words: µthe ani (mal I)¶ the hidden country µMali¶ is found.
Health Facts: For chronic cough and chest congestion, boil 3 cups of water with 2 fresh betel
leaves and 4 crushed peppercorns, till the water is reduced to half. Strain and drink every
morning and night with a teaspoon of honey.
µThe true measure of a man is how he treats someone, who can do him no good¶.
Idiom-a-day: ³Every cloud has a silver lining´: This means that you should never feel hopeless,
because difficult times always lead to better days. Example: ³ What am I going to do? My
girlfriend has left me again´. Reply: ³ Don¶t worry. It will be all right. Every cloud has a silver
lining´.
Difficult times are like dark clouds that pass overhead and block the sun. When we look closely
at the edges of every cloud, we can see the sun shining through, like a silver lining.
It also reminds us that every difficult situation has a bright side.
Pronunciation of the word µoust¶: µou¶ like µout¶, µshout¶ and µbout¶.
µSt¶ like the µst¶ in µsting¶ µstep¶ and µstump¶.
When you oust someone, you force the individual to leave a position of power; you remove the
person from the position he/she has occupied.
Tailpiece: ³If it¶s sent by ship, then it¶s cargo; if it is sent by road, it¶s shipment´-DAVID
ALLEN. [How strange! - S.S].
Beautiful Pun; find it out! ±S.S. ³If your Scotch is good nobody worries about your English´.
[µPun on µScotch¶-. Remember, ³Boswell¶s µ Life of Johnson¶; Dr. Johnson had extreme love
for the English, while he hated the Scottish people very much. He even ridiculed ³ Oats are
grains that are fed to the horses in England, while it is a staple food for the men in Scotland´.]
³Work is man¶s most natural form of relaxation´. [Comments by me: Indeed it is! I felt like that
all through my professional career, and I loved my job.]
Idiom-a-day: ³To beat around the bush´. To beat around the bush is to avoid or delay talking
about something unpleasant or embarrassing. If you beat around the bush, you don¶t say
something directly to people, because you are worried about their reaction and don¶t want to
upset them. This saying came about when people used to hunt for game. The birds were chased
and scared out of their hiding place, normally a bush. They were then captured and killed. We
now say µdon¶t beat around the bush¶ meaning don¶t procrastinate, like the birds did when they
hid.
Who among the last five U.S. Presidents had the nickname µPoppy¶?
Answer: George Herbert Walker Bush.
Idiom-a-day: µWild horses couldn¶t drag me¶: When one says µWild horses couldn¶t drag me¶,
one means that nothing or nobody could induce or persuade me.
An example of its usage; ³Wild horses couldn¶t drag me to that movie- it¶s four hours long´.
The idiom, always in negative form, is believed to have replaced wild horses couldn¶t draw it
from me, referring to the medieval torture of using horses to stretch a prisoner and thereby force
a confession. [First half of 1800s!]
Thursday, January 29, 2009: The Hindu: Health Capsules: By Bron Smith:
Are mothballs safe?
Mothballs use the chemical Naphthalene to repel moths. Studies have shown that after prolonged
exposure, Naphthalene can damage or destroy red blood cells.
Health Facts: One spoon of fresh honey, mixed with the juice of half a lemon in a glass of
lukewarm water, taken first thing in the morning, is an effective remedy for constipation and
hyperacidity.
Friday, January 30, 2009: A beautiful howler pointed out by The Hindu in their own papers in
µCorrections and clarifications¶ in Page 13.
>> An item ³111-year old reptile sires offspring´ (³Snapshots-Science & Technology´ page,
January 29, 2009) said that the Tuatara, a New Zealand reptile, and his mate, 70-80 years old, p
have laid 12 eggs, of which 11 hatched.
³Only the female lays eggs´
Karunas, the actor can play the harmonium, piano, tavil and other percussion instruments. He has
composed music for 22 albums. His wife is Grace. Karuna is a musician, comedian, hero, music
director and at times film distributor.
Friday, January 30, 2009: Times of India: ³ If I was a painter, you would be my painting. If I
was an author, you would be my story. If I was a poet, you would be my poem. But,
unfortunately I¶m a psychiatrist´.
Health facts: Milk is the most perfect food from nature. A litre of milk provides calcium,
phosphorous, vitamins A and C, one third of protein, iron, and much more. Ninety nine per cent
of milk fats are digestible. It improves blood circulation.
Good for thinking: ³ A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies´.
Idiom-a-day: µ The pot calling the kettle black¶. You are the pot calling the kettle black when
you point to another person and accuse that person of doing something that you are guilty of
doing yourself. Example: ³You are accusing me of being lazy? Ha! That¶s the pot calling the
kettle black´.
µThe pot¶ (for cooking) and µthe kettle¶ (for boiling water) sit on the stove over the fire and
become black from the flames. The pot and the kettle are like old friends who have turned black
with time; the pot only sees the blackness, which is on the kettle; he doesn¶t see the black on
himself.
Example: ³Here comes the guy who is always late for work´. Answer: ³Aren¶t you the pot
calling the kettle black? You are usually the last person to show up!´
[Comment by S.S: There is an almost identical proverb in Tamizh. ³Aada Theriyaathaval
Theru konal Endraalaam´.]
The Sloka to be chanted at the time of feeding a cow with grass: From µVaidika Sri:¶January,
2009 issue:
³Sourabhěya: sarvahitā: sarvapāpa prannās¶ina: /
Pratigrhnnantu mĕ grāsam gāva: trilōkya mātara:´ //
³O, sacred cows! That give all comforts and that destroy all sins.
Please accept the grass, O, Cows, being the mother of all the three worlds´.
[Translated by S.S in English.]
And another sloka from µVaidika Sri: October 2008 issue, Page10, on the subject of feeding a
cow with grass:
³Surabhi tvam Jaganmāta Devi Vishnupadé stithā /
Sarvadévamayé grāsam mayā dattamimam grasa" //
O, Surabhi, the sacred cow! You are the mother of the Universe. (Revered Devi), You reside at
the feet of Lord Vishnu, being the form of all deities. Please chew the grass offered by me.
[Note: Grasa means µSwallowing¶, µa mouthful¶, MonierII, Page371, column 2.
English translation by S.S]
Saturday, January 31, 2009: Light emitted from the Sun takes about eight minutes to travel
through space until it reaches the Earth.
Health Facts: Fresh fig consists of a good amount of moisture and a little protein, fat and
carbohydrates. It is considered as a restorative food, which helps, in quick recovery after
prolonged illness. It endows the body with renewed vigour and is an excellent tonic for the weak,
who suffer cracks in the lips, tongue and mouth.
Idiom-a-day: µIcing on the cake¶: When one great thing happens, then another great thing
happens on top of it, the second thing is the icing on the cake.
Examples: ³ Today I was promoted to head of the department! And they decided to raise my
pay!´ Answer: ³Wow! Icing on the cake!´
³Your wife is beautiful to look at and she is a wonderful person!´
Answer: ³True; it¶s icing on the cake.´
³We won the case and they are going to pay our legal expenses¶.
Answer: ³That¶s the icing on the cake´.
I¶ve been accepted by the University, and they¶ve offered me a position in the basketball team!´
Answer: ³ That¶s wonderful! icing on the cake´.
Sunday, February 01, 2009: Times of India: Length of a day on the planet Pluto is about the
length of a week on the Earth.
Health Facts: Orange is nature¶s finest gift. It is considered as the most popular citrus fruit and is
a rich source of protective food ingredients like vitamins A, B, C and calcium.
Monday, February 02, 2009: Times of India: Idiom-a-day: µWhen pigs fly¶:
This is an informal way to joke that you will never do something.
Example: ³Do you think you will ever work at that company again?¶
Reply: ³When pigs fly.
When pigs fly is a time that will never come because pigs will never fly.
Another Example: ³Will you ever take heron a date?´
Reply: Sure! When pigs fly!
Health Facts: Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree 10-15 metre tall and a spice obtained from the
inner bark of this species. Cinnamon is known to significantly reduce blood sugar in diabetics,
and improve cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Hot milk with cinnamon is
good for nerves.
Monday, February 02, 2009: The Hindu: ³Health Capsules´: By Bron Smith:
How can I improve my night vision?
It takes about half an hour for your eyes to fully adapt to complete darkness. Use your peripheral
vision to look for movement, shape and contour rather than colors. Scan the area you¶re looking
at. Don¶t allow your eyes to rest in one place.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009: The Hindu; µHealth Capsule¶: Is it safe to drink coffee while I¶m
pregnant?
No. Just 2 cups of coffee during your entire pregnancy, not per day, may be enough to affect
fetal heart development, and reduce the lifespan of your child. It may also lead to higher body fat
with males.
Just Joking: A couple drove several miles down a country road, not saying a word. An earlier
discussion had led to an argument, and neither wanted to concede their position. As they passed a
barnyard of mules and pigs, the wife sarcastically asked: ³Relatives of yours?´
³Yep´, the husband replied, ³In-laws´.
Dear Nandhu: µHow many times can you subtract 5 from the number 25?
Answer: Only once. Because after you subtract, it is not 25 anymore!
From Avall Vikatan, 13-2-2009 issue: Page 57, a skit by R. Abhinaya, I B.Sc. Government Arts
College, Chidambaram : (MARRIAGE GALORE).
³ Ella pennkalum ippadithaan Prarthikkirarkal´
³Kadavule. . . enakku vaaiththathai vida en makalukku nalla kanavar vaaykka vendum´
³Kadavule. . . ennaippolave oru nalla manaivi en makanukku kidakkavendum´.
Translation by me: ³O, God! Give my daughter a better husband than I have for me!´
³O, God! Give my son a good wife just like ME!´
³COLOUR, COLOUR´: Colours are associated with innumerable human activities. Can you fill
in the blanks?
You turn ------------- with envy. (Green)
When things go wrong, you feel ------------(Blue)
In a desperate situation you hunt for a --------------lining. (Silver)
When you¶re frightened, you turn -----------(White)
When you are angry, you flush---------- (Crimson)
And when you get mad, you turn ---------with rage. (Purple)
On a fun trip, you paint the town ------------(Red)
A tragedy marks a-----------day. (Black)
When you are old, you---------- (Grey)
Ragam: The beautiful Meera Bhajan, a popular song sung by many, in North India, ³Paayoji
main ne Ramu rasan´ is sung in µMisra Pahadi¶ ragam.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009: Times of India: µHealth Facts¶: The juice of pomegranate with a
little saffron helps allay thirst. The sweet varieties of the fruit are good laxatives, while those in
between are valuable in curing stomach inflammations. It acts on the liver, heart, and kidney and
tones up their functions.
Idiom-a-day: µA chip on your shoulder¶: A person who has µa chip on his shoulder¶ is angry
because of something that happened in the past.
Example: ³He lost his game this morning and now he has a chip on his shoulder´.
You can use the definite article,¶the¶ which sounds more general (³a chip on the shoulder´), but
more often people use the personal pronoun (his, her, their) to say that, that specific person has µa
chip on his shoulder¶.
This morning, 4-2-2009, at about 1145 hours, I was telling Tara and Seatha that Vatral
Kuzhambu (Sundaikkai added) might be prepared, tomorrow, as I have sumptuously eaten
Vegetable Briyani today. Then, we were watching µThiruppaavai¶ serial in Sun T.V. To my
wonder, actor Kathadi Ramamurthi, spoke this dialogue:´ Manni, Innikki Vattal Kozhambu,
chundaikkai vatthal pottu Vechudunko, Onga kayyala chappittu ethanai naal achu? The ladies
present in our house were also equally astonished.
Again at 20-15 hours, in Cho¶s serial, Neelu dejectedly says to his wife that his daughter-in-law
at Tiruchy ill-treated him, by serving him with mere Sundaikkai Vatral Kuzhambu and chutta
apppalam only.
Is it a coincidence?
No! It is communication from the Universe, as expounded in ³Zen and the art of Happiness´.
[Note: I had it too, on 5-2-2009,Thursday; but it was not upto the mark of my expectation.]
KYE, The Hindu, dated, 10-07-2007; µWhat is the difference between µstammer¶ and µstutter¶.
µStutter¶ is used to refer to a person who has a chronic speech defect. µStammering¶, on the other
hand, is considered temporary. All of us have µstammered¶ sometime or the other. Human beings
can stammer or stutter. Speech therapists in Britain prefer to use µstammer¶, while those in
America and Canada prefer µstutter¶.
Aristotle, Aesop, Darwin, Napoleon and Marilyn Moroe are some famous people who stuttered.
TAILPIECE: ³The tongue is the only instrument that gets sharper with use´--µWashington
Irving¶.
American resident Indian software engineers and share market investors are stated to be terribly
scared of SWITCH, after µSatyam¶ scam. Then what is SWITCH?
Switch is an acronym stated to have been coined by American resident Indians, as S for Satyam,
W for Wipro, I for Infosys, T for Tata (information technology), C for Cognizant Technologies,
H for HCL. (From Indian Express, a letter from a reader.)
Idiom-a-day: µBurning the candle at both ends¶: You are burning the candle at both ends when
you are working long hours without resting. Your energy is burning down and you are growing
more and more tired, when you are burning the candle at both ends.
Examples: ³Would you like to go to a party tonight´? Reply: ³ I can¶t. I¶m way too tired.
I¶ve been burning the candle at both ends all week´.
³Ever since this new project started I have been burning the candle at both ends. I can¶t take
much more of it´.
I read this interesting wall plaque in Sri Mithai, Chetput, Chennai, when I recently went with
Balachandar, Srimathi and Seatha.It was educative: [S.S]
³We can¶t spell ³Security´ without µU¶. Please take care of your belongings´.
-------And a little bit of cinema from The Hindu, 6-2-2009, Cinema plus, page11:
M.G.R¶s µAnbe vaa¶, is an adaptation of which Rock-Hudson starrer? [³Come September´].
What was the actual name of R.S.Manohar? [R.S.Lakshminarasimhan.]
Idiom-a-day: Out of the blue: µSomething that happens out of the blue is sudden and
unexpected. You are surprised and unprepared when something happens out of the blue.
Examples: ³They seemed to be talking calmly, when out of the blue she slapped him in the face´.
³Did you know they would move you to a different project?´ Reply: ³ Not at all. It was
completely out of the blue´.
From Cho¶s Engay Brahmanan? Serial, 6-2-2009, Friday. Jaya T.V. 2010 hrs:
³Srāddham na vistarĕt dheemān´/ meaning, µa clever man does not perform a sraaddham
elaborately¶.
Marriage Galore! :
³Neenga Tirupathila poyi kalyanam pannareenga! Angeyum Agni Saakshi taan! Balaji
saakshikku varuvatu illai!´ [Cho elaborately explains the significance of Agni and how it carries
the ablutions and offerings made here, to the respective Devatas] å
Thus Spake Dr.Samuel Johnson: ³ Ornithological specimens of identical plumage from exotic
lands commence to congregate with rapturous melody of shout´. [I remember this from my
Intermediate days.]
Saturday, February 07, 2009: The Hindu: µHealth Capsules¶: By Bron Smith:
Is there a safer alternative to Mammograms?
Breast thermography, which uses a heat-sensing scanner to detect variations in the temperature
of breast tissue, is a viable and safe alternative to traditional mammograms, and is gaining
broader acceptance in the medical community.
³Today we can¶t afford the luxuries we could when we were poor´.
TIMES OF INDIA: From Mindbender: Dear Nandhu, what are the peculiarities of these words?
Calciferous; Cupellation; Education; Lactiferous; Outdistance; Abstemious.
Answer: All these words have all vowels in them.
Idiom-a-day: ³Dog eat dog´: Dog-eat-dog describes a world in which people fight only for
themselves and will hurt other people. Dog-eat-dog means that a person is like a dog that will eat
another dog.
Examples: ³I have been in this business for twenty years. It¶s dog-eat-dog. The competition is
always trying to steal your customers´.
³That school is dog-eat dog. The students cheat and even destroy each other¶s work
to get better grades´.
There is no letter µs¶ at the end of any of the words in dog-eat-dog.
Health Facts: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. Regular massage of
coconut oil helps prevent dandruff and gives shine to the hair. It acts as an effective moisturizer
on all types of skins including dry skin. There is no chance of any adverse side effects on the
skin with the application of coconut oil.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009: The Hindu; Just Joking: µFour-letter bad words:
$(( $2c2$%'(cc
³A young couple got married and left on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride
immediately called her mother. Her mother asked: ³How was the honeymoon?´
³Oh, Amma,´ she replied. ³The honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic. But, Amma, as soon as
we returned Suresh started using these awful four-lettered words. You¶ve got to come get me and
take me home. Please´.
³Calm down´, said the mother, ³What four lettered words?´ ùp
Sobbing, the bride said: ³Words such as dust, wash, iron, cook.´
Monday, February 09, 2009: 09:33: The Hindu: Graffiti: µThere is a crying need for baby-
sitters¶.
Health capsules: How can I break the sugar habit?
Start by diluting fruit juices and sweet beverages. Substitute sweet snacks with fruits. Gradually
reduce the amount of sugar you add to foods, and you will adjust to the change.
Times of India: 2/9/2009 9:44 AM: Health facts: Bitter gourd (Pakarkkai), is rich in iron, has
twice the ß-carotene that broccoli has, twice the calcium that spinach has and twice the
potassium that bananas have. It is used to treat blood disorders like blood boils and scabies, as
well as ringworm infections.
Idiom-a-day: ³Absence makes the heart grow fonder´ means that time you spend away from the
one you love makes you love that person even more.
The word absence means to be away.
To grow fonder is to care more.
When someone you care for is away, you miss that person and think about him/her very often,
and that feeling makes you want to be with him/her even more.
Example: ³Does it bother you that your husband goes away on long business trips?
Reply: ³No. The time we have spent apart has been good for us. Absence makes the heart grow
fonder´.
Young World: Tuesday, February 10, 2009: µWhat is the English name for Rava or Suji?¶
Answer: µSemolina¶.
µPertussis¶ is the medical name for which childhood disease? Answer: Whooping cough. [I
remember there used to be a medicine called Syrup Pertussol, when I was a small boy, reading
sixth or seventh class in Srivaikuntam. My Periyamma and I used to take that Syrup for
Asthmatic cough and dry cough respectively. Either Dr. Mrs. Cheriyan or my elder brother
Nataraja Anna used to prescribe this to me or to his mother.]
Times of India: Health Facts: Radish is an excellent source of vitamin C. Radish leaves are
good source of calcium. The sulphur based chemicals present in radish increase the flow of bile.
This improves the functioning of the gall bladder. It also protects against ailments like jaundice,
piles, urinary disorders, weight loss, cancer, lucoderma, skin disorders, kidney disorders and
insect bites.
Idiom-a-day: ³GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE: This means that great people think about
things in a similar way.
Examples: ³I was just thinking of calling you, then the phone rang and it was you calling me´.
Reply: ³Great minds think alike´.
³This summer I¶ve decided to take scuba diving lessons´. Reply: ³Really? Me too. I have already
paid for the course´. Answer: ³Great minds think alike´.
Idiom-a-day: ³Word of mouth´: ³Something that you heard from other people you know by word
of mouth. But you are not specific about whose mouth you heard it from; just that you heard it
from another person´.
Examples: ³How did you hear about this party?´ Answer: ³Word of mouth´.
³Did you hear they finally arrested that guy?´ Reply: ³Yes, but that¶s only word of mouth´.
³There has been talk at school about cancelling the concert´. Reply: ³ Really? Whom did you
hear that from?´ Answer: ³Just word of mouth´.
Health Capsules: Does coffee really perk me up and increase my energy level in the morning?
A Bristol University study says, µno¶. The study revealed that the first cup of coffee in the ù
morning doesn¶t make those who drank coffee feel any better than those who didn¶t. The coffee
simply relieved the caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
Health Facts: Cauliflower contains allicin, which is good for the heart and reduces the risk of
strokes. It contains Selenium, a chemical that works well with vitamin C to improve the
immunity of our system. It can also help maintain cholesterol level. It is an excellent source of
fibre and keeps bones healthy.
Idiom-a-day: ³Cross Your Fingers´: An old superstition says that if you cross your fingers
(usually two fingers of the same hand) it will bring good luck.
Example: ³ I don¶t know what I will get for my birthday, but I am crossing my fingers that it will
be a bicycle.
You cross your fingers when you try to make something to happen by wishing that it would
happen. A common saying: ³Let¶s cross our fingers and hope for the best´.
Example: ³Good luck on your test tomorrow. We¶ll be crossing our fingers for you´.
Reply: ³Thanks´.
The meaning of don¶t cross your fingers changes a bit. It means don¶t hope too much for what
you want to happen, because there is a strong chance that it might not happen. It means that you
should not have expectations that are too high.
Example: ³We are hoping that John will get accepted to medical school, but we are not crossing
our fingers´.
66Say c%'8c4'7cinternationally!
*Afrikaans---Ek het jou life
*Albanian---Te dua
*Bengali---Ami tomake bhalobashi (pronounced: Amee toe-ma-kee bhalo-bashee)
*Cambodian---Soro lahn nhee ah
*Mandarin---Wo ai ni
*Croatian---Volim te
*Czech---Miluji te
*Dutch---Ik hou van jou
*Elvish---Amin mela lle (from The Lord of The Rings, by JRR Tolkien)
*Ethiopian---Afgreki¶
*Filipino---Mahal kita
*French---Je t¶aime, Je t¶adore
*German---Ich liebe dich
*Greek--- S¶agapo
*Gujarati---Hoo thunay prem karoo choo
*Hindi--- Main tumse pyar karta hoom
*Indonesian---Saya cinta padamu
*Irish---Taim I¶ngra leat
*Italian---Ti amo
*Japanese---Aishiteru (or) Anata ga daisuki desu ùù
*Kannada---Naanu ninna preeti suttene
*Latin---Te amo
*Malayalam---Gnnaan ninne premikkunnu
*Maltese--- Inhobok
*Marathi---Me tula prem karto
*Romanian---Te iubese
*Russian---YA tebya liubliu
*Sindhi---Maa tokhe pyar kendo ahyan
*Spanish---Te quiero / Te amo
*Swedish---Jag alskar dig
*Tamizh---Naan unnai nesikkiren
*Telugu---Nenu ninnu premistunnanu
*Turkish---Seni Seviyorum
*Ukrainian---Yu tebe kahayu
*Welsh---Rwy¶n dy garu di
*Yiddish---Ikh hob dikh
*Zoruba---Mo ni fe
³The muzzle of a lion is like a human fingerprint. No two lions have the same pattern of
whiskers´.
³One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears´.
Health Facts: Cherries contain anthocyanin, the red pigment which helps reduce pain and
inflammation. They also contain high levels of melatonin, which is important for the proper
functioning of the immune system.
Cherries are low in calories, low in fat and contain a high percentage of water.
Friday, February 13, 2009: 13:17: µA little bit of cinema¶: The Hindu:
*Kanniyin Kadhali, the debut film for Kannadasan, was an adaptation of which Shakespeare¶s
work? Answer: ³Twelfth Night´. [I had for my S.S.L.C, this story as a piece of textual lesson.
(from µLamb¶s tales from Shakespeare¶). My English teacher, the great S.V Purushottama
Iyengar said about this, that Kanniyin Kadhali was from Twelfth Night.]
*In Peter Brook¶s µThe Mahabharata¶ who played Draupadi? Answer: Mallika Sarabhai´. ù
Health Capsules: Does coffee improve academic performance?
A recent study of 1,500 students revealed that excessive coffee consumers (five or more cups a
day) had higher levels of anxiety than abstainers, and had more stress- related medical problems.
They also had weaker academic performance.
Saturday, February 14, 2009: 10:43 AM: Times of India:
Health Facts: Tomatoes are the best source of vitamin C; they also contain vitamin A and
Potassium. The red pigment in tomatoes is called µlycopene¶ and is an excellent antioxidant.
Though raw tomatoes are rich in ß-carotene and lycopene, cooking them a little releases their
health benefits in entirety. They also do not lose any of their nutritional values when cooked or
pureed.
Idiom-a-day: ³Under the gun´: You are under the gun when you are working under tremendous
pressure.
Example: ³Everyone at the office has been under the gun since this new manager arrived´
You are forced to work extra hard when you are under the gun.
Example: ³We are under the gun to get this project finished at work´.
Working under the gun is working hard under pressure to meet deadlines.
Example: ³I feel I work harder when I am under pressure´. Reply: ³Me too. I get much more
done when I am under the gun.
Sunday, February 15, 2009: 10:49: The Hindu, µNews cape¶: ³Printer Peril´
A new Australian study has shown that toners used in laser printers release potentially harmful
ultra-small particles.
³There are dolphins that live in the Amazon River, that are the color pink´
³About 70% of blue-eyed white cats are deaf´
Health Facts: Muskmelon juice is effective in treating conditions like lack of appetite, weight
loss, urinary tract infections, constipation, acidity and ulcer. It reduces body heat to a great
extent, relieves fatigue, enhances appetite and is an effective laxative. It is also a great source of
vitamin A, B, and C, and Potassium which is a nutrient that may help control blood pressure,
ensure regular heart beat and possible prevention of strokes.
³Idiom-a-day´. ³You can¶t judge a book by its cover´: This means that before you can judge
something, you need to take a deeper, closer look at it. The value of something is not always
obvious from what we see on the surface, so we should save our judgments until we have more
experience. ù·
Examples: ³He dresses in plain clothes and drives an old car. Who would know he is the richest
man in town? Reply: ³You can¶t judge a book by its cover´.
³That professor may seem slow and awkward, but don¶t judge a book by its cover. He is one of
the brightest minds in his field´.
³Don¶t go falling in love with that girl so fast. Wait until you get to know her better. You can¶t
judge a book by its cover´.
WISETRACK: ³No one can make you feel inferior without your consent´.
Idiom-a-day: ³The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall: This means that it is more difficult
to beat stronger opponents, but we can beat them, and when they lose, they suffer a bigger loss.
The word harder has two meanings here. First, it is harder (more difficult) to beat them; and
second, when they lose they go down harder (more painfully).
Example: ³Those guys thought they would never lose. But we finally beat them. And look at
them crying now´. Reply: ³The bigger they are, the harder they fall´.
You can say this to encourage a smaller competitor.
Example: ³Good luck, and remember: The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
The Hindu: ³Health Capsules´: ³Is there a world standard for daily nutrient allowances?
No. Standards are set from country to country. There may be as much as ten fold difference from
one country to the next in terms of recommended levels of nutrients. Furthermore, nutrient
requirements may vary significantly from one individual to the next.
Today, 16-2-2009, at about 12-45 hours, I was just thinking, that it was long time since I had
spoken to Sudha Andal, and in fact wanted to give her a telephonic call in the evening. To my
amazement, Sudha herself called me at 16-05 hours. What a coincidence! Is it rather a coincident
happening or µcommunication from the Universe¶ as expounded in Japanese Zen philosophy?
(Vide: Zen and the art of Happiness.)
On 12-2-2009, Shankar had a wonderful Divine dream. Shankar goes to a Shirdi Sai Baba
temple that he himself is not aware as to its location. The statue of Baba is quite big and
charming. In that temple he sees a great grand old man who looks like a µSiddha purusha¶. His
fingernails are long and crooked and curved. That man calls Shankar to come near him. He says
to Shankar, ³Your great great grand parents have offered worship and rendered service to Baba,
when he took several Avatars, before, in the past. It is perhaps His desire, that I should meet you
in His Sannidhi today and convey this message to you. By the Grace of Baba, and by the
blessings of your ancestors, you will be well placed and live with grace. Before leaving this
sacred temple, make a circumambulation´.
Shankar also obeys the great man¶s command. While circumambulating Shankar sees a huge
Anjaneyar, in a corner of the temple, and worships the Lord. Perhaps his dream comes to a close
with that, in that morning.
[My thought waves, while typing this episode: From the description Shankar made of the age old
man, Pichu Mama, comes to my mind, who was also a Siddha Purusha, that we didn¶t know
about him then, when he was with us, but realize now.]
³Mazhai peyyum pothu oray oru kay mattum nanaiyadhu. Athu enna kai?
Answer: Kudai milagai thaan! Athukku thane kudai irukku!
ù
The Hindu: Page17; ³Know your English´
*How is the word µguerdon¶ pronounced?
The ¶uer¶ sounds like the µir¶ in µbirth¶, µshirt¶, and µbird¶.
µO¶ is like the µa¶ in µChina¶. The word is pronounced µGER-din¶. This rather old fashioned word
can be used as a noun and verb.
As noun it means a reward. A guerdon is something that is given to someone µin return for a
service or an accomplishment¶.
As a verb it means µto reward¶.
In last year¶s National Spelling Bee Contest held in the U.S, Sameer Mishra was crowned the
champion when he succeeded in spelling the word µguerdon¶ correctly.
The headline in one of the papers read: National Spelling Bee winner takes the guerdon!
*How is the word µadieu¶ pronounced?
The µa¶ in the first syllable is like the µa¶ in µchina¶, and the following µdieu¶ sounds like the
word µdue¶. The word is pronounced µe-DUE¶ with the stress on the second syllable, and it
means µgood bye¶. Remember the song µSo long, farewell¶ from the movie µSound of Music¶?
The word µadieu¶ is used in it quite a few times.
*Tailpiece: ³What is the difference between a boy friend and a husband?
About 30 pounds!´²Cindy Gardner.
Health Capsules: How much nutrient value is lost in the refinement of flour?
Twenty-five nutrients are removed in the refining process that turns wheat grains into white
flour. Only four nutrients (Iron, B1, B2, B3) are added back. About 87% of the essential
minerals, including Zinc, Chromium and Manganese are stripped away.
YW Quiz: What normal activity in the eye is caused by the muscle µOrbicularis oculi¶?
Answer: µClosing of the eye¶.
Tongue Twisters; (1). I thought a thought, but the thought I thought wasn¶t the thought I thought
I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn¶t have
thought so much.
(2). Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
where is the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked? ùå
Tuesday, February 17, 2009: 4:04 PM: Times Of India: ³Wisetrack´: ³Politeness is good nature
regulated by good sense´.
Health Facts: Mangoes are excellent nutritional sources, containing vitamins, minerals, and
antioxidants. They are rich in vitamins A, B and C as well as potassium, calcium and iron. They
also have high water content. The potassium makes them ideal for hypertension patients.
Mindbender: Using the digits 1 to 9, create two numbers which when multiplied together give
you the highest number. For example, 12345678 5 9 = 111111102. Clearly there are higher
products. What is the highest?
Answer: 9642 5 87531 = 843,973,902. [My comment: What is the mathematical procedure to
arrive at this?][My analysis: See the integers reducing by µone¶ in an orderly manner, on the left
and right sides respectively.]
Idiom- a- day: ³Wear your heart on your sleeve´: People who wear their heart on their sleeve
express their emotions freely and openly, for all to see.
Example: ³She is kind of player who never hides how she is feeling. One look at her and you
know if she¶s winning or losing´. Reply: ³ She wears her heart on her sleeve´
Another example: ³She¶s a shy person. She¶s never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve´.
Health Facts: Whole wheat is a lot healthier. It offers more fiber, which helps reduce the risk of
heart disease, stroke, cancer, diverticulosis and diabetes, to name a few. Always try to reach for
products that are made from oats, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, rye, brown rice, millet and wheat,
rather than those made from white flour.
Idiom-a-day: Cold Turkey: You go cold turkey when you suddenly stop taking a drug which you
had been taking regularly.
Example: ³Did it take you a long time to quit smoking? Reply: ³No. I just went cold turkey, and
never I smoked again´.
It can be uncomfortable (cold) at first even painful, for a person to go cold turkey.
Example: ³ My doctor gave me morphine for pain after the surgery, but he gave me less each day
so I would not need to go cold turkey´.
³Lonsdaleite is hardest material´: A rare natural substance, called lonsdaleite, which is formed
of carbon atoms just like diamond, has emerged as 58% harder than the gemstone, according to a
report in New Scientist. (Times of India, 18-2-2009, page 13.)
Times of India: Wise track: ³Genius does what it must and talent does what it can´.
³The best judgment comes from experience. Most experience comes from bad judgment´ (For
humor only!)
Idiom-a-day: IN AND OUT: In and out is the way you know something when you know it very
well.
Example: ³I¶ve been in this business for thirty years. I know it in and out´.
³ I know this city in and out´.
When you add the µs¶ and say the ins and outs, you are talking about the special ways that you
know to do something, when you know it very well.
Example: ³I hope you can help me. I want to learn the ins and outs´.
Grammar Point: In and out acts like an adverb²³I know this in and out´.
The ins and outs acts like a noun---³´Teach me the ins and outs´.
One more example: ³My friend Jeff has worked in publishing for fifteen years. He knows all the
ins and outs´.
Health Facts: Adding green tea to your daily diet has several health benefits. It aids the
metabolism of fat, ease of digestion and is a good source of flavonoids. Another benefit is that
tea is a natural diuretic, that is extremely mild and gentle on the system.
Times Of India: Wise track: µThe eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend¶.
µThe temperature of milk when it leaves the udders of a cow is 101 degrees Fahrenheit¶.
Dear Nandhu: Mind bender: ³What is black when you get it, red when you use it, and white
when you are all through with it? Answer: µCharcoal¶.
!c2 3 (Simply joking²S.S.):´My bride- to-be got a mudpack and looked great for
two days. Then the mud fell off. . ..´
Idiom-a- day: ³Rock the Boat´: ³To rock the boat is to risk upsetting a group situation. p
Example: ³ We have to work together on this project. I don¶t want anyone rocking the boat´.
People in a group on a small boat need to work together. If one person moves suddenly, the
whole boat could rock dangerously. Example: ³Everyone wants to go except for you. Why do
you have to rock the boat?´
We cause trouble for other people when we rock the boat, because people need to find new
positions to µmake the boat¶ steady again. Example: ³ I hate to rock the boat, but I do think we
need to rewrite this report´.
The song µMuruganin Marupeyar Azhagu, is composed by Swami Surajananda, and sung inc
9craga.
There is a raga called ,!5 in µTamizh Isai. It is more popularly understood as ,9!.!
in Karnataka tradition
[These information about Ragas were culled out from µDina Malar, dated 20-2-2009, Chennai
supplement, page 2.]
Times of India: µWise track: ³Of all feats of skill, the most difficult is that of being honest´.
Marriage Galore: ³Before marriage, a man Yearns for the girl he loves. After the marriage the
³Y´ becomes silent. [WHY? ²S.S.]
Fact of the matter: µThe underside of a horse¶s hoof is called a frog. The frog peels off several
times a year with new growth¶.
Mind bender: Dear Nandhu: Two thieves rob a bank. They hop into a car and scurry off to their
hideout 32 kilometers away and realize that one of their tyres has been completely flat all along.
How did they get to their hideout without noticing?
Answer: The flat was the spare tyre in the trunk
Idiom-a-day: ³ALL IN THE SAME BOAT´:
People who are all in the same boat must work as a team because they face the same challenges
together.
Example: ³We can¶t fight against each other. We need to work together. We¶re all in the same
boat!´
When people forget that they are part of a team, we can remind them by saying, ³We are all in
the same boat´.
Example: ³I¶m so busy. I don¶t know how will you get this done´. Reply: ³You¶re not the only
one with a lot to do. We are all in the same boat´.
We are all in the same boat means that we are all like people who are in the same boat so we
need to cooperate in order to succeed.
Example: ³These may be difficult times, but we¶re all in the same boat. We can get through it
together´.
6From Young World: The Barbie doll has become world famous. Barbie has a friend named
Midge and a little sister Kelly. Barbie has turned 50 this year. Yet she is very youngish looking--
- [S.S]
6Y.W. Quiz: Which type of flower is also called a Lent Lily? Answer: µDaffodil¶.
6Know Your English: µDoes the word µbreakfasted¶ exist?¶
Yes, it does. The word µbreakfast¶ can be used as a verb.
³The children breakfasted on idlis and poories´.
The words µlunch¶ and µsnack¶ can also be used as verbs. Strangely enough, the word µdinner¶ is
not used as a verb.
³My wife lunched with her friends in a five star hotel.´ ³While watching the movie, I snacked
on potato chips´.
How is the word µaskance¶ pronounced?
The word is pronounced µes CANS,with stress on the second syllable.
When you µlook askance at someone¶ you usually look at him/her with disapproval or distrust.
What is the opposite of µcomedian¶?
µA tragedian¶. The word is pronounced µtre-JEE-dien¶, with the stress on the second syllable.
An actress who specializes in comic/tragic roles is sometimes called µcomedienne¶/ tragedienne¶.
The words are pronounced µke-mee- di-EN¶ and µtre-jee-di-EN¶ respectively.
Tail- piece: ³ A poet who reads his verse in public may have other nasty habits´. [Robert
Heinlein.]
[My comments: Absolutely true! We see a number of them in cine field and political fields like
µdiamonds¶ and µtreasures¶.] S.Upendran, upendrankye@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009: 9:12 A.M: Times of India:
6³Success brings growth and growth means change´.
´With a good percentage of fiber kiwi fruit acts as a mild laxative, aiding in the prevention of
colon cancer. The fiber produces an acid called sodium butyrate, which blocks the activity of a
cancer-causing gene. The fiber also helps remove toxins from the body and reduces cholesterol
levels, leading to the lowering of heart diseases and heart at attacks.
Idiom-a-day: µEarly bird catches the worm¶. This means that the person who arrives early will
be successful. ³I always come early to work. The early bird catches the worm´.
When the bird s are competing to catch the worm, the bird that arrives early will catch the worm.
³From now on, I am waking up at six. The earl bird catches the worm´.
At times there is only one µworm¶ and only one µbird¶ can catch it, so the bird which arrives early
catches the worm.
³My brother started investing money when he was sixteen years old. Reply: ³The early bird
catches the worm´.
6 Times of India: Sunday, March 01, 2009: 13:57: ³In 1386, a pig in France was executed by
public hanging for the murder of a child´.
6Health Facts: It is known that spicy foods are good in clearing up sinuses and a stuffy nose.
What most do not realize is that spicy foods break up the mucus of chest congestion. The hot
spicy ingredients do wonders for those who are suffering from chest congestion.
6Idiom-a-day: ³Finding Your Feet´. You are µfinding your feet¶ when you are learning what to
do and becoming more comfortable acting in a certain type of situation.
Example: ³I¶ve only been at this job for a few months. I¶m just finding my feet´.
It takes time to find your feet, because you need to learn what to do and becoming comfortable
doing it.
Example: ³I was at that job for over a year before I really found my feet´.
You have gained the needed skills and are performing tour job well, once you have found your
feet.
Example: ³Don¶t worry about it. We will help you until you find your feet´.
66Monday, March 02, 2009: 9:27 AM: The Hindu: µHealth Capsules:
Can men get breast cancer? Yea. In 2007, two thousand men were diagnosed with breast cancer.
450 died from the disease. Men have poor survival rates from breast cancer because routine
screening in men is almost nonexistent.
66Times of India: µHealth Facts¶: Black pepper stimulates the secretion of stomach acid, which
improves digestion and helps prevent intestinal gas. It also has antibacterial properties and is a
good source of antioxidants. It is a diuretic that promotes urination, helping to prevent water
retention. Additionally, it stimulates fat cell breakdown, which aids in the maintenance of a
healthy weight.
6Idiom-a-day: ³Sink or Swim´: It is a situation where you will either fail or find a way to
succeed. If you are thrown into the water, you will either sink to the bottom or you will swim to
safety.
Examples: ³Sales is not an easy job here. We give you two weeks training, then it¶s sink or
swim´.
³How do you interview new teachers here?´
Reply: ³We just put them in with the kids, and see how they do. It¶s sink or swim´.
6Just Joking: ³Pizza is the only known antidote for a ketchup overdose´.
663/3/2009 1:00 PM: The Hindu: ³Know Your English´: µHow is the word vase pronounced?¶
In India, most people tend to make this word rhyme with µface¶, µlace¶ and µcase¶. Americans
too! The British pronounce it differently. The word is pronounced µvaaz¶. The final µe¶ is silent.
6Does the word µbirding¶ exist? Yes. It does. µBirding¶ and µbird watching¶ are
interchangeable nowadays. A µbirder¶ is one who watches birds (of the feathered kind, mind
you!) in their natural habitat.
Example: My former chairman in the Tamilnadu Electricity Board, Sri B.Vijayaraghavan is a
good birder. Mr. Salim Ali is a well-known birder of international repute.
6´I don¶t want to meet her, period. What is the meaning of this µperiod?¶
Americans refer to what we in India call µfull stop¶ as period. It means it is the end of the
sentence. ³I¶m not going to give you a raise, period. The µperiod¶ here refers to the end of the
sentence.
6³A comedist is a person who writes comedies´.
6-$($&$8$P( $-'9& would dread a particular day-date in February and March
this year, 2009.What is it a fear of?
Friday the 13th. For that matter any Friday, the 13th, of any Month, any Year.
66Times Of India: µHealth Facts¶: A staple of Ayurvedic Medicine, Fenugreek helps to stabilize
high blood sugar levels, as well as offering anti-cancer and anti-microbial properties. It is also
believed to help with stomach complaints and aid in weight loss by reducing fat-absorption and
curbing appetite. Fenugreek can be incorporated into dishes or simply be made into a tea.
6What a beautiful joke! Reminds me of Kushwant Singh jokes that I read long ago!
³My Doctor wanted to discuss µantioxidants¶ and µfree radicals¶. But I am tired of talking about
politics.
6 Idiom-a-day: ³Lost His Head´: ³You lose your head when you get upset and lose control of
your actions. You are overcome by emotions (especially anger) and lose control of your actions
when you lose your head. A person who loses his head is not in control of his actions because he
is not thinking clearly.
Examples: ³I got so angry yesterday. I completely lost my head´.
³I¶m really sorry about what I did. I lost my head´.
³Okay, I¶ll tell you what happened. But first promise that you won¶t lose your head´.
³He lost his head, so they threw him out of the game´.
66 A good joke from ³Aval Vikatan´, dated, 13-3-2009, Page 48, contributed by Ms. Krishna
Prabha, Padmavani Women¶s Arts and Science College:
Teacher: µWhat is the name of Gandhi¶s son?¶
Student: µDineshan¶, Sir.
Teacher: µDon¶t be idiotic. Who said like that?¶
Student: µSir, you only said like that, Sir¶. Yesterday, you said Gandhi is the father of
³thenation´.
Teacher: ? ? ? ? ?
66Wednesday, March 04, 2009: 3:11 PM: The Hindu: µHealth Capsules: µHow can I cut my
risk of stomach cancer?
Chew Mastic Gum. It is available in capsule and chewing gum form. Mastic gum kills the H.
Pylori bacteria that cause ulcers and other digestive disorders. The World Health Organization
now considers H.Pylori to be a Carcinogen.
66Times of India: Health Facts: Low in calories, Asparagus shoots are rich in -Carotene,
vitamins B, C and E, potassium, zinc and iodine. It is particularly rich in folate, the vitamin that
helps prevent neural tube birth defects and is therefore recommended for pregnant women. Seven
spears of Asparagus provide about 70% of the daily-recommended allowance of folate.
6Idiom-a-day: ³When it rains it pours´: This describes how after there has been no rain for a
long time, it suddenly rains a lot all at once. When there is a lot of rain all at once we say that it
is pouring. Some people say, ³it never rains, but it pours´.
Example: ³Sometimes we have no customers for two or three hours, then suddenly we get 20
people all at once´. Reply: ³It never rains, but it pours´.
Thursday, March 05, 2009: 9:53 AM: From The Hindu:
SHALLOTS, full of Flavonoids: Shallot or Eschallot belongs to Allium Species. French grey
shallot or Griselle, is considered the true shallot pertains to µAllium Oschaninii¶type of species.
Unlike onions, where each plant normally forms a single bulb, shallots form clusters of offsets,
rather in the manner of garlic. Shallots taste sweeter than the mildest onion.
Shallots contain two sets of compounds- sulphur compounds and flavonoids. Flavonoids cause
reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, since they are anti-cancer, anti-bacterial,
antiviral, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory.
Eating shallots daily helps in the growth of bone tissue and reduces the risk of developing
osteoporosis by 20%. The sulphur content in shallots makes skin look younger.
6´Well said by Bruce Lee´. Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo
or willow survives by bending with the wind. [Have they not said it Tamil or Samskrit many
centuries ago? What is new in Bruce Lee here? ±S.S.]
6´Freedom is not free- it¶s priceless´.
6³I wanted to attend the memory-training seminar; but I forgot all about it´.
6 Health Capsules: ³What minerals are toxic to humans?´
µEverything is toxic! What are we supposed to do?´
Now factually! ³ Toxic minerals include Aluminum, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Mercury and
Arsenic. Studies show that toxic minerals tend to accumulate with age. There are many sources:
Antacids contain Aluminum, as do toothpaste tubes, pots and pans, Aluminum foil and water.
66Translation by S.S: from Chiruvar Malar: Supplement to Dina Malar daily, dated, 6-3-2009:
Page6.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose named Mahatma Gandhi as the father of Nation.
The National Anthem of Greece is the longest in the world.
Ethylene supports the fruits ripen fast artificially.
Elephant is an animal that does not know how to jump.
66 The Hindu: Cinema Plus : ³Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju is better known as Dr.
Rajkumar, the veteran Kannada actor.
RAGA: In which Raga is K.V. Mahadevan¶s evergreen -c" from Thiruvilayaadal
cinema set to? Answer: 2!!.
6 Health Capsules: ³How do people become Copper-toxic?´
From copper pipes. Add to that copper pots and pans. Birth control pills and even copper IUD¶s.
(Intra Uterine Devices-S.S)
66: Saturday, March 07, 2009:8:17 AM: From Times Of India:
Mind bender: ³ When she is one year older than she is now, Janet will be twice as old as she was
two years ago. How old is Janet?´
Solution by S.S: Let her present age be x.
If she is one year older, she will be x+1.
Two years ago, she was twice as old. That is, she was 2 (x-2).
Hence, 2(x-2) = x+1. Or, 2x-4 = x+1. Or, x+1-2x+4 =0
Or, -x = -5 or Janet is just 5 years old now. [Dear Nandhu, I solve it in a simple and elaborate
manner for kids of your age of today, to understand it easily. ²S.S].
6MARRIAGE GALORE: ³ I do what the voices in my wife¶s head tell me to do´.
6´It¶s choice not chance, that determines your destiny´.
6Health Facts: Prunes are very high in copper, another anti-aging benefit. Copper is a mineral in
our system that plays a number of important roles. It maintains the health of our tissues and
bones, it helps get rid of those pesky free radicals and it also aids in the production of collagen
and elastin, the two substances that give us that youthful skin. ·
6Idiom-a-day: ³CRYING WOLF´: To cry wolf is to call for help when you are not really in
danger.
Example: ³Mom, Dad! Can you come to my room? I think there is something under my bed.´
Reply: ³Son, you just go back to bed, and stop crying wolf´.
Crying wolf mostly results in other people not believing you when you really do need their help.
[Remember the story of the lad who cried µwolf, wolf¶ to make fun of others, until he was really
killed by the wolf, when nobody came to rescue him thinking that the boy was still lying. ²S.S].
66 From The Hindu: Health Capsules: What is the best way to remove toxic minerals from the
body?
³Take vitamin C and get the LEAD out! [ ³Nice pun on the term ³LEAD´- -S.S]
In one study of lead toxicity, vitamin C lowered lead levels in the blood by 22%. Vitamin C is
very effective in eliminating lead, arsenic and cadmium. It¶s an important part of any Detox
program.
6 ³Mr. Tushar Gandhi is the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi´.
66Sunday, March 08, 2009:10:44 AM: ³Times of India´: ³Faith is taking the first step even
when you don¶t see the whole staircase´.
6Believe it or not: ³Incredible-Inedible´: ³Pierre Girard of Golden Valley, Minnesota, USA,
has a fruitcake that was baked in 1911´.
6Health Facts: Paprika, a milder form of Cayenne, is high in - Carotene, flavonoids and
vitamin-C. It is believed to have antibacterial properties and has been used to treat high blood
pressure and varicose veins. It is good for the circulatory system as it promotes blood vessel
elasticity.
6 Idiom-a-day: ³Put your best foot forward´: It is stepping forward and doing your very best.
Example: ³This week the division manager will be in town. I want every one of you to put your
best foot forward´.
To show others your best effort is putting your best foot forward. Example: ³ Don¶t be shy, son,
I want you to get out on that field and put your best foot forward´.
You say put your best foot forward to encourage others to try hard and do their best. Example:
³If every man/woman puts his/her best foot forward, we will achieve great success. [Example by
S.S]
66Monday, March 09, 2009: 8:22 AM: ³THE HINDU´: µHealth capsules:
Is peanut butter a high-calorie food?
A little peanut butter goes a long way. Peanut butter contains 95 calories per tablespoon. About
the same calorie count as butter. But it is high in protein, high in healthy monosaturated fats. And
relatively inexpensive.
66Times of India: Wise Track: ³I care about you. Say it, mean it, and live it´.
6Idiom-a-day: ³Go for broke´. To µgo for broke¶ is to risk everything in one chance to win big.
Example: µAre you sure you want to bet all of your money on that one horse?´
Reply: ³Yes. I¶m going for broke´.
µGo for broke¶ means take a risk, try your best, and give all of your energy to something.
Example: ³The way to be successful is to decide exactly what you want, then go for broke´.
66Tuesday, March 10, 2009: 8:28 AM: The Hindu: µKnow Your English¶:(in condensed form):
³Updation is a legitimate word. µUpdation¶ and µupdate¶ are interchangeable´.
³Plugging away at it? What does it mean´? ³It means I am working hard at it´. You can also say
µpeg away at¶ something. The boy next door has been pegging away at his English lessons for
several months.
·p
³When you say that someone is learning the ropes, what you mean is that the person is learning
how a particular job or task is done´. Example: ³Once I learn the ropes, my boss will take notice
of me´.
³Waste not, want not´: ³This means if one never wastes anything, one will never be short of
anything´. My grandmother used to say the same thing . She always reused envelopes. Waste
not, want not is what she used to say.
³My father never throws away old rubber bands. It¶s a case of waste not want not´.
Tailpiece: ³The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something
stupid´. ---ART SPANDER.
6 Idiom-a-day: Biting the hand that feeds you: This is to harm someone who has been helping
you.
Example: ³We treat each of our customers with the greatest respect here. We never bite the hand
that feeds us´.
If you feed an animal and it bites you on the hand, you will probably not feed it again. If you
forget that a person has been doing something to help you, and you harm the relationship, you
are µbiting the hand that feeds you¶.
Example: ³We have been your best customers for years. And suddenly you treat us so rudely?
You should never bite the hand that feeds you´.
[My Comments: There is an identical expressive idiom in Tamizh also. It is read, as ³Unda
Veettukku Irandaham Cheyvathu Pol´ There is also another expression, similar to
this to convey the meaning: ³Uppittavarai Ullalavum Ninai´.]
66 Friday, March 13, 2009: 8:55 AM: The Hindu: Health Capsules:
What¶s the best kind of salt to use?
Use µSolo Salt¶ instead of the mineral-deficient commercial brands. It has half the sodium of
regular brands. But more potassium, and magnesium. Use it sparingly.
66 Times of India: Wise track: ³Be detachable. You don¶t know everything´.
6 Idiom-a-day: ³Bite Off More than You Chew´.
To take on a responsibility which is too large for you to manage is µbiting off more than you can
chew¶.
When eating food, you first bite off a piece, then chew it, and swallow it. If you bite off more
than you can chew, you have taken a bite so large that you are not able to chew it.
Examples: ³I thought I could finish this report within a month, but I bit off more than I could
chew´.
³I went skiing last weekend and I went down the most difficult hill first. I bit off more than I
could chew´.
³I want you to think carefully about how many people you need for this project. Be sure not to
bite off more than you can chew´.
66March 14, 2009: 8:09 AM: Times of India: ³the human body has seven energy chakras-
Crown Chakra, third eye Chakra, throat Chakra, heart Chakra, Solar plexus chakra, hara chakra
and root Chakra. They dispense energy to the whole body.
6 Bill Gates house was partially designed using a Macintosh computer.
6A good joke: Psychiatrist: What is wrong with your brother?
Sister: He thinks he is a hen.
Psychiatrist: How long has it been?
Sister: Three years. We would have come in sooner, but we needed the eggs.
6Health Facts: Red vegetables and fruits include watermelon, beetroot, red grapes, cranberries
and tomato. Beetroots are considered an excellent blood purifier. The red produce contains
anthocyanidins and lycopene, powerful antioxidants that help fight heart disease, cancer and
ageing. When it comes to tomatoes, and cooked tomatoes and tomato sauce are well known for
promoting prostate health.
·ù
6Idiom-a-day: Curiosity Kills The Cat:
It reminds us that being too curious can be dangerous. Cats are curious animals that like to
investigate, but their curiosity can take them places where they might get hurt.
Children especially, like cats, are curious and like to test to find out what is dangerous.
Examples: ³What do you think is down that dark street´? Reply: ³I would rather not find out.
Curiosity kills the cat´.
³My son stuck his finger into the electrical outlet and got a huge shock! He said he wanted to
find out how it would feel´. Reply: ³It¶s God¶s grace that he was neither hurt, nor lost his life!
Curiosity would have killed the cat´.
66Sunday, March 15, 2009: 6:58 AM:
Raga: The song µVasanta mullai mele asaintu adum penn purave, maayamellam naan arivene¶
coming in cinema µSarangadhara¶ and sung by µT.M.Soundararajan, is set to Raga c
5! Vide: µEnnodu paattupaadungal¶-Jaya T.V. conducted by Dr. S.P.
Balasubramaniam, on 14-3-2009 at 20:23 hours.
6 From Times of India: Page 15. SOUND SMART: ³New Age Meanings of New and Old
Words:
Coffee: the person upon whom one coughs.
Flabbergasted: appalled over how much weight you have gained.
Esplanade: to attempt an explanation while drunk.
Willy-nilly: impotent.
Negligent: describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your
nightgown.
Lymph: to walk with a lisp.
Balderdash: a rapidly receding hairline.
Testicle: a humorous question on an exam.
6´India used to be the richest country in the world until the British invasion in the early 17 th
Century´
6 Blue and purple vegetables and fruits include blueberries, grapes, plums, prunes, blackberries
and raisins. These are high ORAC value foods, rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are another form
of antioxidants that fortify your cellular walls, protecting them from oxygen radicals that cause
DNA problems. They also support heart health, prevents cancer, reduces blood pressure and
staving off memory loss
6³All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them´.
6Believe it or not: µLife imitates Art¶: On November 18, 2008, officials in Hamelin, Germany--
-Home to the µPied Piper Legend¶ announced that the town was overrun with RATS.
6Idiom-a- day: ³Truer words were never spoken´.
You say this when you strongly agree with what the other person has just said.
Example: ³ I find that the earlier I get up, the better the day I have´. Reply: ³Truer words were
never spoken. The morning hours are definitely the best hours of the day´.
Truer words were never spoken is often used as a single sentence response to support the other
person, showing how strongly you agree.
Example: ³ This is the best cake I have eaten in years´! Reply: ³Truer words were never
spoken´.
When someone says something that you find to be very true and which applies in many different
·
situations, you can say, ³Truer words were never spoken´.
Example: ³You are lucky to have such a wonderful wife´. Reply: ³Truer words were never
spoken´.
[S.S.¶s Tamizh version: ³Sariyaka chonnaai! Idhaivida Unmai Vaeru Illai´.]
66Monday, March 16, 2009: 8:29 AM: The Hindu: Travel Quip: ³People travel to far away
places to watch, in fascination, the kind of people they ignore at home´. ---Dagobert D. Runes.
66Wednesday, March 18, 2009: 9:43 AM: The Hindu: µHealth Capsules:
How does acupuncture work?
Jokingly: ³So what happened to you?´ ³My acupuncturist forgot to remove a needle!´
³Acupuncture involves strategically placing needles into the skin along streams of energy, called
µQI¶ (Chee), that flow through the body. The needles improve energy flow, thereby reducing
·
symptoms. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for a number of ailments, including
Tennis Elbow´.
66 Times of India: Wise Track: ³Improvement always starts with µI¶.´
6Health Facts: Lentils are legumes that are great for the heart. People with diet rich in legumes
show an 82% reduction in the risk of heart diseases. They contain 26% protein, are low in fat,
high in good carbs and are a great source of iron. Lentils also have a high content of vitamins and
minerals, including foliate, vitamin B1, magnesium, phosphorous, copper and potassium´.
6Idiom-a-day: ³AS SICK AS A DOG´: ³You are as sick as a dog when you are very sick with a
cold, flu, or stomach problem.
Examples: ³I don¶t know what I ate this morning. I have been as sick as a dog all day´.
³ I heard you were uncomfortable yesterday´. Reply: ³Uncomfortable? I was as sick as a dog´.
You are much too sick to do the things a normal person does when you are as sick as a dog.
Example: ³Sorry, but I am not going to be able to come in to work today. I¶m as sick as a dog´.
A police officer comments to a scoundrel about his mother: µI bet your mother found it harder to
bear you, after your birth, than before.¶
66 Friday, March 20, 2009: 8:23 AM: The Hindu: µCinema plus¶:
·å
A little bit of cinema also: µBalan¶, released in 1938, was the first film with a sound track in
which Indian language?
Answer: µMalayalam¶.
66 Times of India: ³The largest cereal company in the world is Quaker Oats, located in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, USA.´
Idiom-a-day: µAll Bark and no Bite¶:
People who are all bark and no bite threaten to do things that they are not really willing or able to
do.
They are like dogs that bark to make you afraid, but they will not bite you.
Examples: ³That new manager threatened to fire me again, but I know he won¶t do it. He¶s all
bark and no bite´.
³Don¶t listen to my brother when he gets angry, he¶s all bark and no bite.´
Health Facts: Peanut butter is very high in calories, but yet is one of the healthiest foods. In
general raw peanut butter is better than the refined version, because it retains many of the
beneficial nutrients found in the peanut skin. It contains fairly high quantities of dietary fiber,
amounting to about eight percent, which helps in regulating both blood cholesterol and blood
sugar levels.
66Friday, March 20, 2009: 7:03 PM: Gemology: Interview with Smt. Parveen Sikkander: Jaya
T.V.18-3-2009, 17:45 hours:
American diamond is nothing but Zircon.
When Palladium is added to Gold, then it is called, µWhite Gold¶.
The so-called KDM is a binding metal to join small gold pieces together. KDM is a misnomer. It
is actually µCadmium¶ in powdery form. [I know it already- - S.S].
66Saturday, March 21, 2009: 8:32 A.M: Times of India:
Which English cricket captain could have said, µI¶m that clean hero!¶
Answer: µMichael Atherton¶. (Anagram of µI¶m that clean hero¶.)
6: Health facts: To prevent constipation, drink lots of water²at lest 8 glasses daily. Foods such
as prunes, figs, cereals, fruits and nuts which are rich in dietary fibers, also help. Eat an apple
with its skin and a guava with the seeds regularly. Avoid starchy foods and reduce intake of
sugar and white breads.
6Idiom-a-day: ³ If you had a certain number of µeggs¶, it would be safest to put those eggs in
different µbaskets¶ and not µput them all in one basket¶. To µput all your eggs in one basket µ
would be to risk losing all of your µeggs¶ in case you drop that one µbasket¶.
The idiom µto put all your eggs in one basket¶ is to risk losing everything all at one time.
Examples: ³ My father is a very careful investor; he never puts all of his eggs in one basket´.
³The best way to gamble in Las Vegas, is to only bet small amounts of money and never put all
your eggs in one basket´. [Note: The term µLas Vegas¶ is my inclusion.]
66´Kalaignar T.V., 21-3-2009,Saturday: 0810 hours; µVairamangai¶ Quiz programme:
Who built the µBalaji¶ temple in µTirupathi?¶ Answer: ³Krishna Deva Rayar´.
6Ragam: Sri. Purandaradasa Kriti µÆama Mantra Jabiso¶ is in ,:!c(. (Vide: Pothigai
T.V, 21-3-2009, 0945 hours, presented by D.D. Trivandrum Kendra. Three violinists, including
one lady, performed extremely finely, and they rendered this song. I could not note their names.
66Sunday, March 22, 2009: 9:06 AM: Times of India: µBelieve it or not¶: The dragon millipede
of Thailand has bright pink coloration and glands that produce µCyanide Poison!¶
6´Life without love is like a tree without blossom or fruit´.
6Health Facts: To prevent acidity and heart burn take a mixture of two teaspoons of natural
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR and two teaspoons of raw honey in a glass of water before meals.
Eating a banana daily will prevent such conditions. Avoid fried foods, pickles, hot spicy foods,
vinegar, chocolate, raw salad of vegetables like onion, cabbage, radish and peppers. Avoid
unripe, high pectin fruits such as unripe apple. Chew the food properly. Do not skip meals. Stop
smoking and cut down on alcohol.
6Idiom-a-day: ³Taken aback´: To be taken aback is to be surprised or startled by a sudden turn
of events. µAback¶ means in a backward direction²toward the rear. It is a word that has
fallen almost into disuse, apart from the phrase µtaken aback¶.
Originally µaback¶ was two words: µa¶ and µback¶, but these became merged into a single word
in the 15 th century.
The word µaround¶ and the new archaic µadown¶ were formed in the same way.
µTaken aback¶ is an allusion to something that is startling enough to make us jump back in
surprise.
A use of this word was recorded in the London Gazette in 1697: ³I braced my main topsails
aback´. The sails of a ship are said to be µaback¶ when the wind blows them flat against the
masts and spars that support them.
Charles Dickens also used it in his American Notes in 1842: ³I don¶t think I was ever so taken
aback in all my life´.
66The Hindu: The Cherry Blossom flowers are known as µSAKURA¶ in Japan and they
symbolize Japanese culture. They have also blossomed forth in µUeno¶ park in Tokyo. The
flowers started their blooming in the early March of this year in the southernmost island of
Okinawa and have been traveling northward. Thus the Cherry blossom season for this year has
officially begun in Tokyo, Japan.
66 Monday, March 23, 2009: 8:28 AM: The Hindu: Health capsules: ³What is the risk of
having an Angiogram?
One out of 1,000 people die from the Angiogram test, also called the µHeart Catheterization¶.
6Education Plus: Brain Bytes Quiz:
^^ In which Indian city is the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport? [Nagpur]
^^ Which Greek mythological creature¶s name was µAsterion¶? [Minotaur]
66Times of India: Wise Track: ³It takes courage to originate- - not imitate´.
6Idiom-a-day: µA Bird in Hand¶: µA bird in the hand is worth two in the bush¶ means it is better
to have a small actual advantage than the chance of a greater one.
The earliest English version of the proverb is from the Bible and was translated into English in
Wycliffe¶s version in 1382, although Latin texts have it from the 13 th century: Ecclesiastes IX- -
³A living dog is better than a dead lion´.
Alternatives that explicitly mention birds in hand come later. The earliest of those is in Hugh
Rhodes¶ µThe Boke of nurture or Schoole of good Manners, circa 1530: ³A byrd in hand²is
worth ten flye at large´.
The term bird in hand must have been known in the USA by 1734, as that is the date when a
small town in Pennsylvania was founded with that name.
p
6 Dear Nandhu: The following problem is easy to solve, if you read it carefully.
Mind bender: µHow much money would I have had if, in spending 1/5 and then 1/5 of the
remaining, I had altogether spent Rs.36? [Answer: Rs 100/= only.]
My solution to the problem:
Assume that I had x rupees.
Originally I spent 1/5 of it, that is 1/5 x Rs.
Therefore, the balance is x-1/5 x =4/5xRs.
From this balance left with, I spent 1/5 of this. That is to say, I spent 4/5 x multiplied by 1/5 that
comes to 4/25x.Rs.
Hence totally I spent 1/5 x + 4/25 x = 5/25 x + 4/25 x or 9/25 x. Rs.
The amount spent is given as Rs. 36. i.e. 9/25 x = Rs. 36, from which x = Rs.100/ =.
Check: Originally, 100 multiplied by 1/5 = Rs.20. Balance is 100- 20 = Rs. 80.
Later, 80 multiplied by 1/5 = Rs. 16. Totally spent = 20 + 16 = Rs. 36.O.K
66 Thursday, March 26, 2009: 9:11 AM: The Hindu: Health Capsules:
What are some examples of µPhytochemicals¶?
The most commonly known Phytochemicals are:
Capsaicin : Found in Chili peppers.
Beta-carotene: Found in Carrots.
Curcumin: Found in Curry.
Lycopene: Found in tomatoes.
Phyto Estrogens: Found in Soy.
Proanthoycyanidins: Found in Berries.
Probiotics: Found in Yogurt. And
Sulforaphane: Found in Broccoli.
6Times of India: Wise track: µHesitate in giving advice unless you are asked.¶
6Health Facts: µ Plenty of green vegetables, which contain high amounts of vitamin C will
improve immunity. Drinking enough water is fundamental to good health. A regular flow of
water makes it difficult for harmful bacteria to breed inside the body. Lemon is a superb cleanser
and has many antiseptic properties to flush out the system. Cutting back on refined sugars and
processed junk foods is also essential in order to allow the body to fight infection.
ù
66Times Of India: 27-3-2009:Friday:
³Solve the anagram to get the name of a famous U.S.actor: µSlovenly steel star¶´.
Answer: µSylvester Stallone¶
6An-idiom-a-day: ³A Dish Fit for the Gods´: It is an offering of high quality. It originates from
Shakespeare¶s Julius Caesar, 1601.
66Saturday, March 28, 2009:10:55 AM: Health Facts: ³Aloe can purportedly do so much more
than soothe irritated skin. Taken internally, it can be used as a laxative and can destroy certain
bacteria or parasites in the intestines. Claims include that it can help heat ulcers and settle a
queasy stomach. The gel from the plant has the ability to heal sin, control the accumulation of
fluids, and reduce pain.´
6Idiom-a-day: µA Fate Worse Than Death¶: It is any misfortune that, would make life unlivable;
especially something like rape. The phrase was formally a euphemism for rape. This attested to
the belief that a dishonored woman was better off dead. It is still used, but ironically of late. That
earlier view was expressed in Gibbon¶s µDecline and Fall of The Roman Empire, 1781:´ The
matrons and virgins of the Roman Empire were exposed to injuries more dreadful, in the
apprehension of chastity, than death itself´. The current version of the phrase was used in several
works from 1810 onwards but was probably brought into public use via Edgar Rice Burroughs¶s
widely read µTarzan of the apes, 1914: ³The ape threw her roughly across his broad, hairy
shoulders, and leaped back into the trees, bearing Jane Porter away toward a fate a thousand
times worse than death´.
66The Hindu: µHow can pepper help my digestion?
³Black pepper contains piperine, which is effective in improving the uptake of nutrients. Piperine
can greatly increase nutrient uptake. So shake that pepper shaker.´
6 !## ,$c< c!cc'! ³It is a small but irritating flaw that spoils the whole
thing. These days ointments are chiefly used for medicinal purposes. In earlier times though,
ointments were used in creams or oils with a cosmetic for ceremonial use. Literally ointment was
the substance one was anointed with. The phrase has a Biblical origin²Ecclesiastes 10:1, King
James Version.
66: Pc! Oats, the High Energy Food: µAdding oats to your daily diet could be the key
to controlling diabetes¶.
Make your Idli more nutritious by adding oats to it.
Use rolled oats or crushed bran cereal instead of breadcrumbs.
Dry oats uthappam, oatbran upma, oat paratha, toast with oats, oatmeal porridge are suggested.
Oats contain-
Rich source of Vitamin B complex²good for nervous system and for strengthening bones.
A high concentration of Calcium, protein, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamin
and Vitamin E, compared to other whole grain foods such as wheat and rye.
It is power packed with Phytoestrogens, Phytochemicals to help fight diseases and
Flavonoids that help prevent heart disease and cancer.
Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol.
66Monday, March 30, 2009: 8:18 AM: The Hindu: Brain bytes Quiz:
Who wrote the acclaimed work µTo Kill A Mocking Bird that was also made into a famous
film? Answer: Harper Lee.
To a Japanese, what day of the week is µgetsuyoubi¶? Answer: Monday.
Which letter of the alphabet is used to denote impedance in A.C. circuits? Answer: µZ¶.
6 Dina Malar: Computer Malar: Page 11: Dear Nandhu, µwhat is Yahoo?
It is not a word that you shout when you are in a joyful mood! It is an abbreviated form for, µYet
Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle¶.
Two scholars doing their Doctorate in Stanford University in the U.S. found this technology and
named it and abbreviated it as µYahoo¶.
Their names are: David Pylo and Jerry Yang. [Yang¶s name suggests that he might be a
Chinese- - S.S.]
66Tuesday, March 31, 2009: 9:37 AM: P!c)c !c,!c+ c" Which
does not belong in this group: Apple, grape, banana, cherry, pear?
Answer: Banana- - It is the only one that needs to be peeled.
6 !##cc$c<c cPc It is an introduction or way in to something, made in
order that progress may be made later.
This may be just describing someone who steps over the threshold of a property, or someone
putting a foot in the door in order to prevent it from closing and so continue a conversation.
We now use µfoot in the door¶ in a figurative sense, with a similar meaning to µthe thin end of
the wedge¶. It was the technique of jamming a foot in the door to prevent it closing.
All the early examples of this are from the U.S.A.
6Pc!ccc !c How is the word µPorsche¶ pronounced?
Like- - µPOURSH¶ or µPOUR-sha¶. Either way the stress is on µpour¶. Porsche is the name of a
German car manufacturer, producing luxury cars. Ferdinand Porsche founded the company in
1931.
What is the difference between µacademic¶ and µacademician¶?
µAcademic¶: The word is pronounced µa-ke-DEM-ik, with stress on the third syllable.
µAcademician¶: This word is pronounced µe-ka-de-MISH-en¶, with stress on the fourth syllable.
Both µacademic¶ and µacademician¶ mean the same. They refer to someone who µteaches at a
college or studies as part of his job. Careful users of the language, however, prefer µacademic¶ to
µacademician¶ to refer to such a person.
Which is correct? µI think I¶m going to lay down for a while¶ or µI think I¶m going to lie down
for a while¶?
When policemen surround the bad guys, the first thing they say is, µWe have you surrounded.
Lay down your weapons¶: meaning µput down your weapons¶.
If you are planning on getting some sleep or merely stretching yourself out on the bed, then you
are planning to µlie down¶.
The word µlie¶ s normally used when you wish to change from a vertical to a horizontal position!
If you would like to place or put something somewhere, then you use the word µlay¶.
³Vrinda laid the plates on the table.´
The past tense of µlie¶ is µlay¶ and this often creates a problem.
What is the meaning of the expression µin clover¶?
When people are µin clover¶ they are µextremely content¶. They are living in comfort, and have
no financial worries.
³They struggled for over twenty years, and now they¶re in clover´.
Tailpiece: ³Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition´- Timothy Leary.
6!c2 3 [Mangayar Malar, April 2009, Page28] An American lady, Erica, has
recently married the famous Eiffel Tower of Paris, France. She has also changed her name as
µErica la Toure Eiffel¶.
Such people who are crazy and fall in love with inanimate objects are known as ,'+=*c
&> [Translation by S.S.]
66Wednesday, April 01, 2009: 7:48 AM:
Joking! : ³I am not a schizophrenic, neither am I.
6Idiom-a-day: A Friend in Need: This means µsomeone who needs your help becomes friendly
in order to obtain it. Most people understand it to mean, µsomeone who helps you when you are
in need is a true friend¶.
A version of this proverb was known by the third century B.C. Quintus Ennius wrote: ³Amicu
Certus in re incerta cernitur´. This translates from the Latin, as µa sure friend is known when in
difficulty¶.
The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations lists it as existing in English from the eleventh century.
The earliest version that can be found is from Caxton¶s Sonnets of Aymon, 1489.
³It is sayd, that at the need the friende is knowen´.
Whenever one thinks of friendship one thinks of Damon and Pythias.
66: Monday, April 06, 2009: 8:06 AM: Times of India: c,2c2
³Who does it belong to the blue of the sky
On a beautiful morning in September?
Who does it belong to the singing of the bird
In the trees by the river?
Who does it belong to the smile on your face
When we happen to meet among the crowd?
This poem, copyright of Longman Group, UK Ltd. 1992, has been used as a model text to teach
the use of µwho¶ in µCreative Grammar Practice¶.
If my sixth standard teacher had come across this poem, she would have struck the word µwho¶
every time it occurred, and neatly written on top, µwhom¶.
For, till about 50 years ago it was fashionable, nay, correct, to say, µto whom does it belong?¶
However, today we accept, or rather prefer µwho does it belong to?¶
According to Michael Swan, µwhom¶ is unusual in modern English. He would be perfectly
happy with what little Sue¶s mom says:
Mom: Who are you writing to?
Sue: Myself.
Mom: What does the letter say?
Sue: I haven¶t received it yet.
We say that one of the characteristics of language is that it keeps changing. No more do we å
speak the language of Shakespeare or Milton. But change occurs mainly in relation to vocabulary
or pronunciation.
Rules of grammar hardly ever change. However they can, and do, change as the above instances
indicate.
I asked a group of English teachers to correct the following sentence, if necessary.
³Everybody contributed their share´.
All of them felt it was wrong and came up with the following corrections.
³Everybody gave his share¶. This was vetoed by the feminist teachers who suggested,
³Everybody gave her share´.
The neutral teachers came up with a compromise:
³Everybody gave his or her share´.
Native speakers have rejected it on the grounds that it is rather cumbersome, and settled for
µeverybody gave their share¶, even though the rule of concord is broken between the singular
pronoun µeverybody¶ and the plural pronoun µtheir¶.
We are all too familiar with another usage, as seen in the following conversation:
Teacher: Where did you disappear yesterday?
Sam: Joe and me had gone to the hospital.
Teacher: Say Joe and I.
Sam: No, you were not there!
The use of µme¶ instead of µI¶ is common today. IT¶S ME to IT¶S I, though our teachers taught us
differently. Some of the well known quotes from yesteryears show the subtle change grammar
has undergone through the ages.
³Come, all ye faithful.
Forgive them; they know not what they do.
If thou thou¶st him thrice, it shall not be amiss.
Who steals my purse, steals trash´.
Idiom-a- day: ³Pig in a poke´: It is an offering or deal that is foolishly accepted without being
examined first. A µpoke¶ is a small sack or bag that would be useful for carrying a piglet to
market. The word µpoke¶ is the origin for the word µpocket¶. The word is still in use in several
English- speaking countries, notably Scotland and USA.
A pig that is in a poke may turn out to be no pig at all. If a merchant tried to cheat by substituting
a lower value animal, the trick could be uncovered by letting the cat out of the bag.
Fraser¶s Magazine (1858) reprinted a piece from Richard Hill¶s (or Hille¶s) Common-place
Book, 1530, which gave this advice to market traders: ³When ye proffer the pigge open the
poke´.
66Wednesday, April 08, 2009: 7:31 AM: µTimes of India: Idiom-a-day: ³A Sea Change:
µA sea change¶ is a radical and apparently mystical change. The origins of the phrase are from
Shakespeare¶s µThe Tempest¶, 1610:
Ariel [sings]
³Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change,
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell´.
6Dear Nandhu: Mind Bender: µFind a number whose double exceeds its half by exactly 99¶.
Answer: 66.
Solution by S.S: Let that number be x.
Its double is 2x.
It exceeds its half, i.e. (x+2x)
2 or 1.5 x.
This is given to be exactly equal to 99. That is to say 1.5 x = 99, or, x, the number in question is
99
1.5=66. [Actually the twist of the problem is in the wordings only- - S.S]
!#?c@6Ac Did you ever wonder where in Chennai distances were measured from?
No, it is not from the Central Station or from the CMBT. The next time you pass by the
Muthusami Iyer Bridge ±the one that connects Island Grounds and Fort Station ± stop at the
center of the bridge to read the milestone. It says Chennai-0, [NH45]. It is from here that all
distances in Chennai are measured. [This is indeed a very useful information.]
$c ! c+!c)c!c$+c&!c& She says: ³I can¶t say which is my home town. I
grew up in Hardwar, went to school in Dehra Dun, college in Delhi and now, I live in Mumbai.´
$c2c:5 A Sardarji took a few small Bengali kids from his residential colony for a walk.
On way, his friend asked the Sardarji who the kids were. Our Sardarji introduced the kids to his
friend:
ÑSee, this kid is Chatter; this boy is Banner; and this small boy is Mukher´.
Sardarji¶s friend had not heard names like that before, and therefore Sardarji explained to him,
that the boys were so small, that he was reluctant to add ÑJI´ after their names, and make them
look big.
[Venkatraman, Surabhi¶s friend at IPCL said this joke to me, at Baroda, long ago probably in the
year 1992. O, what nice days!]
66Saturday, April 11, 2009: 8:38 AM:
Dear Nandhu, ³ I scream for ice-cream. Do you also want to scream?´ [S.S]
Times-of ±India: !#P*5c ³The mind grows by the books it feeds on´.
!#+ Solve the anagram µCalamity to a Soul´, to get the name of a famous English
authoress. [Answer: µLouisa May Alcott¶.]
!##c&!c)c&ccA µsight for sore eyes¶ is a welcome visitor- - someone you
are glad to see. This phrase was first recorded by Jonathan Swift, in µA complete Collection of
Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, 1738: ³The sight of you is good for sore eyes¶.
c
P!cc cc$cc=5 Professor Seetharama Iyer Sir comes to my father-in-
law at Shencottah and asks him: ³Dei, Mooka! I heard, Ramakrishnan¶s wife has delivered of a
baby at Kalakkad. Have you become a grandfather or grandmother?´
[My father-in -law said this joke that had really happened on him. What Seetharamier Sir wanted
to know is whether Ramakrishnan¶s wife had given birth to a baby boy or baby girl or in other
words whether a grandson or granddaughter had been born to µMookan¶. - - S.S]
c
c
66c'Bc#cPcc)cc9c
Ñ appiness or sorrow-
whatever befalls you,
walk on
untouched, unattached´.
A tough, old time Indian fighter came struggling back into camp seven shone arrows piercing his
chest and legs. A doctor examined him and remarked, ÑAmazing stamina! Don¶t they hurt?´
The old timer grunted, ÑOnly when I laugh´.
6Æ %Ñ
!
³You can see that one day is sandwiched between two nights, and you can also see two beautiful
days sandwiching one small night.
Choose how you want to feel- to be in Heaven or hell´.
66Sunday, April 12, 2009: 7:18 AM:
6 Ñou were born as nobody and you will die as nobody
And between these two points of nobodiness
ou remain nobody, just deceiving yourself that
ou are this and you are that´.
6Truth knows no fifty-fifty
It has to be a hundred per cent pure;
Otherwise it is worse than a lie.
6 Sunday Times: 2c&!c³If you want others to be happy, practice compassion; if you
want to be happy, practice compassion. [Dalai Lama].
³An average city dog lives approximately three years longer than an average country dog´.
c
!##c$cP!5cc A µTinker¶s damn¶ is something that is insignificant or
worthless. There is some debate over whether this phrase should be µTinker¶s dam¶- a small dam
to hold solder, made by tinkers when mending pans.
The phrase is often used in the negative sense as ³don¶t give a tinker¶s dam about something´,
meaning µbe absolutely indifferent about it¶.
c$+c1cc!c!cc, Madras Tamizh¶ is quite distinct from the language spoken
in Madurai or Coimbatore, for its liberal (mis) use of words from other languages and contexts.
When something is µOSSI¶ in Chennai, it means it is free of cost. W ?
OCS in Æailway jargon stands for µOn Company Service¶ and these parcels traveled free on the
trains. That got shortened to OC.
Similarly, KD (meaning a petty crook) comes from the old Chennai Police abbreviation for
µKnown Delinquent¶.
[My comments: For OC, I have heard people say it as µat Other¶s Cost¶ and for KD, it is µKnown
Depredator¶, meaning a plunderer.]
ù
# Chennai has five sister cities- Volgogard, Denver, Cairo, Frankfurt and San Antonio.
µSister cities¶ is a concept whereby towns with similar size and demographics are paired to
foster cultural links at a municipal level.
$cc*!c8!.5c Vivekh holds a Master¶s degree in Commerce, and a Bachelor¶s
in law. e quit his job as an Assistant Section Officer in the Secretariat.
Off screen, Vivekh believes in God and destiny.
In recognition of his socially-relevant comedy, the Government of India honors him with a
Padmashree title on the Tamizh New ear Day, falling on April 14th this year, 2009.
Vivekh is now 47-years old and has acted in nearly 100 films.
[My views: He holds Dr. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, in greatest esteem. Dr. Kalam
loves him too and likes his socially relevant humor very much.]
66<cc&!c:5c95c-cCc
A semi-literate but rich business man intending to make a bequest to a co-educational institution
was dissuaded from doing so by one who wanted the money for his own boys¶ school.
ÑDo you know that in the co-ed school boys and girls share the same curriculum?´ he asked the
donor. Moreover they matriculate together´. To drive the point home, he added: ÑAnd worse
than that they spend most of their time in Seminars.´
The bequest was never made.
Professor Viswanathan from Mangalore writes about his English teacher¶s advice that the
µJorality¶ of the composition lies in the µDadabudality¶ in the usage of words. (Page: 66.)
is joke book-vol3: Page 12: In Pune cantonment they have a separate mess for officers of the
Intelligence Bureau. The signboard reads: ÑINTELLIGENCE MESS´.
The best is the signboard on a bakery:
ÑBakery Number One´
Dilruba & Sons
ÑThe biggest loafers in Town´
66Monday, April 13, 2009: 8:25 AM: The Hindu: Brain bytes: Quiz:
On whose work was Satyajit Ray¶s µApu Trilogy¶ based? [Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay]
Papeete is the capital of. . . ? [French Polynesia]
Which dwarf planet has the satellites Nix and Hydra? [Pluto]
Name the comic book cowboy known to shoot faster than his shadow. [Lucky Luke]
William Frederic Cody is better known as . . .? [µBuffalo¶ Bill ]
6Times of India: Idiom-a-day: ³Across the board´: This means embracing all classes or
categories without exception.
Ibid, page 10: The custom of preparing Vishu Kani has been followed for generations. The
women take a large dish made of bell-metal (Venkala Uruli), arrange in it a Grantha (palm-leaf
manuscript), a gold ornament, a new cloth, (new clothes-S. S), some flowers from the Konna
Tree (Konnai Maram-S.S (Cassia Fistula), some coins in a silver cup, a split coconut, a
cucumber, some mangoes and a jack-fruit. On either side of the dish are placed two burning
lamps with a chair facing it. Family members are taken blindfolded and then their blindfolds are
removed and they view the Vishnu Kani. A huge feast to celebrate the NEW YEAR follows this.
c2c2 I had been sitting in the Doctor¶s waiting room a long time. Every chair was
filled and some patients were standing. There was desultory conversation, but after a while
silence fell and we sat waiting, waiting, waiting. Finally an old man stood up wearily and
remarked, ³Well, I guess I¶d go home and die a natural death´.
According to Tim Bowen, rather is a rather odd word. It is an adverb of degree derived from an
old adjective rathe, which means quick .The comparative form of the adjective, rather, has
stayed on with us to this day. Rather is fairly used in British English. Its usage is less common in
American English.
The word rather is used in different contexts with different meanings. Here are some of the most
popular uses of the word:
As an adverb of degree it means quite or fairly but is more emphatic. It can suggest µmore than
is usual¶ or µmore than is expected¶.
The stressed out store clerk quits and becomes a cop. ³How is the new job?´ his friend asks.
³Rather good. Of course the pay is bad and the hours are awful, but I love that the customer is
always wrong.
The expression rather than is normally used in parallel structure and shows preference.
³I prefer starting early rather than leaving things to the last minute´.
µWould rather¶ means µwould prefer to¶. ³Shall we get married?´ ³I¶d rather remain single´
³Will you marry me?´ ³I¶d rather not risk my freedom´.
We can also use would rather to say you would prefer someone to do something.
Wife to husband: ³I¶d rather you got up and saw why the baby is not crying´.
³My wife would rather we did not see each other any more´.
Notice here we have used the past tense form of the verb to indicate present or future meaning.
Æather could also be used to express an opposite opinion.
³A truthful woman is one who won¶t lie about anything, but rather avoid telling you her age,
weight, her husband¶s salary´.
³The ending of the war is not a cause for celebration, but rather regret that it ever happened´.
People often use rather to correct themselves.
³I¶m an imbecile or rather an idiot´.
In old-fashioned British spoken English rather was used to express agreement with someone.
³Don¶t you think grammar is the biggest joke of language?´
³Rather!´
³Don¶t worry rather too much about rather. You can still speak rather good English without
rather, but I¶d rather you understood others when they used rather!´
66Proverb: Making hell out of the heaven or heaven out of the hell it¶s all up to us. [My Darling
Nandhu typed this and the following things.]
Joke: What type of underwear packs a punch?
Answer: Boxer shorts
Joke: Teacher: What¶s the difference between an African and an Indian elephant?
Answer: There is about 1000 miles.
Joke: Visiting her family, Mrs. Lord enquired, ³Is it true that certain kinds of vegetables will
stop a child from growing´?
³That depends´, replied the physician, ³on where you put the vegetables´.
Quiz: What were the full names of the three investigators in the Alfred Hitchcock mystery
stories?
Answer: Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw and Bob Andrews.
66Tuesday, April 14, 2009: 10:27 AM: The Hindu: Know your English:
How is the word µlitterateur¶ pronounced? ·
Like µlit-er-re-TIR¶ with the stress on the final syllable. It comes from the Latin µlitterator¶
meaning µcritic¶. A µlitterateur¶ is a literary person; he is usually a man of letters; a professional
writer.
What is the difference between µcallous¶ and µcallus¶?
Firstly both words are pronounced µKA-les. µCallous¶ is to be rather cruel. One who has no
sympathy for other people.
³It may sound callous. But I don¶t think you should lend her the money´.
Mars and Venus: ³ Some women hold up dresses that are so ugly and they always say the same
thing: µThis looks much better on¶. On what? On fire? - - RITA RUDNER:
Young World: Whose official residence in London is Lambeth Palace? [Answer: Archbishop
of Canterbury.]
What does µE&OE¶ at the bottom of bills and invoices stand for? [Answer: Errors and
Omissions Excepted.]
Times of India: Mind bender: Dear Nandhu: James had 17 rings and all but 9 were dropped
down the drain. How many did he have left? [Answer: Nine! Nandhu read the question again
carefully; the catch is in the wordings of the riddle.]
Health Facts: Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A. They also contain good
amounts of Vitamin C and Manganese. In addition, sweet potatoes are a good source of copper,
dietary fiber, vitamin B6, Potassium and Iron
6Thursday, April 16, 2009: Times of India: Mind Bender: Solve the anagram-- µI am a right
death case¶, to get the name of a famous crime writer. (Answer: Dame Agatha Christie.)
Health Facts: During pregnancy, a woman¶s body needs more iron to produce all the blood
needed to supply nutrition to the placenta. Good sources of iron are green vegetables,
strawberries, muesli and wholemeal bread. Also, iron is better absorbed if taken in conjunction
with Vitamin C.
Idiom-a-day: ³Against the Grain: To do something against the grain is to do it in opposition to
one¶s inclination or preference.
This metaphor refers to the natural direction of the fibers in a piece of wood, called its grain;
when sawed obliquely, or µagainst the grain¶ the wood will tend to splinter. Thus to do µagainst
the grain¶ is to go against the natural order of things.
66Sunday, April 19, 2009: 12:38 PM: Times of India: ³Fact of the Matter´: ³Being unmarried
can shorten a man¶s life by ten years´.
Quote: ³A quitter never wins and a winner never quits´.
Idiom-a-Day: ³Ankle biter´: Ankle Biter means a small child. It is also applied to small dogs.
This phrase has a contemporary feel, but it was first recorded in the mid 19th century. First
spotted in Harper¶s Magazine, September 1850, the line read, ³And how are you, John? And
how¶s Molly, and all the little ankle biters?´ The phrase then seemed to disappear from sight for
over 100 years.
[My comments: We see in our Pooja Rooms, a beautiful child Krishna lying elegantly on a
banyan leaf (All ilai Krishnan)and biting his own tender thumb of His ankle. We remember Lord
Krishna when we come across this phrase.]
ibid, page 18: What is ,+!0
A prebituary is an obituary composed or published prior to a person¶s death; it isa write up of the
lifetime achievements of famous personalities to mark their 65th birthdays. Most newspapers and
media new-works keep such obituaries of famous people ready.
What is 9 ?
Burundanga is the other name of the drug &* !, used for criminal activities like rape or
robbery. The drug is passed on to the victim through business cards pamphlets, etc. Even if the
skin, through touch, absorbs just a very small quantity of the drug it has the desired effect. The
drug is also administered through tablets added to drinks. This is known as the ,!c
66 Tuesday, April 21, 2009: 8:42 AM: Times of India: µWise track: The best way to escape
from a problem is to solve it.
Idiom-a-day: ³As Fit as a Fiddle´: This means very fit and well. Of course the µfiddle¶ here is
colloquial name for violin. When this phrase was coined µfit was used to mean µsuitable, seemly¶,
in the way we now might say µfit for purpose.
6Pc!ccc !c
What is the meaning of µc*0c
An arm candy is a remarkably attractive individual, either a male or female, who accompanies
someone to a public function. They are called µarm candy¶ because when they are in public, they
are constantly clinging to the arms of the person they are with.
[Now a days politicians and cricket players always go with arm candies, wherever they tour- S.S]
Why is the South African cricket team called as ,0
Proteas is the national flower of South Africa. It has a cone-like head. The flower itself got its
name from the Greek god µProteus¶, a sea god capable of assuming different shapes.
Earlier the South African team was called ,!+5, the name of the µjumping antelope¶, and
the national animal of South Africa.
Is it okay to say µRahul gave away a vote of thanks¶?
No, it isn¶t. A vote of thanks is µgiven¶, not µgiven away¶. When you give away something, you
ask a person to take it; you don¶t ask payment for it.
Tailpiece: ³why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?´--- Clifford
Stoll.
´Corrections and Clarifications´: (page 11): A young elephant is called µa calf¶ and not a cub,
as mentioned in a report µTusker on the rampage calms down¶.
Health Capsules: ³How fast does my body make blood?´
Your body is a super-fast and efficient blood-cell factory. Every second, your bone marrow
produces 2.5 million red blood cells to rush oxygen (Oë ), to the cells throughout your body.
!c2 Don¶t change: The new bride was being welcomed at the husband¶s home
in a traditional manner. As expected she gave a speech: ³My dear family, I thank you for å
welcoming me in my new home and family´, she said. ³Firstly, my being here does not mean
that I would want to change your way of life, your routine. No, I will never do that, never in a
million years´.
³What do you mean, my child?´ asked the father-in-law.
³What I mean, dad, is (looking at her father-in-law): Those who used to wash dishes must carry
on washing them; those who used to do the laundry must carry on doing it; those who cooked
shouldn¶t stop at my account; and those who used to clean should continue cleaning.´
³Then what are you here for?´ asked the mother-in-law.
³To entertain your son!¶
c"1c)c4c A man is 20 years old plus half his present age. How old is
he?
Solution by S.S: Assume that his present age is x.
Half of his present age will therefore be ½ x.
According to the problem, 20 + ½ x is his present age = x.
In other words 20+ ½ x = x. Or ½ x=20, or x= 40. Therefore his present age is 40 years.
Check: 20 + ½ of his present age, namely 20, added gives his present age as 40.
66Wednesday, April 22, 2009: 8:10 AM: Times of India: µWise track¶: It takes a great person
to make a good listener¶.
Mind bender: Solve the anagram given below to get the name of an old-time Hollywood
actress. ³Nicely Male Hairs´: Answer: Shirley Maclaine.
Idiom-a-day: ³Back Seat Driver´: Back seat driver is someone who criticizes from the
sidelines. This comes from the annoying habit of some people of giving unwanted advice to
vehicle drivers. This emerged in the USA in early 20th century.
The expression must have been in common use, in the UK, at least by 1930, when P.G.
Wodehouse used it in µVery Good Jeeves! µQuite suddenly and unexpectedly, no one more
surprised than myself, the car let out a faint gurgle like a sick moose and stopped in its tracks. . .
the back seat driver gave tongue. ³What µs the matter? What has happened?´
I explained: ³I¶m not stopping. It¶s the car.´
¶ ¶ P 5cC#D#C??c8!cc-c
EcFc
c)cc= c
³We need men who can dream of things that never were´- J.F.Kennedy.. [While Vinod
eulogizing actor Shivakumar, discoursing µKamba Raamaayanam¶ in a ladies¶ college in Erode,
which was also telecast in Vijay T.V.: Title: µKamban en Kadhalan´.]
³It is what you don¶t say that makes you look smart´, says a great man [While praising Vivekh,
for his discussion about µMusic Therapy¶ during a discussion with A.R. Rahman, in Sun T.V.
telecast.]
Lord Emerson says: ³God enters by a private door into every individual´ [Praises S.P.
Balasubramanian¶s belief in God, and who (SPB) snubs Vairamuthu (Vijay T.V.telecast) for his
disbelief in God and His existence.]
A genius says: ³You must do a crazy thing once in a while to keep from going nuts´.
Thursday, April 23, 2009: 9:36 AM: P!c)c ! Mind Bender: ³Are there more square
inches in a piece of carpet 15 yards by 5 yards or feet in a 20 mile walk?´ åp
[Answer: ³Feet in 20 mile walk¶.]
Solution by S.S: Area of carpet: 15 ×5=75 square yard, or 75×9=675 square feet, or
675×12×12= 97,200 square inches.
One mile is 8 furlongs or 8×220=1,760 yards or, 1760×3=5280 feet or 5,280×12=63,360 inches.
Thus 20 miles would be 63,360×20= 105,600 inches.
Hence numerically, 20-mile walk is more.
*Health Facts: Dried peas are an excellent source of molybdenum. They are also a very good
source of dietary fiber and a good source of protein, manganese, folate, vitamin B1, potassium
and phosphorus.
*Idiom-a-day: ³Badgered to Death´: To badger someone or something to death is to bother and
annoy someone or some group.
³If you don¶t tell him what he wants to know, he will badger you to death until he finds out´.
To badger someone into something is to pester someone into doing something.
³Don¶t try to badger us into doing it´.
³My brother and I were badgered into cleaning out the garage´
Pc!c c
How much does a human brain weigh?
Jokingly: Three-pound brain?
You have not met my Fred! His brain is weightless!
Now seriously: The brain is a 3-pound thought factory, comprised mainly of fat and water. Your
brain contains a trillion nerve cells, with new connections constantly forming.
-!!cP8cC
#D#C??1cPc .!c!c$!1c.! !c c ??ccc
C??cc
She is a pretty looking youthful girl; looks more like a college student in her teens. She is the
granddaughter of the great musician Gopala Pillai, of yester years (of Trivandrum) and daughter
of yet another musician Krishna Pillai, from the same place naturally.
She is ADHIRAI.
She is indeed trained in Carnatic music, naturally, by her grandfather and her father. Having been
fascinated by Western Classic music and Hindustani Sangeeth, she learnt both vigorously, and
can confidently give solo violin performances. In fact, Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Kahn
once insisisted that Adhirai should accompany him on the violin.
Adhirai started to give solo performances even at the age of eight, and continues to do so. She
had been giving solo concerts all over Kerala, till she completed 10th standard in Trivandrum.
During those periods she had given performances in foreign lands like Russia, Uzbekistan, and
various places in the Middle East.
She feels proud that she is able to perform for the cancer patients in various cancer hospitals and
do service to them. She is happy that she could play for spastic children and in µmental homes¶.
Thus she says, she is able to propagate µMusic Therapy¶.
A great achievement by her: She had continuously performed for 32 hours in Trivandrum, Kerala
under the auspices of ³Sun charirties´. This is indeed a miraculous achievement by a young girl
like Adhirai.
When the interviewer enquired if she knew 901 Ragas, she acknowleged it without any ego.
She can sing vocally; she is able to compose music; no doubt she is indeed born along with a
violin; she can write poetry and she can do sketching from nature.
She performed ³Vande Mataram´ (not A.R. Rahman¶s tune, but traditional old tune in Desh å
raga.), a gypsy music [Middle East classical] piece and an Irish Fusion music piece for the
entertainment of Pothigai viewers. She holds an MBA, degree.
Finally she gave a beautiful saying: ³Paper and a pen are the best media´.
[This has always been my best tools too. - -S.S]
¶ Thursday, April 23, 2009: Sun T.V. ³Why, where, how, when´, 19:10 hours:
³How many pillars are there in the Parliamentary house, in New Delhi, at the outer periphery?´
[Answer: 144.]
My assessment: at an arcular distance between two adjacent pillars, subtending an angle of 2½Û
at the center. [360Û/144= 2½º]
¶ ¶ Friday, April 24, 2009: 8:28 AM: The Hindu: µCorrections and Clarifications:
³A train driver is now called a µpilot¶.
*And a bit of µcinema¶: ³Which work was the first to win the National award for best feature
film in Tamizh? [Answer: Malaikkallan, starred by M.G.R and Bhanumati.]
If the Thomas Alva Edison-backed motion picture camera was called ,5!1 what was
the viewing machine dubbed as? [Answer: ,!*]
6From µDinamalar¶, µSiruvar Malar¶, dated 24-4-2009, page27: [Some general knowledge]
Mesopotamians were the first ones to make glass vessels.
Akbar, the greatest of Mogul emperors, did not know to read and write.
Napoleon Bonaparte designed the National flag of Italy.
6Times of India: What does this rebus represent?
J.Big travels 1 K.m
C.Medium travels 5 k.m
A.Little travels 1,000 k.m [Answer: µA little goes a long way¶.]
A Good Joke: ³A man went to an eye specialist to get his eyes tested and asked, µDoctor will I
be able to read after wearing glasses?¶
µYes, of course¶, said the doctor.
µOh good! I have been illiterate for so long,¶ said the patient.
Idiom-a-day: ³Back to Square one´ ³To be back to square one is to be back to the beginning
or to start again. Many people report that the phrase refers to Snakes and Ladders or similar
board games. The earliest citation of the phrase in print is currently 1952, from the Economic
Journal.
Sunday, April 26, 2009:9:04 AM: Times of India: <*c)ccc The color blue has a
calming effect. It causes brain to release calming hormones. [God knows this! So he gave µblue¶
color to the ocean and to the sky- - philosopher S.S]
69 !.c!cc"c Nepal is the only country that flies a non-rectangular flag.
c
c
6P!ccc !c 21 for men and 18 for women.
-5!c 18 for men and 16 for girls
4cMinimum marriageable age of 15 was revoked a decade ago.
&!c$+!cClerics have justified the marriage of girls as young as nine.
7&$cChildren 16 and over may marry with parental consent.
(Æa
Most countries set 16 to 18 as the minimum age to marry.
In Ethiopia and Nigeria, over 50% girls are married before the age of 15.
In Niger and Chad, over 70% girls are married before the age of 18.
In South Africa, traditional laws are respected, so that a girl can be married off when she is as
young as 12.
6 !##c,9c95cTo be in someone¶s bad books is to be in disgrace or out of favor.
To be µout of someone¶s books¶ meant you were no longer part of their life and of no interest to
them.
The phrase has been used figuratively from 1785 (i.e. as a form of disfavor, but where no actual
book was in evidence.
66! c,8c c1cC#D#C??1c&c$+c9 !5!c
He says: ³I lost my mother when I was an infant, just 14 days old. When I was in my mother¶s
womb, probably, I used to hear the melody of µVeena¶ being played by my mother; and that
perhaps inspired me to Carnatic Music. I have received nine Doctoral titles, when I have not
even gone to a school. It rather astonishes me.
I am now 78 years old. Even now I am a student, learning music. My ambition is that I should be
going on gaining knowledge in Music till I breathe my last´.
[My views: Once, when I was in service, I was in Chennai airport to travel by an early night
flight to Calcutta and I was sitting in the lounge. Shri. Balamuralikrishna himself came to me and
spoke a few words of wishful message exclusively to me (to my dire astonishment and
amazement) and offered his priceless autograph. I was exhilarated and thanked him profusely. I
did not have a regular autograph book; yet BMK was happy to give his valued autograph of his
own accord in a scrap scribbling- pad, and I preserve it with great care. He said he was waiting
for Hyderabad flight]
6 <c!c>1c&1cC#D#C??1cc
The µfathers¶ of the world famous intellectuals were not great men like their sons.
William Shakespeare¶s father was maintaining a stable, where horses were kept.
Thomas Alva Edison¶s father was a poor boat builder.
åù
Benjamin Franklin¶s father was a poor sales man who was selling candles in the streets.
Hitler¶s father was an ordinary bricklayer in buildings.
Monday, April 27, 2009: 8:42 AM: The Hindu: ³Health Capsules: Ninety percent of lower back
pain sufferers can improve without surgery.
9!c9cG!;c
Which place of worship is the subject of a poem by William Wordsworth and several paintings by
J.M.Turner? [Tintern Abbey]
Name the ancient Egyptian official considered by many experts to be the first Engineer, Architect
and Physician in history to be known by name? [Imhotep]
The Norwegian Parliament is called- - -? [Storting]
What type of animals are µServals¶ and µCaracals¶? [Cats]
Which Swiss founder µAnalytical psychology? [Carl Jung]
And a piece from µDinamalar¶, µChiruvar malar¶ dated-20, Feb. 2009:
Where is the biggest palace in the world situated? [Answer: It is in Beijing, China. It is called the
³ Imperial Palace´.]
Times of India: !cP*5 ÑThe best way to learn to do a job is by doing it´.
!c2 cDon¶t kiss your bride behind the garden gate- - love is blind, but the
neighbors are not.
!##c9c9 If you wait for something with bated breath, you feel very excited
or anxious while you are waiting. Bated breath means breathing that is subdued because of some
emotion or difficulty.
The earliest citation of the phrase is from Shakespeare¶s µMerchant of Venice¶, 1596: ³With
bated breath, and whispering humbleness´.
Bated is just a shortened form of abated (meaning- - to bring down, lower or depress)? So
µabated breath¶ makes sense and that is where the phrase comes from.
c<*c Soybeans are an excellent source of Molybdenum. They are also a very good
source of protein and Manganese. In addition, Soybeans are a good source of Iron, phosphorous,
dietary fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, Magnesium, copper, vitamin B2 and Potassium.
2($$(c27(7cLanka¶s mighty emperor Ravana¶s queen Mandodari¶s son¶s name was
Indrajit. I found this in a children¶s version of the Ramayana. Quite a bit to chew, isn¶t it?
Would it be somewhat less cumbersome if we put it a bit differently?
Indrajit was the name of the son of Mandodari, queen of the mighty emperor Ravna of Lanka.
Certainly more manageable, though there are too many irritating of¶s. In English there are two
ways of indicating possession:
The¶s genitive: The bride¶s mother.
The of genitive: The mother of the bride.
The good news is that the genitive case is used less and less frequently in English today.Of
these, the of genitive is more common than the µs genitive.
According to Quirk, the µs genitive can be used with inanimate nouns. For instance, the
children¶s toys or dog¶s tail.
It should be remembered that we cannot use both the genitives indiscriminately.
We cannot say for example, the door¶s knob. We have to say the µknob of the door¶.
Similarly it is wrong to say the µhat of John. We should say John¶s hat.
When the genitive µs is affixed at the end of a noun group, it is called µgroup genitive¶.
(e.g) someone else¶s house; an hour and a half¶s discussion. In casual talk, you can even say old
man what-do-you-call-him¶s house. In writing, however, such µs genitives are replaced by of
genitives. å
Don¶t use µs genitive with nouns which are not names of people, animals, countries etc.The
of genitive is more common in such cases.
(e.g) The name of the street (not the street¶s name)
The top of the page (not the page¶s top)
What is often confusing is the double genitive- - a combination of the of genitive and the µs
genitive.
(e g) a symphony of Mozart¶s.
A painting of Ravi Varma¶s.
My work is no business of your¶s
Have you heard the new idea of the boss¶s?
The double genitive is common in English when we wish to emphasise the person who
possesses rather than the thing he possesses.
Quirk also talks about the genitive with ellipsis. The noun modified by the µs genitive may be
omitted if the context makes its identity clear.
(e g) His memory is like the elephant¶s (memory).
My car is faster than John¶s.
I shall be at Bill¶s (house)
Harrod¶s are very good for clothes.
I buy my grocery at Johnson¶s.
Which of the following sentences would you prefer? Why?
I. (1). A husband¶s last words should always be, Okay, you buy it!´
(2) The last words of a husband should always be ³Okay, You buy it!´
II. (1) Communication¶s three fastest means: telephone, television, tel a woman.
(2). The three fastest means of communication: telephone, television, tel a woman.
66-!!cP8cCE#D#C??c?E
?cc .!!cc(.!c!c .!c
c&+!!c
Revathi Krishna was born and brought up in Madurai. Her father was a doctor in Madurai, and
was a Principal in Madurai Medical College. He was a flautist too. Revati¶s mother was well
versed in vocal music and a violinist. Her great grandfather was a music scholar. No doubt, being
born in such a family, Revathi is born with a µVeena¶ in her hands!
Revathi says that she was well groomed in the rudiments of vocal music even when she was five
years old. Then she took µVeena¶ in her hands. When she was 11 years old she started
undergoing training from a very strict Guru, Madurai Sundaram Iyer. He would not spare his
disciple until she perfected all the four µKaalaas¶ of a piece, say a µKeerthana¶. Such harsh
strictness made this girl into a perfect µVainika¶.
In Revathi¶s house at Madurai, music scholars used to gather on Sukhla Panchami day of all
months and sing µThygaraja¶s and others¶ kritis; thus honoring the music trinities.
Her debut performance was in a Rama¶s temple at Madurai itself, when she was just 16 years
old.
After her marriage, she has settled in Chennai. Once Yagnarama Iyer, formerly Secretary of Sri.
Krishna Gana Sabah happened to hear her Veena performance. He was magnanimous to present
her performance in his Sabah. He was also very happy to introduce her to the Secretaries of other
sabhhas as well, and thus she became famous to the audience of Chennai, (the sabah birds and in
houses too.)
Revathi Krishna says with all happiness that she was fortunate to perform in the µMaha
Periyavaal Centenary Celebrations¶. å·
The important points one should take seriously from her: ³Guru is very necessary; he can only
teach the grammar of music.
³First train the child in vocal music; then, only after learning the nuances of music the child may
be trained in instruments of his/her liking´.
The µPothigai¶ channel telecast (Veena) video clippings of her ³Vande Mataram´ in traditional
style in µDesh¶ raga (not A.R. Rahman¶s.) and ³Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram´, in Gandhi¶s
Ram Dhoon style and the popular song ³Saravana Poigail Neeradi´
The lady who compered the interview was very young too, (Mrs. Subhashini), who appeared to
have good music knowledge.
Revathi is not astonished to say that there are people who can bring out four or five µSwaras¶ in a
single µfretting¶.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009: 8:07 AM: µTimes of India¶: Wise Track: ³Visions of the future are
better than dreams of the past´.
Health Facts: Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E. They also contain a high
amount of vitamin B1, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper, Selenium, Phosphorous, vitamin B5
and folate.
Idiom-a-day: ³Bats in the Belfry´: To have µbats in the belfry¶ is to be crazy or eccentric. Bats
are of course, erratically flying mammals and µbelfry¶ is a bell tower, found at the top of a
church.
µBats in the belfry¶ refers to someone who acts as though, he has bats careering around his
topmost part, i.e., his head.
The phrase comes from the USA.
The use of µbats¶ and µbatty¶ is to denote odd behavior, originated at the same time, the main
phrase that we have been discussing today.
6The Hindu: ³Health Capsules´: About 20% of Americans have Varicose Veins in their legs.
Eighty seven per cent have never had them examined by a doctor because they don¶t consider
them to be serious. Varicose veins may put you at risk for leg ulcers, bleeding and blood clots.
!c2 cc c !5c
A newly wed couple is dining in. The husband is slowly picking in the spaghetti on his plate.
The wife asks him: ³Do you love me?´
The husband replies: ³Yes, I do! You have been asking me that, every day since we got married.
But you have never asked me if I love spaghetti!´
Young World Quiz: $+ +!c! the fear of which normal activity? [Answer: Walking]
Which common flower is considered the symbol of secrecy? [Answer: Rose]
c4c ! How is the word µlugubrious¶ pronounced?
Like loo- GOO- bri-es, with the stress on the second syllable. The word is mostly used in formal
contexts to mean µsad¶.
³What is wrong? Why are looking so lugubrious?´
Is it okay to say, µThe school is putting an unnecessary pressure on the children?
No, it is not. µYou do not
pressure on him. You put pressure on him; the indefinite article
µa¶ is not to be used in these contexts.
Tailpiece: ³An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last instalment missing´. - -
U
)
½ ' a significant contributor to the world of astronomy and mathematics, was also a å
poet like many Indian mathematicians of his time. He had the habit of posing his questions in the
form of interesting riddles. Here is one such question. Try solving it.
O girl! Out of a group of swans, 7/2 times the square root of the number are playing on the shore
of a tank. The two remaining ones are playing with amorous fight, in the water. What is the total
number of swans? [$cPc+c)cc!c& HP"Ic
6 ³Aval Vikatan. Dated, 8-5-2009: Page 55: Manikkavalli, a student from, Yadhava College,
Madurai, writes: [Translated by S.S.]
A is 1; B is 2; C is 3 - - - and finally Z is 26. If this system is adopted,
L+O+V+E will be 12+ 15+ 22+ 5= 54. and,
F+R+I+E+N+D+S+H+I+P, thus would become, 6+ 18+9+5+14+4+19+8+9+16= 108.
What do you deduce from this?
Friendship has two times as much strength as love.
And one more piece from that journal: Contributed by S.K.Maragatham, II M.A. of the same
college: (Translation by S.S):
Maragatham goes to a pet shop to buy a parrot.
³What is the price of this parrot?´
³Madam! Five hundred rupees.´
³O, it¶s very costly. Why so much?´
³Madam, the parrot can speak well. Besides it knows how to operate a computer´.
³Then, this one in this cage?´
³It costs one thousand rupees´.
³Why so much? What is the specialty?´
³Madam, it can speak. It can develop softwares independently, using advanced languages´.
³O, I see, then what about the bird in that cage, near the shelf?´
³Madam, it costs one thousand five hundred rupees´.
³O, is it so much? What is its specialty, and how is it better than the other two?´
³Sincerely, Madam, I don¶t know how it is better qualified than the other two. But, these two
parrots normally call him µThalaivare¶ and at times call him µboss¶. That is why this much cost´.
The great philosopher, S.S wants to know, whether it is µIce wear´ or ³I Swear´.
66Wednesday, April 29, 2009: 8:30 AM: Times of India: µWise Track¶: ³Nothing great was
ever achieved without enthusiasm.´
!##cc$*cc2!c2cTo act the giddy goat is to behave foolishly.¶ Giddy¶ has
been used to mean foolish or stupid since the first millennium.
The behavior of goats can well be called µgiddy¶; they are certainly capricious- - µcapra¶ is Latin
for goat. [Longman Family Dictionary defines µCaprice¶ as follows: A sudden and seemingly
unmotivated change or series of changes. (Example: the caprices of the weather). Hence, the
adjective, µCapricious¶.]
Thursday, April 30, 2009: 9:19 AM: Times of India: !cP*5 ³Speaking without thinking is
like shooting without taking aim.´
? ³Anagram of which tennis champion¶s name can aptly be: µVariant rival to a man¶?
Answer: ³MARTINA NAVRATILOVA.´
? ³When he asks for a bottle of your finest red, he means ketchup.´
?c !#cJcc$c9)c9c The phrase µAge before beauty¶, implies that older
people should be given precedence over the younger, and y implication more beautiful. This is
normally used jocularly often by the older person in order to flatter the younger. The origin of
å
the phrase is not known.
?cPc!c:c:5!cG!*5c!!
Nurse: ³Doctor, Doctor, the man you¶ve just treated collapsed on the front step. What should I
do?
Doctor: ³Quick! Quick! Turn him round, so it looks like he was just arriving!´
?c c!c³Until you make peace with who you are, you¶ll never be content with what you
have.´- - - Doris Mortman. [My view: Thus all Indian great saintly men also speak; thus spoke
the Great Ramana Maharshi. ±S.S]
?c'($calso known as lady¶s finger, bhindi or gumbo, is a flowering plant valued for its
edible green fruits.
Okra is a powerhouse of nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and
pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol.
The other half is insoluble fiber which helps keep the intestinal tract healthy, decreasing the risk
of some forms of cancer, especially colorectal cancer.
Nearly 10% of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid are present in half cup of
cooked okra.
Friday, May 01, 2009: 6:57 AM:
During the preview of ³Ayan´ film programme telecast in Sun T.V. on 30-4-2009, at 20:35
hours, actor Shiva Kumar said: ³I always like AVM Sharavanan very much and I respect him
always It is the reason that I named myfirst son as µSaravanan¶. Later on, the film world
converted his name as ³Surya.´
66Pc!c, c cHow can I lower my risk of type II diabetes?
³Drinking fruit juice raises blood sugar! But I love my morning O.J!´
Seriously! Eat more leafy green veggies. You will lower your risk by as much as 9%.
Avoid fruit juice and eat the whole fruit instead. You¶ll lower your risk by up to 18%.
c
c
?cP!c)c !c!c9cHow long is a rope that is two metres shorter than another
rope that is three times the length of the first rope? [Answer: one metre.]
Solution by S.S: Let the length of the first rope be x metres.
It is shorter than the second by 2 metres. That is the second rope is longer than the first by 2
meters.
Therefore, the second rope is x+2 metres long.
It is also given that ,the second rope is 3 times longer than the first one.
Therefore, the length of the second rope is 3x metres.
Hence, 3x=x+2; from which x= 1, or the length of the first rope is 1 metre.
[Dear Nandhu, this puzzle is tricky worded. ± S.S]
?cc &cP($cAlways listen to your inner thoughts for advice - - not to others.´
?c<*c)ccc The greatest mountain range is the Mid-Ocean Ridge, extending 64,374
km from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.
?c !##ccc$!cGcAir quotes is a gesture with raised pairs of fingers when making
a statement, to simulate quotation marks. It indicates that what is being said is ironic or otherwise
not to be taken verbatim. This originated in the USA in 1989.
6610:18 A.M, Sunday, May 03, 2009: Dinamalar, Varamalar, dated 3-4-2009, page8:
The initials of these actors explain why they were called so:
Thirukambuliyur Rangarao Ramachandran. åå
Tirunelveli Subramania Pillai Balaiah.
Pollachi Ch(S)inna Mudaliar Veerappah.
Kumbakonam Ramabadra Chettiar Ramaswamy.
Mayavaram Krishnamurhy Asari Thyagaraja Bagavathar.
Nagercoil Sudalaimuthu Pillai Krishnan.
Madras Kandaswamy Radha.
Akkammapettai Paramasivam Nagarajan.
Karaikal Arunachalam Asari Thangavelu.
Shencottah Vellaiyan Asari Subbiah.
The first Sunday of May of any year is celebrated as c%c Thus, today is the
%. Let us laugh heartily.
c<*cTangerines are an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. They are also a
very good source of fiber and B vitamins, which comprises vitamin B1, B2and B6. It also
contains pantothenic acid, carotenes, pectin, potassium and folic acid.
1
Which famous vocalist¶s only on-screen appearance was in µKrishna Bhakti¶ where she sang
µc8cc'c(.ccc0c [Answer: M.L.Vasantakumari.]
The real name of yester year comedian &&55 was µ- !c&!!. c"!c
Having been trained in a circus, he used to do quite a few acrobatic feats. One of his popular acts
was throwing up a cigarette and catching it between his lips before lighting it! Unfortunately, his
career in films faded fast, and, broken hearted, he committed suicide. Today only old-timers
remember him. [My comments: My brother Mahadeva Anna, used to say that S.S Kokko, always
used to keep his lower jaw of his face and lips in a crooked way. SSK and P.U. Chinnappa, my
brother used to say, exhibited their µhop-step and jump¶ style in films, especially PUC, while
performing even love scene sequences.]
Times of India: !c*5c,Don¶t learn Safety Æules simply by accidents.¶
:5c µHandy guide to Modern Science: if it is green or wiggles, it is Biology; if it stinks, it is
Chemistry; if it does not work it is Physics.¶
<*c)cccToronto was the first city in the world with a computerized traffic signal
system.
!##c(( "2#'cIt means a brave or heroic act. Sir Walter Scott¶s use of
µderring-do¶ as a single word in the hugely popular novel µIvanhoe¶, 1820, cemented it into the
language: µSingular he again muttered to himself, if there be two who can do a deed of such
³derring do!´
66Monday, May 11, 2009: 8:04 AM: The Hindu: Brain Bytes: Quiz:
Fill in the blank: In World War II, Hitler¶s invasion of the USSR in June 1941 was called - - - -
?[Answer: Barbarossa]
What is bariatrics? [Answer: The field of medicine concerned with weight loss.]
Name the character from µThe Hitchhiker¶s Guide to the Galaxy¶ who won an award for shaping
the coastline of Norway? [Answer: Slartibartfast.]
Under what popular pseudonym did Helen Goff write? [Answer: P.L.Travers.]
In which Shakespeare play do these famous lines come: ³All the world¶s a stage and all the men
and women merely players. . . . ? [Answer: As You Like It.]
Health Capsules: Is organic food healthier than regular food?
A review of nearly 100 studies shoed that nutrient levels in organic fruit, vegetables and grains
are 25% higher than in regular foods.
P!c)c !c !##c,+ cc
It is a double blow or setback. A whammy was originally an evil influence or hex. It originated in
the USA in the 1940¶s and is associated with a variety of sports.
Wise track: ÑAn intelligent plan is the first step to success.´
2($$(c27(7cc
Recently I came across this poignant lyric of George Michael¶s:
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?
Each morning I get up I die a little
Somebody find me somebody
Find me somebody to love
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?
This is the moving plea of many a senior citizen who has been shunted to an old age home for no
fault of his. What is of interest to us, mundane grammarians, is the use of and or their
derivatives, somebody/ anybody, something/anything, somewhere/anywhere, someone/anyone,
etc.
and are classified as determiners as they determine the extent of the reference of the
noun that follows. They are also known as quantifiers as they quantify the noun. suggests
an indefinite quantity or number. It is used when it is not important to say exactly how
much/many we are thinking of.
(e.g.) Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.
also indicates an indefinite amount or number and is used in the same way. Look at these
lines from an old ballad where a girl bemoans the death of her lover.
Is there any room at your head, Saunders?
Is there any room at your feet, Saunders?
Is there any room at your side, Saunders?
Where fain, fain would I sleep?
What then is the difference between and 3
means a little, a few, a small number or amount.
would refer to one, some or all. We use in affirmative statements, offers and requests.
I need some fresh air.
Would you like some tea? p
Could you lend me some money?
We also use in questions when we expect the answer, µyes.¶
Are you voting for that party? [I expect you are.]
On the other hand, is used in negative statements and questions.
We did not have any problems going through the customs.
Have you got any sense?
Here is a verse highlighting the contrast between something and anything.
For my birthday you can give me
Something to read or something to listen to
Or you could take me out to a restaurant
But don¶t give me another umbrella or purse
And please don¶t give me anything to wear
You know, I hate taking things back.
Wise track: Ñ Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply
gives you courage.´
üc !##c5c4 Donkey¶s years indicates a very long time. Is the British
slang term for µa very long time¶, donkey¶s years or donkey¶s ears? Donkey¶s years is now the
more commonly used slang term when meaning µa long time¶.
´The dot that appears over the letter µi¶ is called a ÿ
$)
üc c<*cRadishes and their greens are excellent sources of vitamin C and calcium. They
are also a very good source of the mineral molybdenum, potassium, folic acid and copper. They
contain cancer-protective properties and they have been effective when used as a medicinal food
for liver disorders, Radishes also contain a variety of sulphur-based chemicals that increase the
flow of bile. p
Monday, May 18, 2009: 7:50 AM: The Hindu: Brain Bytes Quiz:
Name the creator of the comic book heroes The Phantom and Mandrake. [Lee Falk.]
Which element was once code-named µTube Alloy Metal¶? [Plutonium]c
What does the new-age word µmancation¶ mean? [An all-male group holiday]c
Who has taken the most Grammy Awards, record 31 trophies personally won? [Sir Georg Solti.]c på
What is the µvaporetto¶ in Venice? [The Powered water taxis.]c
c
P!c)c !c !#c#cc c.ccc* c
This little phrase, at first does not appear to be an idiom at all. µI haven¶t got a clue¶, obviously
means I am without any knowledge or understanding of the matter under discussion.
*
(
Turnips are a µstarch¶ vegetable. Turnips provide an excellent source of vitamin C
and A, fiber, folic acid, manganese, pantothenic acid and copper, They also offer a very good
source of calcium, copper, thiamine, potassium, niacin, and magnesium. In addition, they are a
good source of vitamin B6 and E and riboflavin.
!cP*5c,Time is the wisest counselor of all.´
2($$(c27(7c
man went to the lawyer and said, ³I want a divorce. My wife hasn¶t spoken to me for the past
six months.´
The lawyer advised him, ³Better think it over. Wives like that are too hard to get.´
Well, the too. . . . .to construction which can be transformed to so. . . . . that structure is a
universal favorite amongst English grammar teachers. Pcis a word often used and also
µmisused¶. It has several connotations.
(i) Used alone, it means more than is good, reasonable or accepted, more than enough, ore than is
necessary, more than is wanted. This is true of informal speech, where it is similar to .
Example: I hear you were born on April 2, a day too late!
Why did you throw away your Math book?
It had too many problems.
However we cannot replace µvery¶ by µtoo.¶ For instance you cannot say,
µI was too happy to receive your letter today.¶ You can only say,
µI was very happy to receive your letter today.¶
The former sentence would suggest the opposite, namely
µI was so happy that I did not receive your letter today.
Consider the conversation below:
Student: I couldn¶t get to school on time because I started too late.
Teacher: Why didn¶t you start earlier?
Student: It was too late to start early.
What are the contexts for usingc?c
Pcdoes not occur at the beginning of a clause. It usually goes at the end of a clause.
Doctor: I have examined you thoroughly. All you need is rest.
Patient: But I feel sick. Why don¶t you look at my tongue?
Doctor: That needs rest too!
P is used in imperatives and short answers.
Give me some bread too.
I have a headache.
I have too.
In very informal speech, we use ccas a short answer.
I love her. Me too!
When we use two negatives one after the other, we must not use We should only use . . .
. . !c
It is wrong to say:
You can¶t have a cake and you can¶t have an apple too. pp
You should say,
You can¶t have a cake and you can¶t have an apple either.
However, after mentioning an affirmative (non-negative) fact or an idea, we can add a negative
point by using not. . . . . too.
You can have a cake, but you can¶t have an apple too.
Here is a brain teaser for you:
Why are men like Government Bonds?
Because they take too long to mature!
<c!*c!c
1, While Zakir Hussain plays the Tabla, Pundit Shivkumar Sharma plays the Santoor.
2. A standard acoustic guitar has six strings and the name of the wood piece that is attached to
the mouthpiece of a saxophone is called µreed¶.
3. Bill Clinton, the former American President loves to play the saxophone.
4.Sherlock Holmes was known to play the Violin, says the author Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle.
5.P!5 c!5 c ! c1cthe famous nursery rhyme was composed by Mozart, I mean,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
c
c
1ccC?1cC??
Cc$cPc!c c c
Are some medicines still good after their expiration dates?
es, about 90%, according to FDA tests. But remember, some critical medications, like nitro-
glycerin and insulin do lose their effectiveness after the expiration date. cc
P!c)c !c!cP*5c³Plans are good intentions unless they immediately degenerate
into hard work.´
c=5!33c
³Ever wonder how people who tell you to calm down are the same ones who got you mad in the
first place!!´
³For speedy relief of stress, depression and anxiety, 4 out of 5 doctors recommend money.´
c<*cGreen Rooibos tea is caffeine free and is rich in naturally occurring trace
elements. It also contains healthy amounts of Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Fluoride, Manganese,
Zinc, Calcium, Vitamin C and fair amounts of alpha-hydroxy acid, which is known to promote
healthy skin. Green Rooibos tea has anti-viral, anti-spasmodic and anti-allergic properties.
!##c !c(++c
Daylight robbery is blatant and unfair overcharging. This is not used to describe actual robberies-
- whatever time of day they might take place. It is a figurative phrase that associates an instance
of unfair trading without actual robbery. Not just any old robbery, but one so unashamed and
obvious that it is committed in broad daylight. pp
Saturday, May 23, 2009: 8:07 AM: Pc "7cc c c
What¶s a safe alternative to chemical bathroom cleansers?
Wipe surface with vinegar. Then sprinkle on baking soda. Let stand for a few minutes. Then rub
with a damp sponge and rinse. Vinegar is a mild acetic acid. When it reacts with baking soda, it
helps loosen surface scum.
P!c)c !c!c*5cEquality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without
it.´
c<*c Rambutan is a rich source of vitamin C. A key antioxidant, vitamin C helps
protect cells from free radical damage and improves the absorption of iron. Rambutan also pp
contains small amounts of copper needed for the production of red and white blood cells and
manganese, which the body uses to help manufacture and activate certain enzymes. [Rambutan is
a fruit available in Singapore. I read about this fruit, probably when I was reading in the eighth
class in Srivaikuntam, and when µDevan¶ was writing a serial in Ananda vikatan. I tasted this
fruit in Srimathi¶s house a couple of years ago, when she brought these fruits from Singapore. I
remember the names of characters in Devan¶s serial writing: Kantamani (heroine), Kalyana
Sundaram Pillai, a rich philanthropic millionaire in Singapore, µSavukku¶ ennum Saranathan, a
reporter of a journal, a miserly person. The title of the serial is ³Lakshmi Kataksham.´]
a!½!Æ Two clocks register midnight at exactly the same time. One clock loses a
minute an hour while the other one gains a minute an hour. When will they again tell the same
time? [Answer: They will both register six O¶ clock 360 hours later.]
(
The OLYMPIC was the sister ship of the Titanic, and she provided twenty-
five years of service.
c
c
<ccc90c[Scene: Cho in his office- to the producer:] 22-5-2009, 20:14
hours:
ÑSahasram vada / Ekam maa likha // [ou may tell thousands. (But) don¶t write (even) one
(thing).] Implied meaning: ou may speak thousand irrelevant things. But you should be careful,
not to commit yourself in writing
&1ccCD1cC??.
Ec$c! c8c c-Cc
What are the important points to be observed, when taking sacred bath in the temple tanks?
Avoid bathing at mid-night. Face the temple, while you dip yourself in the tank/ pond.
8!.cThe µSaivites¶ now a days celebrate their 60 th and 80 th birthdays in Thirukadayur.
Parallely, the Vaishnavites celebrate their birthdays in Nachiyarkoil, near Kumbakonam. The
place gets its name, in honor of the resident goddess Nachiar. The huge stone Garuda is famous
here, exhibiting the iconic grandeur of Tamilnadu. [Translation by me S.S]
Refer: www.dhivyadeshams.com
(From Dinamalar, 24-5-2009, page 10.)
The ancient name of this village was µThiru Naraiur. The goddess is µVanjulavalli¶. She stands
adjacent to the Lord Srinivasa, (Thiru Naraiyur Nambi) in the form of a bride at the time of
marriage. [Kalyana kolam]
The lord performed the µSamasrayanam¶ to the great µThirumangai Azhwar¶.
This µKshetra¶ is just 9 k.m from Kumbakonam.
Thirumangai Azhwar has sung 110 verses (Pasurangal) in praise of this Lord.
(Details gathered from ³ 108 Divya Desa Yatraa Divyanubhavam´, Page 195. Chozha Nattu
Thirpatigal, S.No 14.)
P!c)c !c&cP!c'c&*cCD##C??c-c Dc
c!c!5c 0c
The term µpink elephant is used to describe something obvious and uncomfortable, but which
nobody wants to talk about. At the work place or business communications, it is something that
is buried under the carpet when things go wrong. It refers especially to a situation of unhealthy
relationships between women colleagues - - one woman may try to bully the other woman out of pp·
rivalry, to stay in control. Broaching such a topic may be embarrassing to all, so it is called a
µpink elephant in the room.¶ (Rohit Agarwal, Lucknow.)
ccc)!c!*c*c!cc 0c
The origin of ice cream can be traced to the fourth century B.C. Early references include Roman
emperor Nero who ordered ice to be brought from the mountains and combined with fruit
toppings, and King Tang (A.D 618-97) of Shang, China, who had a method of creating ice and
milk concoctions, Ice cream was brought from China back to Europe. [Manasvi Mehta,
Allahabad
c!cc !c*0c
The golliwog act is a flexible contortion of the body in a dance form to create an impression that
the contortionist is a doll. The name is taken from a literary character created by Florence Kate in
her novel µThe Adventures of two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwog.¶ [P.Esakkimuthu, Mumbai.]
$cc ! c+!c)c*!c3c
Actor Asin (Asin Thottumkal), from Kerala, recently moved out of her parents¶ Lokhandwala
apartment (in Mumbai) and has shifted to her own house at Green Acres, which is in the same
locality. She has planned to do the interior design by her own to her own taste.
Incidentally, Sridevi and Tabu live in the same society.
[When I was a student in St. Xavier¶s college at Palayamkottai, a young Jesuit Catholic Father
by name Æev. Fr. Thottungal S.J. used to take classes (minor poems and non-detailed text, µThe
Iliad¶) for us.]
c!cc$cmere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with
basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen. [Kinley Advt.]
Monday, May 25, 2009: 8:01 AM: Times of India: !c9c Jagdish scored 85, 92 and 95
in his Science tests. What does he need to earn on his next Science test to have an average
(arithmetic mean) of 93%?
Dear Nandhu! This is a good question. I give the answer: To earn an average of 93% in all four
tests, the sum of those four tests must be 9354 ±372
The sum of the first three tests is 85+ 92+ 95±272. The difference between the needed sum of
four tests and the sum of the first three tests is 100. He needs a 100 to get an average of 93%
!##cc>*cc<*c
ÑExcuse my French Ñ is another way of saying µPlease forgive my swearing.¶ This has its origin
in the mid twentieth century.
The precise phrase comes just as later in S.P.E. Tract IV; 1940: µExcuse my French! (Forgive
my strong language).´
2($$(c27(7c Here are some creative innovations that should prove very useful to
humanity:
Bananas and oranges with edible peels so you don¶t have to peel them.
Golf holes that expand, so your ball always reaches them in one stroke.
A bank that loans money to kids, so they don¶t have to ask the parents for advances against
pocket money.
Invisible braces, so people can have their teeth straightened without looking ugly.
The two letter word is one of the most versatile in English vocabulary. It adds punch to a
simple statement in speaking. The Merriam Webster¶s dictionary raises an interesting question:
Is it a distinctively female failing?
The American Heritage Book of English Usage lists several uses of c pp
cor cccin purpose clauses:
Professor: Boys, I am dismissing you ten minutes early today. Please go out quietly so as not to
wake up the other classes.
cor ccccin result clauses:
c as connective in narratives:
³So that distinguished looking man is your leading citizen, eh? Has he received many degrees
from college?´
³Why, he has received so many degrees that we call him the Human Thermometer!´
cas intensive, meaning, to a great degree or extent:
Professor: You can¶t sleep in my class!
Student: If you didn¶t talk so loud, I could!
We often hear people saying, ³I am so happy´, ³She was so tired.´, ³The coffee is so good!´
etc.
This is pardonable in informal conversation, but not allowed in formal speech or writing.
Romantic lover: Just one kiss! Love makes the world go round!
Sturdy co-ed: So does a smash on the jaw!
Here are some common errors in the use of
Since it is his birthday on Monday, so he¶s having a party. [Wrong.]
It is his birthday on Monday. So he is having a party. [Right.]
During the summer all the hotels are so busy. [Wrong.]
During the summer all the hotels are very busy. [Right.]
I don¶t think we should do it so. [Wrong.]
I don¶t think we should do it in that way. [Right.]
We use the informal expression cc1 when we can¶t remember a name: What has happened
to old so and so?
&ccccmeans neither good nor bad.
How are you feeling?
So . . . so!
So long, farewell!
Pc!c9!c9cG!;c
The people of which race claimed that they came from a place called µAztian¶ or áztati tiantii¶?
[Answer: The Aztecs.]
With a take on the µPeter Principle¶ which principle states µthat incompetent employees are
promoted directly to management?¶ [Answer: Dilbert Principle.]
Who created the holistic detective ³Dirk Gently¶? [Answer: Douglas Adams (of µThe
Hitchhiker¶s Guide to the Galaxy¶ fame.]
In Phillip Pullman¶s µNorthern Lights¶, what is the term used for the armored polar bears?
[Answer: panserbjșme.]
What astronomical term, which is a portmanteau word, is equivalent to 3.26 light years or
206,265 Astronomical units? [Answer: Parsec.]
Pc!cPc!! c cc+c !c-c c
c³Members of the public are urged to report crime without fear of any follow-up action.´ So the
police will sleep on the complaints? (K.Balakesari, Chennai.)
³They were discharged from hospital after giving first aid.´ They got or were given first aid?
(P.V.Mohan, Kochi).
³He hospitalized after complaints of delirium and dehydration.´ He was hospitalized with pp
symptoms, not complaints. (Dr. K. Ahmed Anwar, Perintalmana, Kerala.)
³Mr. Subba Rao withdrew his remarks as they tantamounted to character assassination.´
µTantamount¶ is not a verb and has no derivative. (Jagannada Rao Pannala, Kakinada, Andhra
Pradesh.)
A report on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh¶s heart surgery refers to ³removal of blocks in Dr.
Singh¶s heart.´ The blocks are in the arteries. (S.Gurumurthy, Chennai.)
³Stripped naked by the mob and her virginity grossly violated in public, without any help from
the police present there.´ Should the police have helped the mob?
The mother being in no position to feed the baby, was reluctant to take him as she was in no
position to feed him.´
A reminder of how long the Old Printer¶s Devil has been with us. Printer¶s devil is an assistant
or errand boy in a printer¶s office and does not mean a printing mistake. (Dr. John K.Mammen,
Thiruvananthapuram.)
³Clarify on Kasuri¶s statement. Chidambaram and MEA sing different tune´. (tunes.)
ÑAbstains from Parliamentary Board Meeting´ (abstain is not absent.)
³Engine hits man, dies.´ How did the engine die, asks K.Krishnamurthy, Srirangam. He also has
these: ³Imports from China will have to accompany a certificate.´(what should accompany
what?) ³Absentees rise.´ (How can they?)
³Ry. Zone for State still a far cry.´ ³A far cry´ means ³something very different.´(A.N.Balan,
Thiruvananthapuram.)
³Kannan comes out with flying colors.´ It should be comes off, and not µflying colors¶, when
the report says ³thin majority of 3312 votes.´ (P.V. Ramana Rao, Guntur.)
³Congress building bridges with estranged allies´. ³Bridges to´ (M.V. Subba Rao, Vijayawada.)
You can depend on a crossword compiler to discover meanings for words that you did not know
existed. A wrong usage I cited in my last column, instigate for initiate, is not wrong, points out
C.G.Rishikesh (Chennai). Generally µinstigate¶ is used to mean µcause something to happen¶ but
it also means µto initiate¶ according to some dictionaries.
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
(Title of the Topic that appeared in the paper: *!ccccJcc !c!c
'cc)cPc!1ccC##C??1cPc
³Iran, Pakistan link gas pipeline deal,´ (May 25, 2009, page1) said that the construction of the
56-!*c!*5cpipeline would be completed in five years. (It is 56-inch diameter pipeline.)
c
P1ccC1cC??cEc$cP!c)c !cc
!c9c@c"AcWhich of the following represents a composite number?
11; 29; 41; 91. (Answer: 91; A composite number is a whole number greater than one that has
other factors besides 1 and itself; in other words, it is not prime. Each of the answer choices is
prime numbers except 91, which has factors of 1, 7, 13 and 91.)
&1cc
?1cC??c
Cc$cP!c)c !cc
!c9cSolve the Anagram: ÑONL I CAN T ÆILL´ to get the name of an ex-White
ouse celebrity resident. [Answer: illary Clinton.]
@ µNeptune¶ is the first planet in our solar system to be discovered by mathematics.¶
c
!##cc'"cPc<( P6cOn the fritz is said of something which is not working in the
usual way or not working at all. On the fritz is an American expression that is used to describe
something that is broken or has ceased to work. The British equivalent is µon the blink.¶
c<*cPcc! c Tea Tree Oil is antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. It is used to
treat cuts, bites, blisters, acne, athlete¶s foot, ringworm, nappy rash, thrush and infection of nails.
Inhale it from a tissue or put it into hot water to help relieve symptoms of cold, cough, flu and
croup. Add it to a bath to treat sore muscles. Add it to Aloe Vera lotion to help sunburn. It helps
treat dandruff and head lice when used in shampoos. Massage lotions with Tea Tree Oil
stimulates the immune system. p
c
Pc "7c cc3c
Letter from a reader: ÑIs it not necessary for Ministers who take oath to pronounce the words
properly, in keeping with the spirit of perfection? In the English version of the oath, four words
were mispronounced frequently - - µbear¶, µsovereignty¶, µconscientiously¶, and µsolemnly.¶
µBear¶ became µbeer¶ often, and µsovereignty¶ became µsovereign-ei-ty¶.µConscientiously¶ was a
tongue-twister for many. The ,!*cc!*cwas µsolomonly¶ for µsolemnly.¶
[Letter from S.Krishnan, Chennai.]
ÑMany stumbled over words. There were many who obviously did not understand the meaning of
what they were mechanically reading out. Could they not have spent a few minutes before the
ceremony trying to understand what they were supposed to affirm solemnly? [Letter from
B.Sasisekar, Kottayam.]c
,Pc!c5c!c !c!5c3c
The name of former Union Home Minister SHIVRAJ Patil was misspelt as ³SHIRVAJ Patil, in
Editorial section itself. (Editorial, May 29, 2009.)
4a!½*4a! Indian-American teenager Kavya Shivshankar (13) has won
the prestigious Scripps Spelling Bee Contest, after she correctly spelled µ !* which
means lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics.
She is an eighth grader student from ' cin Kansas. After her success in the contest, she was
hugged by her father Mirle, mother Sandy and little sister Vanya.
Ms. Kavya , who took home more than $ 40,000 in cash and prizes besides the huge champon¶s
trophy, looks forward to becoming a neurosurgeon.
:cP8Bc&-9cc-c- BcC?DCcBc
?##C??1c&c
When one participant, Smt. Lalita Sarath completed singing the most popular Tamil song
ÑMuthu Kulikka Vaareegala´, very beautifully, SPB appreciated her singing and informed that
the song is compiled in SPANIS cum POÆTUGUESE style. [The late actor Nagesh and Aachi
Manorama excelled themselves, in the music (score) sequence in the film.] SPB himself hummed
for a few seconds and demonstrated some notes on Spanish cum Portuguese style of singing. Ñ
TMS Anna and L.Æ. Easwari did their full justification, by singing this song wonderfully´, says
SPB.
p·
Tuesday, June 02, 2009: 8:00 AM: Pc!ccc !c
How is the word , pronounced?
Like PEE.en, with the stress on the first syllable.
A µpaean¶ was originally a song sung in honor of the Greek god Apollo. Nowadays, the word is
used to refer to any work - - film, song, piece of writing, etc. - - which praises someone or
something.
³The song is a paean to love and commitment.´
@ What is the difference between , >candc,* 0c
APOPLEXY: The word is pronounced µA-pe-plek-si¶ with the stress on the first syllable. When
someone has a fit of apoplexy, he becomes extremely angry.
³In a fit of apoplexy, the CEO threw the paperweight at the plasma TV.´
The word can also be used to refer to a stroke caused by a brain haemorrhage. µApoplexy¶ comes
from the Greek µapoplexia¶ meaning µdisable/ cripple by a stroke.¶
APOCALYPSE: This term is pronounced µe-PO-ke-lips¶ with the stress on the second syllable.
When you talk about µthe Apocalypse¶, you are talking about the total destruction of the world.
³Some people became uncomfortable when the priest talked about the Apocalypse.´
The word can also be used in everyday contexts to refer to an event, which brings about
destruction and radical change.
³The documentary was about what happens after a great nuclear apocalypse.´
@ What is the meaning of µstraw in the wind¶?
If you were to leave a straw in the wind, it¶ll probably get blown away; but in the process, it will
give you an idea about the direction in which the wind is blowing. A straw in the wind is that it is
a sign of things to come; a small hint of what is likely to happen in the future.
³The constant bickering is a straw in the wind indicating future problems for the newly married
couple´
@ What is the meaning of µmedical tourism¶?
It is the practice of visiting other countries for medical reasons. Visiting a doctor has become
very expensive these days. Therefore many choose to pack their bags and set off to a
µdeveloping¶ country like India where they can get the procedure done for a fraction of the cost.
People who visit other countries for medical reasons are called ,!* c!c
P$ %c- c!c2 cÑFalling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination
and bottling the common sense.´*
Æ
)
c ccc+*!c5cc5cc! 0c
A new discovery reveals that bacteria actually communicate with one another using a chemical
language known ascGc&! When they have multiplied to adequate numbers, they
act as a synchronized group and attack their host. If they are successful you¶ll get a bacterial
infection.
Ñ(6 5
QUIZ:
Whose coronation took place on this date (viz: June, 2.) in 1953? [Queen Elizabeth]
Which famous automobile company owns the VOLVO brand? [Ford Motor Company.]
In the Arctic region, what would one do with a ,5 50 [Wear them. They are soft boots
traditionally made of reindeer skin or sealskin.]
Where are the . ! found in the human body? [Lungs.] p
Which Nobel Laureate was gunned down by Yigal Amir? [Yitzhak Rabin.]
What is the capital of the country whose citizens would sing the ³La Marcha Real´ (µThe Royal
March¶) as the National Anthem? [Madrid.]
Which popular American beverage has variatios such as Cherry, Vanilla and Zero? [COCA-
COLA.]
If tarantula is a spider what is , 0 [A southern Italian couple folk dance.]
a (
The first session of the fifteenth Look Sabah began on Monday, 1st. June, 2009,with members
taking oath in many languages including Sanskrit1cO&!c=1c9:-Ic
The first time MPs include Shruti Chaudhary (Cong.), Shatabdi Roy (TMC), Mohd, Azharuddin
(Cong.), Kailesh Singh Deo (BJD), Youngest MP (lady MP) Hamdullah Sayeed, 26, (Cong),
Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Akali Dal) and Jayant Chaudhary (RJD)
c<*c Calcium, an essential mineral that helps to build healthy bones and teeth, is found
in many foods including dairy products and green vegetables. Make sure your diet is rich in
calcium and vitamin D as the vitamin is necessary to help your body absorb calcium properly.
It¶s found in milk foods.
a, , Ñ*
$(( $2c2$%'(ccTo hold a torch for someone (British)
or to carry a torch for someone (American) is to be in love with someone without them knowing
it or to be in love with someone who is no longer in love with you.
The torch has long been associated with passion and love.
The ancient Greeks and Romans used the torch in marriage ceremonies. Brides customarily
carried a torch to light the hearth in their new home. Hymen, the god of marriage ceremony is
often represented in paintings as a youth holding a torch. And let us not forget Venus, the
goddess of love, who is frequently depicted with a torch.
&cP($c
ÑBetter to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all
doubt.´
Wednesday, June 03, 2009: 6:24 AM Pc!cc
c cWhere are my core muscles?
Jovially: My core muscles! They are down there under my core FAT:
Your body has 29 core muscles located in your back, abdomen and pelvic areas. This group of
muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout your body.
GRAFFITI: ³How to Get Rich´ books are now filed under fiction´
BOTTOM LINERS: ³It¶s getting dangerous on Wall Street. I just heard the bull ate the bear.´
P &c'<c " $cc
&$(c&-$c³The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing´ [German
Proverb.]
&cP($c³Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a
trail.´
"c9"(cWhat am I? I¶m valuable to all. Some are treasured forever. You gain some
new ones each day. Some are meant to be lost. Some are lost in time but want to be found. By
losing it all will make you somewhat a new person. What am I? [Answer: Memory.]
!##cTAKE SOMEONE TO THE CLEANERS:
To take someone to the cleaners is to get a lot of money from someone, usually by cheating them
or to defeat someone by a very large amount. The expression ³take someone to the cleaners´ is a
modern version of the older phrase ³cleaned out´, which refers to losing a lot, if not all of one¶s
money. p
This originated from the idea of emptying one¶s pockets or ³cleaning out one¶s pockets.´
You take someone to the cleaners; they first have to empty the pockets of their clothes before
handing them to be cleaned.
Thursday, June 04, 2009: 9:07 AM: THE HINDU: ³Metro Plus, Page 7: Letter from
N.Srinivasan, Alwarthirunagar about Sri Koteeswara Iyer:
³Noted vageyakara and staunch Muruga devotee Sri Koteeswara Iyer was fond of coffee and
used to drink three-four tumblers daily whenever he thought of composing kritis. His formula for
making coffee is different. He would drink coffee made with fresh decoction using plantation
coffee powder taken from a tightly packed container and mixed with fresh, hot milk. When he
was residing at Vellala Street, Purasawalkam, musicians and well-wishers would assemble to
chat with him about music at around 4 p.m. daily.
One of his friends requested him to minimize the intake of coffee and if possible give up the
habit. Iyer gradually put a full stop to drinking coffee.
To mark this, he composed a song inc:!!!1c2c$c- meaning
when there is Skandan¶s ,2 amudham why go after other paanams! This kriti is
popularly sung at concerts and lecture demos.
THUGLAK: Vinod¶s Pages: (Page 37 and 38 of the journal):
A species of dolphin is born naturally blind in the Indus and the Ganges.
These dolphins have a highly sophisticated sonar system and swim using only one side of their
body.
Pc!c!c- cGRAFFITI: ³Laughter is a great tranquilizer- - and it has no side
effects.´
**4 ow can eating fat help me to shed fat?
ÑNuts contain healthy fats. But don¶t eat too many. . . they are high in calories.´
It depends on the kind of fat you eat. A diet high in monosaturated fats prevents the
accumulation of belly fat. Mono-fats are found in nuts (especially pecans), seeds and avocados.
&1c:c?1cC??c ??Ec$cP!c)c !c<*c) cc
The Sears Tower consists of nine framed tubes, which connects nine skyscrapers to make it one
building.c
"c9"(c Solve the anagram ³INDUCE JADED RIPPER´ to get the name of a classic på
novel. [Answer: Pride and Prejudice,]
!##ccPc+c*c!5c To be cat¶s whiskers is to be better than everyone else.
The cat¶s whiskers is one of those nonsense catchphrases that were popular in America in the
1920s, many of which compared something of excellent quality to some part of an animal.
Cat idioms: The cat¶s pyjamas: Something that is great.
Look at what Other examples are: bee¶s knees, elephant¶s adenoids, bullfrog¶s beard gnat¶s
elbows, monkey¶s eyebrows, and a more recent addition from Britain, dog¶s bollocks.
A list of other the cat dragged in: an insulting way of saying that someone has just arrived and
looks like a mess.
Like a cat on a hot tin roof: To be nervous and unable to keep still.
Cat got your tongue? : Something you say when you are annoyed with someone who won¶t talk.
Grin like a Cheshire cat: a very wide smile.
Curiosity killed the cat: Something you say when someone asks too many questions.
There is more than one way to skin a cat: There¶s more than one way to achieve something.
Let the cat come out of the bag: To tell people secret information, sometimes without intending
to.
$P6 P0ccÑ!êÑ
)
/9.//08//0Ña
GccIf you judge people, you have no time to love them´.
<*c)cccBulletproof vests are made of plastics called liquid crystalline polymers.
c<*cBitter gourd has excellent medicinal properties. It has antidotal, antipyretic,
stomachic, antibilious, and laxative properties. Bitter gourd is specifically used to treat diabetes.
Researches have established that it contains a hypoglycemic or insulin-like principle, designated
as µplant-insulin¶, which is beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. The juice of
bitter gourd leaves is also used to treat alcoholism. It is an antidote for alcohol intoxication.
!##cPc'%c2$7PcThis means the whole range of things that can be
included in something. The whole gamut is actually a redundant phrase, since the word gamut
already implies the whole or the entirety of something. It nevertheless is frequently used. Gamut
(circa 1530) originally referred to the lowest note in the medieval musical scale in the system of
notation devised by Guido of Arezzo. It¶s a contraction of the Medieval Latin ³gamma ut´,
which derived from the Greek letter Gamma, indicating a low G, and ut, first note of the lowest
hexachord. Ut derived from the first word in a Latin hymn to Saint John the Baptist, the initial
syllables of successive lines of which were sung to the notes of an ascending scale CDEFGA.
%%c&$ cc
ÑSit quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself´ [Zen Saying.]
ÑDream as if you¶ll live forever, live as if you¶ll die today.´ [James Dean.]
ÑAt the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.´[Jean
ouston.]
ÑWe are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a
human experience.´ [Tellhard de Chardin.]
ccPc9!!cP5c She is the first woman (Rajasthan cadre) IPS officer (1996
batch) to guard an Indian Prime Minister. She is known for leading the crackdown on the drug
mafia, together with Punjab and Haryana police. She is now Assistant Inspector General, at her
30s, and works in police training center in Jaipur. She will continue with her Ph.D. in zoology, p
besides guarding the P.M.
c!c*c!!0c
This is a new business concept where solutions can come from crowds, and marketers are turning
to them as a database. The changing economy brought in this concept to tap expensive or even
unavailable information and it goes beyond surveys and crowd sourcing. [Ashwin Hegde,
Coimbatore.]
c!cc!c)cc *cccc)ccc . 0c
This is done with the help of an µaltimeter¶ which is basically a barometer without mercury, and
instead of the pressure graduating in a barometer, the corresponding heights are graduated.
[Parna Sahana, via e-mail.] c
ccc+! cc.!+0c
There is a small motor fitted in a cell phone. This motor is unevenly weighted on its output shaft.
When this motor rotates, the rotating uneven weight causes the mobile to vibrate. [Astha Jain,
Jodhpur.]
97($7#($64c($:c'3cc
ÑOur babus are perhaps the only people in the world who can say absolutely nothing and still
mean every word of it.´
ÑThe three golden rules of bureaucracy have always been: When in charge, ponder; when in
doubt, mumble and when in trouble, delegate.´
ÑI have always wondered how bureaucrats get promoted: That¶s easy. . .it works much like a
septic tank . . . it¶s the really big chunk that rises to the top.´
/:.//0;88*#½ 1
U7
8)With which U.S.President would one associate the µFala Speech¶ and who or what was
Fala? [Answer; Franklin D.Roosevelt and Fala was his dog.]
2.Of which African Nation is Bujumbura, the capital city and main port? [Answer: Burundi.]
3.Which beverage¶s less popular species are Liberica, Excelsa, Stenophylla, Mauritiana, and
Racemosa? [ Answer: Coffee.]
4.Currently how many National Olympic Committees are there in the IOC? [Answer: 205.]
5.To which famous visionary-writer is the quote µThe Moon is the first milestone on the road to
the stars¶ attributed? [Arthur C.Clarke.]
a
Mind Bender: Dear Nandhu: When Sheila went to get a passport, she had to give her real date of
birth, but under all other circumstances, she refused. When somebody asked how old she was,
she said she was twenty-one, mentally omitting all Sundays. Sundays she didn¶t work, so
naturally she didn¶t get any older. How old was Sheila really?
[Answer: Sheila was twenty-four. She subtracted one-seventh of her real age.]
*
(
Chromium is found in asparagus, beetroot, black pepper, cheese, whole grains,
potato skins, brewer¶s yeast and vegetables. It is also found in hard water, and drinking moderate
amounts will give you about half of your daily requirement of chromium. It also helps to process
fats and carbohydrates, and helps cells respond to insulin. It controls cholesterol and is involved
with the hunger center of the brain. It makes you feel full; a fact made use of in some dietary
products.
a, , ³ Nest Egg´: Nest egg is a sum of money that has been saved or kept for a special
purpose. Nest egg refers to money or investment earmarked for some future purpose. The term pp
most commonly refers to retirement savings.
Nest egg conjures the image of a mother bird caring or its young offspring until they hatch.
[My comments: Even in Tamizh similar idea is conveyed, when one says, ³Avan Thirupathikku
povatharkku Kuruvi cherpathu pol cherthu varukiraan.´
2($$(c27(7c
A maidservant, who was learning English from the lady of the house, informed her over the
phone, ³Mem Sahib, I will not come for work today as I have headache in my stomach.´ In this
story contributed by J.P.Singh Kaka to Khushwant Singh¶s joke book, we should really
appreciate the maid¶s grammatical competence in one specific area: she knows the subject is
followed by the verb.
There are occasions, however, when the order is reversed; that is, the subject is placed after the
verb.
Burchfield lists several major contexts where this happens, in Pc"c< cc
!c7 We are all familiar with routine questions where the subject comes after the
verb. In expletive construction which begins with here or there, this happens again. Look at this
conversation:
Lecturer in temperance: Here¶s an argument from nature. If I lead a donkey to a pail of water and
also a pail of beer, which will he drink?
The unconverted alcoholic: The water.
Lecturer: Correct! Why?
Alcoholic: Because he is an ass!
In creative writing as well as informal talk, we find subject-verb inversion after the word µso.¶
In Shakespeare¶s Merchant of Venice, we find these unforgettable lines:
How far that little candle throws its beams!
So shines a good deed in this naughty word.
When a sentence begins with certain specific adverbs like µseldom¶, µhardly¶, µrarely¶ etc. the
verb is placed before the subject, as in the famous speech:
³Seldom has so much been owed by many to so few.´
Poets extend this licence to sentences beginning with adjectives and adverb particles, to create an
amazing literary effect. We find these beautiful lines in the eternal favourite, Scott¶s %c)cc
%c!
Soft is the note and soft the lay
That mourns lovely Rosabelle.
Look at these lines from Tennyson¶s c)cc%!c9!
Into the jaws of death
Into the mouth of Hell,
Ride the six hundred.
We also find such conversation common in negative constructions. These are rather formal
according to Michael Swan.
ÑNot until much later did she learn who her real father was.´
³Under no circumstances can we cash the cheque.´
In formal, conditional clauses, an auxiliary is placed before the verb.
³Were I a millionaire I would have traveled all over the world.´
In storytelling, the subject often comes after the reporting verbs, like µsaid¶, µasked¶, µsuggested¶
etc.
Banta rushed back angrily to the grocery shop from where he had purchased a packet of butter a p
few minutes ago. ³Where is my free gift?´ he shouted at the shopkeeper.
³But there is no free gift on the purchase of butter´ answered the shopkeeper softly.
³Don¶t fool me,´ replied Banta, ³It¶s clearly written on the packet of butter- Cholesterol Free.´
Tuesday, June 09, 2009: 9:33 PM: THE HINDU: Know Your English:
- !cPulling teeth means that it is very difficult to do a thing. Getting information from
government office is like pulling teeth.
³Getting my cousin to clean his room is like pulling teeth.
9!!c ³When you say that someone is always a bridesmaid and never a bride, you mean
that the person never fulfils her ambition. The person is never the winner; always the runner up.
³My cousin is a wonderful actor. But unfortunately, she¶s always a bridesmaid, and never a
bride.´
ccc)c&c³When you say you haven¶t done something in a month of Sundays, it
means you haven¶t done it in a long time.´
Ñahaven¶t seen my cousin in a month of Sundays.´
³I haven¶t talked to my friend Vijay in a month of Sundays.´
:!ccc!When two people are joined at the hip they are inseparable. The expression
can also be used with things. The two companies have been joined at the hip ever since the first
multinational company entered the market.´
P! c!*c!c2 c ³Many a man who falls in love with a dimple makes the mistake
of marrying the while girl.´ [EVAN ESAR.]
a a, , Ñ(
To put one¶s foot in the mouth is to say something embarrassing, foolish or tactless. The phrase
dates from about 1900 and is sometimes expressed as having foot-in-mouth disease such as µHe
has a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease.¶
c<*c Copper is needed by the immune system for fighting infections. It helps in iron
absorption and haemoglobin production. It is a co-factor in many enzymes and also has a role in
transmissions to the brain. You get it from a range of foods such as whole grains, pulses, nuts
and potatoes. (Flour refining removes 70 % of copper.) Copper water pipes have been the source
of much of our copper, although plastic is replacing copper.
1c:c ?1cC??c
c$cP!c)c !c
Mind Bender: What phrase is shown in the figure that adjoins? S- - n- - o- - w
Answer: µDashing through snow.¶
*
(
Iodine is found in sea salt, seaweeds and milk. Iodine is needed by the thyroid
gland to produce hormones. These hormones help produce energy from fat, control cholesterol
levels and keep the body weight stable. They also are involved in reproduction, nerves and bone
and keep skin, hair, nails and teeth in good condition.
a, , 2!.cc 5!c
To give a talking to someone is to give him or her a severe talk for having done something
wrong. It means to criticize them, and not with just a quick ³don¶t ever do that again´ lecture.
Here are some interesting alternatives:
1.To read someone the riot act.
2.To give someone hell.
3.To dress someone down.
4.To give someone a piece of your mind. p
5.To jump down someone¶s throat.
6.To rake someone over the coals.
7.To take someone to task.
8.To chew someone out. [My comments: ³Kopathil avanay kadithu, thuppinaan´, in Tamizh.]
9.To tell someone off.
Friday, June 12, 2009: 8:16 AM:
Chiruvar Malar: Page: 10: Eureka!
c" ³Babylon was its ancient name. What is its new name? [Iraq.]
*: ³Health Capsules.´ 5hat is so good about oats?
Eating oats is shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. Plus, oats can cut your risk of high blood
pressure and Type 2 diabetes. For power-up oatmeal add raisins and chopped walnuts.
!c2 ÑLove is the Movie- - Marriage is the book.´
a !c2 3cI¶m my wife¶s personal ATM machine!
!#ccÑ **a A smash hit is something that is a huge success, typically in the
entertainment industry. The first instance of the word ³hit´ to mean a successful theatre play or
song is from around 1811. As far back as 1400, ³to hit the mark´ was used to denote success.
This expression originated from archery to describe hitting the center of a target.
³The rule is not to talk about money with those who have much more or much less´- -Katherine
Whitehorn.
³Can anybody remember when the times were not hard and money not scarce?´- -Ralph Waldo
Emerson.
³We all have a voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God. But if we shut out all the noise,
clutter from our lives and listen to it, it will tell us the right thing to do.´- - Christopher Reeve
³To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.´- - Abraham Lincoln.
Gc³Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.´
c<*: Molybdenum is found in whole grains, pulses, sweet potatoes, rice, green vegetables and fruits. It helps in metabolizing food and
aids healthy growth. It is involved in the chemical reactions that form bone, cartilage and blood.
!##cPc7c&!*5 To up sticks is to take all the things that you own and go and live in
a different place.
9 !.#c!cJ# Tungsten melts at 6,192îF, a temperature three times hotter than a volcano¶s
molten lava.
Europe¶s Water Spider spends its entire life under water and builds a silk Diving Bell to store
oxygen.
<*c)cc: ³Soldiers disease is a term for morphine addiction. The civil war produced
over 400,000 morphine addicts.´
:$4$cP8 D##C??1c55 c$c8!c-c
A girl by name K.Dhanalakshmi, living in MGR Nagar, near KKNagar, spoke wonderfully about
the city pollution including noise pollution, in this programme. At about 11:58 hours (in the
telecast), she faltered with a sort of µchoking¶ feeling. Visu asked her to drink some water. The
girl did so. Then he asked her to smile and the girl did so. Then Visu asked her to talk a little bit
and then raise her hands. Out of modesty, the girl raised her left hand only with some hesitation.
Then Visu explained that this is a technique called S T R known as Smile, Talk and Raise
technique that is usually adopted when somebody loses control and becomes uncomfortable.
If one is able to smile normally, talk normally and be able to raise hand comfortably, then the
person is normal. Otherwise the person is feeling uncomfortable and needs attention.
Dhanalakshmi¶s parents and grandmother are making a poor living, doing sundry vegetable
selling in µKothwal Bazaar¶, while Dhanam a girl of just 18, realizing her responsibility, studies p
First Year in a college near her parent¶s business locality. She was all along very jovial when she
expressed herself in the programme.
She spoke wonderfully. Her smile was very appealing and alluring. (I was repeatedly telling
Seatha about her smile- -S.S). At the close of the programme, Visu himself praised her smile,
equating it to the smile of K.R.Vijaya. (I differ from Visu. This girl¶s smile is more alluring than
K.R.Vijaya¶s). My thought about her smile and Visu¶s thought curiously coincided.
&cP81c D##C??1c Cc: News Time:c!1c1c$1c55
There is a city that contains 118 small islands within itself. Name that city. [Answer: Venice.]
Ibid. ³ Finland is known as a land of 1,000 lakes.´
4
) : Common colds are dreaded ones, causing all discomforts.
Generally it gets cured after a long week¶s duration with medication of all sorts; but it gets
totally cured within a short span of seven days, without any medication whatsoever.
P!c)c !*
(
Phosphorus, a mineral that is abundant in the body, is vital for
energy production and enables B vitamins to work properly. It is found in seeds. Colas and other
fizzy drinks contain a lot of phosphorus as well.
a, , Pcc': To mete out is to distribute by or as if by measure; allot; mete out
justice or punishment.
Mete comes from the old English µmetan¶, meaning to measure. The noun form was used to
describe a goal or boundary.
Metre is believed to have been derived from mete.
The verb mete out is usually applied in reference to handing out punishment or justice.
An example of its usage: ³Jim does not believe in meting out punishment. Whenever a rule is
broken, he prefers to discuss the reasons and to make it a learning experience.´
ÆÆÆ
I recently came across some quotable quotes:
³If my film makes one more person miserable, I have done my job.´- -Woody Allen.
³I found there was only one way to look thin- -hang out with fat people.´- -Rodney Dangerfield.
³One of the symptoms of approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one¶s work is terribly p·
important.´- -Bertrand Russell.
All these writers seem to be fond of the word , and have used it with different meaning. In
fact, the word one is a bee in the bonnet, a rather disturbing word to most of us. We are not quite
sure where to use it and where to avoid it. As a result we merrily make many mistakes. Look at
these for instance:
³One cannot succeed unless he works hard.´ [Wrong.]
³One cannot succeed unless one woks hard.´ [Correct.]
In British English (unlike American English), it is not possible to change from one to he/she/it.
However most speakers find the repetition of one awkward, as in the following example.
³One doesn¶t see much of one nowadays, does one?´
So we generally try to avoid the repetition of µone¶ with structures like the following:
³One cannot succeed without working hard.´
Or,
³Success calls for a lot of hard work.´
One usually functions as a substitute for a noun as in this story:
³Two women were comparing their husbands. One said, ³My husband can talk on any subject
for hours,´
The other said, ³Mine can talk for hours without any subject!´
In British English, one is used as a numeral, but in Indian English, we often substitute it for
µa/an¶. We therefore come up with sentences like, ³Give me one book.´ instead of saying ³Give
me a book. Look at the use in British English:
Professor: ³Tell me one or two things about John Milton.´
Student: ³Well, he got married and wrote Paradise Lost. His wife died and he wrote Paradise
Regained.´
@<!c)c!c2 cP!*#c#&&A
³The florist has two children; one is a budding genius and the other a blooming idiot!´
³He was so embarrassed when he was asked to take off his mask at the party.´
³Why?´
³He was not wearing one!´
Let us conclude with two more pieces of wisdom:
³Argument may win the situation, but not one¶s heart.´
³There is one thing certain, namely that we can have nothing certain. Therefore it is not certain
that one can have nothing certain.´
Tuesday, June 16, 2009: 8:37 AM: The Hindu: Young World:
c"c
What do giraffes have that no other animal has? [Answer: Baby giraffes!]
$c!* c< *c
Where is the fallacy, when a mathematician tried to prove 1=2?
Proof and the fallacy:
Let a=b.
Then a²=ab. Multiplying both sides by µa¶.
a²-b²=ab-b² subtracting b² on both sides.
(a-b) (a+b) = (a-b) b factorizing both sides.
and hence, (a+b)=b. by canceling (a-b) on both sides. p
Because we have a=b, b+b= b.
Or, 2b=b.
ence, 2=1.
Fallacy: In step 5, we cancel (a-b) on both sides. But a-b is zero.
4c cG!;c
1.On this date in 1963, 8 !c8 !!.cP5. became front-page news round the
world. What was her achievement? [Answer: She became the first woman to fly into space.]
2.What is the maximum number of solar eclipses (partial, annular or total per year? [Answer: Five.]
3.Which famous center of learning¶s motto isc!c !cc(Latin for µThe Lord is My Light¶)? [Answer: University of Oxford.]
c
P!c)c !*
(
Potassium is found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The list includes apricots, bananas,
melon, citrus fruit, asparagus, potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, lentils and peas. It regulates the
normal balance of water throughout the body. It helps maintain the blood pressure, makes your p
heart and muscles work properly, keeps the intestines moving and works with sodium to transmit
nerve impulses.
aa,,6 2!c- *c We are going places means we will soon be successful or that
we are on the path to success.
The origin is unknown, but is noted in the nomadic nature of the American workforce.
(American workers put more faith in packing up the family and driving 2,000 miles across
country to find a better job or to simply begin a new life.)
Times of India: c<* Sulphur is found in protein foods such as garlic, lettuce, onions,
raspberries, cabbage, turnip, kale and Brussels sprouts. It has a detoxifying activity, and has been
used in acne treatments. It also helps in boosting immunity and counteracting diseases such as
arthritis. It is a constituent of protein, biotin and vitaminB1.
c
c
!## Odds and ends are various items of different types, usually small
and unimportant or of little value. The expression is also used in a figurative sense to mean lots
of small tasks that have to be completed (sometimes also referred to as ³loose ends´).
In American slang, a person who is required to perform menial tasks is often called a gofer. This
derives from the words ³go for´, which can be used when instructing someone to fetch
something (go for coffee, go for sandwiches etc.)
4cG!; At what temperature is water said to boil on the top of Mt. Everest? [Around 68-70
degrees Celsius]
Which famous Indian city lies on Salsette Island? [Mumbai.]
In Gulliver¶s Travels, what is the Capital of Laputa? [Lagado.]
What is the collective noun for a group of apes? [Shrewdness.]
In an opera, the songs by the soloists are called- - - ? [Arias. (Italian for µair¶)
In geology, what is a µlongshore drift? [Process by which sediments such as sand move along a
beach shore.]
Thomas Edison designed a helicopter that worked with gunpowder. It ended
up blowing up and also blew up his factory.
'Question: Why do women live longer than men?
Answer: Because shopping never causes any heart attacks, paying the bills does!
'3 Men lose about 40 strands of hair a day, while women lose around 70.
a, , Ñ ½'
To go for broke is to risk everything in order to achieve the result you want. The phrase is
liberally used in sports, business or any kind of personal endeavour.
Typical examples: ³A company that invests lots of money in a risky product strategy might also
be ³going for broke.´
³What about a the adventurous person who sells everything and moves to a foreign country to
begin a new life? Going for broke. . . !
5
'ÑHonesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.´
Times of India:5
' ³Every noble work is at first impossible.´
*
(
Vitamin E (tocopherol) is found in many foods such as sunflower and olive oils;
nuts, beans, bananas, apples, lettuce, spinach, onions, and Brussels sprouts. It helps fight against
a wide range of conditions associated with ageing, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes,
Alzheimer¶s disease and cancers. It helps improve stamina and endurance and boosts the immune
system against infections.
aa,,6('$c($2cRoad rage is anger or violence between drivers, often caused
by difficult driving conditions. The term was coined in the United States in the mid 1980s. Road
rage can take the form of tailgating, honking and flashing the lights as well as screaming, yelling
and obscene gestures. In extreme cases, it can result in accidents and violence. pù·
*
?& ³A 20-minute power nap can make you more productive- - but not if you
take one every hour.´
*
(
Vitamin H is found in small amounts in foods such as nuts, brewer¶s yeast and
dairy products. It helps to make the best use of fats and proteins. Vitamin H also helps to keep a
steady level of sugar in the blood.
(
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11
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a, , P*cc
It is commonly thought that touching wood or knocking on wood has been a superstitious action
to ward off evil throughout history. Some believe it has its roots in the Christian faith and
referred to touching a wood crucifix when praying for good fortune.
The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has
been acknowledged.
In the Arab World it¶s said ³Emsek El Khashab´ and the meaning is similar; a wish that
something will or will not occur. Muslims use a similar phrase in Arabic saying ³Masha Allah´.
Although it does not mean µtouching wood¶ literally, it means µas per Allah¶s desire¶.
³Nauzubillah min zalik´ is commonly used to say ³May Allah protect us from that (in case of
harm)´.
(
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$ <4 =9 =:)>
While eulogizing, Subramaniam Swami: ³An intellectual is a man who takes more words than
necessary to tell more than he knows.´
³The family is the source of all discontents´, while quoting Gandhi Kannadasan, eulogizing his
father Poet par excellence, Kannadasan.
³Imperfections make life exciting´, while talking about Director Anita Utheep, who looks like a
typical actress (in Vinoth¶s terms). Her film is titled strangely as³Kulir Nooru Degree´.
1
1.Which actress was married to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra? (Answer: Ava
Gardner.)
2.Name the Tamil flick of whichc+55c /cis a remake? (Answer: Pammal
K.Sambandam.)
3.Which scion of the TVS family acted in Rajiv Menon¶s 5!c5!0
(Answer: Anita Ratnam.)
4.Josy¶s New Delhi starring Mammooty is based on which Irving Wallace novel? (Answer: The
Almighty.) pù
*
Should wounds be kept uncovered to heal faster?
Not covering a wound can delay healing time up to 50%. Keep wounds moist and covered to
encourage faster healing. Petroleum jelly works well to keep the wound moist.
Times of India: (
ѽ
issued a stamp in 1973 that looked like a record
and actually would play the Bhutanese national anthem if placed on a record player.
' ³Who are the most decent people in a hospital?´
³The Ultrasound people!´
5
' ³Anger is a wind, which blows out the lamp of the mind.´
a, , cPc5c
To eke out is to supplement with great effort (to eke out an income by working two jobs); to get
with great effort or strain (to eke a bare existence from farming in an arid area); to make (a
supply) last by practicing strict economy (outdated).
Eke originated around 1200, from eken, meaning to increase or lengthen. As the etymology
explanation points out, eke originally meant increasing, supplementing or extending something
in order to make it last longer. Today, the word is used almost exclusively in combination with
,
*
(
& is found in green vegetables, cereals, and cheese. Vitamin K is needed
for the blood to clot properly and for teeth and bones to form correctly.
Saturday, July 04, 2009: 8:41 AM: The Hindu: Metro Plus: Week End
*
Is Hydrogen Peroxide @ë c'ë A good for wounds?
Though Hydrogen Peroxide kills bacteria, it also destroys white blood cells that repair wounds,
thereby slowing healing. Rinse the cut with water, soap and rubbing alcohol also irritate a
wound.
Times of India:
5
'Ñ$
1
)
(This is an excellent saying, especially to all connected with Electricity.>
%'Ña?
Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.
a, , ÑÆ
To ride shotgun is to guard a person or thing while in transit to
ride in front passenger seat of a car or truck.
In the American Wild West, on a trip across the plains, the driver would hold the reins of his
horse team and concentrate on driving.
As a defensive measure, one person sat next to the driver with a shotgun ready to fend off the
enemy.
*
(
6!* is found in milk, yoghurt, whole grains, nuts, ginger, mustard, chilli powder
and black pepper. Zinc is necessary for us to have a healthy immune system and it helps in
wound healing. It is necessary the synthesis of DNA and for proper function of many hormones
such as insulin, growth and sex hormones.
The following Sloka, by the Divine Blessings of Sri. Yoga Nrusimha Moorthy, resident at
Courtallam, in Mouna Swamigal Mutt, became materialized to me, on 26-6-2009, when I went
for worship there, at His Sannidhi:
ÑPrahlaada vallabhaaya narasreshtaaya pù
Mruga rajendraaya deerga damshtraaya ca/
Paschima giri moola nivaasaaya
oga nrusimhaaya Æamaa priyaaya/
Mama hrudaananda kaarakaaya namasthubhyam
Namasthubhyam namo nama://´
Sunday, July 05, 2009: 9:01 AM: Times of India: Chennai Times:
*
;ÑÆ
& '' 1
(This is a good pointer to
think about- S.S.)
4 88 ³God does not ask your ability, or your inability. He asks only your
availability.´- - µMay Kay Ash¶
U
³Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.´
½
2
!
Modern surgical robots move with such precision, they can peel the skin from
a grape.
(
2c2
Mother: Did you thank Mrs. Mala for inviting you to the party?
Son: No. The boy before me thanked her and she said, ³Please don¶t mention it.´ So I didn¶t.
Many of us do feel embarrassed when someone thanks us and we hurry to say, ³No mention>´
However this is c** and sounds c The proper way of acknowledging a ³Thank
you´, as Mrs. Mala did, would be to say - cc!c!c
There are many occasions during informal conversation when we unconsciously blunder into
incorrect utterances. When we meet someone and they ask us ³How do you do?´ most of us say,
³Quite well, thank you.´ Or ³Fine.´
³What about you?´
Pc!cc c+cccc0c cc
Do you remember that delightful song in the film Ñ 3ÑYou are sixteen, going
on seventeen, baby it¶s time to think.´
Well, I have heard many say, ³I¶m running sixteen´ or ³I am in my sixteenth year.´cP!c!cc
**+ Another favourite mistake is to say, ³I am sixteen complete.´ The ! to
express it would be, ³ cc.c!>
Look at this conversation:
Suma: Will you have some coffee?
Priya: I don¶t mind.
According to native speakers, ³I don¶t mind´ used in this way is he reply connotes p
indifference and suggests that the person invited does not care whether she drinks coffee or not.
This expression should be used cc!c!c!!+ cc!!*ccc)*1 as
in the following case:
Prem: Shall we walk or take a cab?
Shyam: I don¶t mind either.
Here is an appropriate use of the structure:
Doctor: I am sorry I made you wait so long.
Patient: I don¶t mind the wait so much, but I think you would like to treat my illness at its early
stages!
Often people say, ³No please´, when an offer is made to them. P!c!c c.
4c cc"c5cccc !c ! while accepting and declining some
offer.
"c&!is a polite reply to a question asking for information. For example, when the boss asks
you ³Has the letter gone?´ the proper reply would be ³No, sir.´
Here is an example of the correct use:
Boy: Mom! Mom! I have just swallowed a spider!
Mom: Shall I call the doctor to give you something for it?
Boy:c"1cP5c Let it starve to death.
cc&5!ccc(c!
;,9,.//0 .
Mr. Abdul Latheef, a NRI, hails from Kayangulam of Kerala State. His daughter is Miss.
Rahmath. (21). In fact Mr. Latheef encouraged his daughter to study ³Vedanta´ in Sanskrit, for
her University Studies. The girl took keen interest in Sanskrit studies and got first rank in the
University, through the college run at Kollam, by the HR&CE Department of the Kerala
Government .It is to be specially stated that Ms. Rahmath had studied only µArab¶ till her school
final but took Sanskrit as her second language for her +2 studies. Her achievement is highly
laudable!
Two or three students of Islamic culture join the Sanskrit course every year; even they go up to
post graduate level and specialize in Vedanta and other studies in Sanskrit. Many Muslim
students also make research on these hard-core subjects.
a 5 '³Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.´
½Solve the anagram: ³SIT WRITE ME A LULLABY´ to get the name of a
famous English poet. [Answer: William Butler Yeats.]
*
(
Leek is low in saturated fats, sodium and cholesterol. It is high in Vitamin A, C
and vitamin K, folate, manganese, dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, iron and magnesium. Leeks are
believed to fight cancer, especially colon and prostate cancer.
a, , Ñ?
To queer someone¶s pitch is to spoil a chance or an opportunity for someone often on purpose.
This is a British expression of 19 th. Century English. Pitch is the name for a position on a street
market where the trader sets up his stall. The word queer has been used for centuries to mean
µpeculiar¶, µodd¶, or µstrange¶ (and is likely related to the German ³quer´.)
To µqueer someone¶s pitch¶ describes as spoiling the business opportunity of other traders. This
was accomplished in any number of easy such as telling customers bad things about a rival trader
or yelling louder than the next closest merchant.
The expression meanwhile is applied to any situation where a person ruins someone else¶s or p p
their own chances at something.
Professor K.S. Viswanathan, ofc 551 was Former Head of Department of Physics, Kerala
University, Trivandrum. He was a student of &!c8c( We lose KSV, who died on 5-7-
2009 at 6:45 p.m. in Chennai.
c4c !
1. What is the meaning and origin of ,.c+cc+ 0c
When you are saved by the bell, a difficult situation suddenly comes to an end: before you have
to say or do anything.
Example: The principal wanted to know who had broken the window. Before we could answer,
his cell phone rang. We were saved by the bell.
One more: Luckily the guests arrived before I could say anything. Saved by the bell.
The idiom comes from the sport of boxing. Every round in a boxing match lasts for three
minutes, and each round begins and ends with the ringing of a bell.
When a fighter hopes that before he gets knocked out, the bell signaling the end of the round
rings. If it does, he has been literally ,.c+cc+
2.How is the word ,+* pronounced?
The word is pronounced µday BAA kl¶ with the stress on the second syllable. It means a total
disaster. It is a fiasco.
³Keshav¶s first performance as a stand-up comedian was a debacle: the audience kept booing p
him.´
3.What is the meaning of ,*!+0c
µChairdrobe¶ is a combination of two words: µchair¶ and µwardrobe¶. There are people who are
too lazy to put away their clothes in their cupboard. They prefer to leave their washed and
unwashed clothes on a chair, instead. The piled up clothes on the chair is called µchairdrobe¶.
³Go through my chairdrobe. You¶ll find the shirt you¶re looking for.´
P! !*ccÑI take a very practical view of raising children. I put a sign in each of their rooms:
³Checkout Time is 18 years.´ ½1'
(6 5
Pcc"
1.There are three houses in a straight row. One is red, one is blue, and one is white. The red
house is left of the middle. The blue house is right of the middle. Where is the white house?
[Answer: In Washington.]
c
4ccG!;c
1.In U.S. currency, how may dimes to six nickels? [Answer; Three.]
2.Which famous German commander in World War II was called ,Pcc<>0 [Answer:
Erwin Rommel.]
3.Of which planet are Ariel, Oberon and Umbriel satellites? [Answer: Uranus.]
4.In the United Kingdom, who also has titles like Baron Renfrew and Great Steward of
Scotland? [Answer: The Prince of Wales.]
5.Which Arabic phrase appears 22 times on the flag of Iran and once in the Iraqi flag? [Answer:
The µTakbir¶.]
6.In which U.S. state is Cincinnati? [Answer: Ohio.]
7.In which western African country, once known as µGold Coast¶ is µCedi¶ the unit of currency?
[Answer: Ghana.]
8.In the context of an opera, what is , !+0 [Answer: The text of the opera.]
9.When organs get inflamed when one has ,!!0[Answer: Kidneys.]
The Hindu:c c What is the best way to know for sure if I have the µflu¶?
Ask your doctor for an X tag swab. The doctor will swab the back of your throat. You can get
results in six hours. The X tag test only tests for viruses, not bacteria.
?It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the
road.
c
:c:5! A preacher dies, and when he gets to heaven, he sees a cab driver who has more
crowns. He says to an angel. ³I don¶t get it. I devoted my whole life to my congregation.´
The angel says, ³We reward results. Did your congregation always pay attention when you gave
a sermon?´
The preacher says, ³Once in a while someone fell asleep.´
The angel says, ³Right. And when people rode in this guy¶s taxi, they not only stayed awake, but
they usually prayed!´
cc
Dc8!c
A humorist says: ³Since we have to speak well of the dead, let us knock them while they are
alive´: This is the comment of Vinoth while speaking about Michael Jackson, who is believed to
have died mysteriously and even when he was living he was not so very well spoken about by a
few people.
³The kite flies because of its tail.´ This is how Vinoth comments about the excellent
µperformance of challenges¶ (Savaal-in Tamizh), of ³Bablu´ alias Prithviraj in Singapore.
³Though the ant works its heart out, it can never make honey´: Vinoth¶s commentary on the
behavior of the opposition AIADMK party staging frequent walkouts from the Assembly in
session.
<cP!c)c !1c.!c#.!c!*
! ½ ³Find three words which contain two consecutive ³i´-s.
[Answer: Radii; Skiing; Taxiing.]
Fact of the Matter: ³Peanut butter is an effective way to remove chewing gum from hair or
clothes.
Husband: From the day we got married, I¶m unable to eat, smoke, drink, go to races etc.
Wife: How sweet, are you madly in love with me?
Husband: No. You got me bankrupt.
*
(
Chicory greens are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in Vitamins A, C,
E, K and B6, riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous,
potassium, copper, manganese, thiamin, niacin and zinc.
a, , 5
½
'
A wet blanket is a pessimistic person, also an action or event
which depresses the mood of a situation.
³I¶m a bit of a µwet blanket¶ when it comes to the whole business of space travel, Captain Pikard,
the µStar trek, actor, said in a BBC interview.
a, , '
A Greek is a gift, which is a trick. This refers to the famous
Wooden Horse said to be a gift of offering to the gods for a safe return from Troy, but was in
reality a tactic for the destruction of the city. A µGreek Gift¶ is therefore a dangerous or
treacherous gift.
8=,9,.//0
English is rich in synonyms; however these synonyms do not have exactly the same meaning.
There are subtle shades of difference. Often we commit errors due to our ignorance of the
nuances. Let us look at one such group of words: 1c 1c51 and 5
Here¶s an example of how to use say and tell:
³I am lonely´, Adam told God in the garden of Eden. ³I need to have someone around for
company.´
³Okay,´ replied God. ³I am going to give you the perfect woman-beautiful, intelligent and
gracious. She¶ll cook and clean for you and never say a cross word.´
³Sounds good,´ Adam said, ³but what is she going to cost?¶
³An arm and a leg.´
³That¶s too much,´ countered Adam. ³What can I get just for a rib?´
Notice the difference between say and tell here. You say something, but you tell somebody
something.
(e.g) I forgot to say goodbye.
(e.g) Eventually he told me the truth.
To say means to utter a special remark; to tell means to relate an occurrence.
6
)6
)
Speak and talk are often used interchangeably. This is not correct.
To speak means to utter words, especially to make a speech.
To talk means to hold a conversation with someone. The following anecdote brings out the
difference.
A professor who collected birds went to an exotic pet shop and said, ³I want a parrot that talks.´
³I have just the parrot for you´, said the owner, and he led the man to a cage where a very
distinguished looking parrot stood on a perch. p
³Speak, Philmore,´ said the pet shop owner. Without missing a beat, Philmore spoke in a
classically trained voice. ³Where there is a will, there is a way. Crime does not pay. Money is the
root of all evil.´
³Pretty good, huh?¶ said the shopkeeper.
³How much?´ asked the professor.
³Three thousand dollars.´
³Forget it,´ the professor said as he made his way to the door. ³For that kind of money, I want a
parrot that writes his own stuff.´
When ccdoes most of the talking, either speak or talk may be used.
When two or more people have a conversation, usec 5, c5
Would you like to correct the following sentences?
She said to me to ask you to phone her.
I couldn¶t talk English in those days.
We spent the whole night speaking.
*8-,9,.//0(6 5
! 54
Find the words with the help of the given clues (each word contains
four letters.)
When the word is reversed:
µthe poet¶ becomes µdull¶. [Answer; Bard- - Drab.]
utensils become what red signals on the road mean [Answer: Pots- - Stop]
the hoofed animal becomes a plant which grows in water or on marshy ground. [Answer: Deer- -
Reed.]
6 5
U7
1.Which river is said to have irrigated the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? [Answer: Euphrates.]
2.Which four-legged herbivores are used in the genre of theatrical show called µHippodrama¶?
[Answer: Horses.]
3.Where in the human body is the , * found? [Answer: Behind the elbow.]
4.Which animal has the largest brain of all animals? [Answer: Elephant.]
5.Which Asian capital city was once called ,0 [Answer: Seoul.]
**
Is Mustard healthy?
Mustard seed is healthy. It is rich in Selenium, a mineral thought to offer anti-cancer benefits.
Both plain yellow and Dijon mustard are low in calories, and fat-free yellow is lower in sodium
at 165 mg. Dijon is loaded with sodium-369 mg.
,,
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4
4
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2
'
Aditya is a student of D.K.Jayaraman; he loves the style of Brinda-Mukta school. He is an
exponent in the singing of µJavalis¶ and µPadams¶. Aditya had a unique opportunity to sing
µpadams¶ for dance performances of Sudharani Raghupathy's disciples. He was associated with
Kalaimamani K.S.R. Aniruddhan, in the singing of Tamil songs in Mylapore temple. KSR
Aniruddhan incidentally is Professor. Sudharani's son. Aditya¶s mother and grandmother were
dancers of yester years. Aditya is setting a foot to U.S.A for higher studies. Aditya indeed sings
wonderfully and for the viewers he sang a Bhairavi Raga Keerthanai, composed by Saint
Thyagaraja and a µJavali¶ ³Varalaadi Bo´, in µBehag¶ Raga composed by Tirupathi
Narayanaswami. Aditya says that Javali and Padams are mainly intended to depict Nayaka-
Nayaki Bhavas and it is somewhat difficult to sing µPadams¶ because the singer should in his
singing bring out the emotions and expressions; and µpadams¶ especially should be sung in
Vilambham. Another youngster M.Vijay, on the violin, accompanied Aditya. He indeed handled
the instrument deftly and gracefully. Varuna Ramaswami, an youngster in this group, assisted
Aditya in Mrudangam. Aditya says that he can give neat, pure and sublime music to his audience
and they may expect a soulful performance from him.
Times of India: '3The largest cork tree in the world is known as µThe Whistler
Tree¶. This tree is located in Alentejo region of Portugal and averages over 1 ton of raw cork per
harvest, enough to cork 100,000 bottles of wine.
1
Actor Srikanth and his wife Vandana have named their four-month -old
son, Aahil. Aahil means Prince in Persian, says Vandana. p·
5
'³A successful marriage requires falling in love many times,
always with the same person.´
a, ,
Artful dodger is someone who is skilled at avoiding
responsibility or the consequences of their actions. The Charles Dickens classic ' !.cP!ctells
the tale of a young orphan who runs away from miserable conditions in Victorian England and
heads to London. During his journey, he meets Jack Dawkins, also known as the artful dodger,
who introduces him to Fagin, a criminal who employs bands of young children as pickpockets.
Dawkins, a skilled pickpocket who leads the gang of criminals trained by Fagin, is known as the
µartful dodger¶ because of his ability to constantly avoid arrest.
µArtful¶ means clever or cunning. µDodger¶ comes from the verb to dodge, which means to avoid
something by shifting or moving quickly aside and is also used in the sense of evading
something through trickery or deceit.
[The whole novel, Oliver Twist, of course abridged, was my non-detailed text for my SSLC,
when I was studying in Srivaikuntam. - - S.S]
From Pc! Volume II: Issue 12: July 2009:Newsleter from Higginbothams: Page12:
Pc<cPccc
1.Demcracy is a kingless regime infested by many kings who are sometimes more exclusive,
tyrannical and destructive than one, if he be a tyrant. - - ½
)
2.There are three faithful friends: an old wife, an old dog and ready money.- -½%
( '
)
3.There are two times in a man¶s life when he should not speculate: when he can¶t afford it and
when he can. - - ' )
4.Knowledge is nothing but finding unity in the midst of diversity.- - 2' )
5.If we encounter a man of more intellect, we should ask him what book he reads. - -Æ
5)
)
5
...//0:/9*
In the past, many ghost stories were in circulation. There were people who
believed Mount Road was a haunted place. A tree located where G.N.Chetty (Gopathi
Narayanaswami Chetty) street now meets Mount Road was said to be sheltering a spirit. (From
the article titled ³A Tale of Two Cities´, written by Ashokamitran, eminent Tamil novelist born
in 1931 and still going full steam.)
Times of India: Idiom-a-day: c!ccc+c!c)cc.c
When something has ended badly, it is easy to say what should have been done to ensure
success. Foresight is being wise before the event; being wise after the event is called µhindsight¶.
Many people are gifted with hindsight!
How many times have you heard. . . ³If I had been in Sachin¶s place I would have. . . ³
³You went wrong when you . . . ³
³Why on earth didn¶t he . . . ³
³It sticks out a mile that instead of. . . ³
Friday, July 24, 2009:9:11 AM: P!c)c !c!cP*5 ÑIt is sad to grow old, but nice to
ripen.´
!##cc9cc This means ³don¶t keep that for yourself- share it.´
To Bogart something is to use or consume (something without sharing.)
³To Bogart´ is a reference to Humphrey Bogart, the popular Hollywood star of yester years, who
was rarely seen without a cigarette in his mouth and never shared it around. This is an interesting
example of the movie star to this expression.
The expression is nice to know and makes a good discussion topic. If you use it actively though,
be prepared to explain ic
P#&!c*c³Two rights do not make a wrong or more right. They make an airplane.´ p·
The Hindu:c!c- ³Memories Come Alive´ is the English version of which famous
singer¶s autobiography? [Answer: Manna Dey.]
2.Which State Government gives the µLata Mangeshkar Award? [Answer: Madhya pradesh.]
3.One of the mildly and tastefully and melodiously Western tuned Ñ
Roja,
Mullaippooovm Venuma? Thottalum Kai manakkum poovum pattana Rojapoovum, Kadambam
Venuma? This song reminisces my Karaikudi days. My senior Uma Shankar used to sing it so
melodiously! This song comes in ÑÆ %& released in 1954. The cast in the movie
was T.R. Ramachandran, Jr. SriRanjani, Sriram, and S.V.Ranga rao, J.P.Chandra Babu,
V.S.Sushila, K.R. Chellam, T.P.Mthulakshmi, T.E.Krishnamachari and V.P.S.Mani. (See µblast
from the past¶, The Hindu, Cinema Plus, by Randor Guy@ Rangadurai.) I wish I heard the song
again! This picture is a poignant adaptation of
$
(1931.). The
music director for this song was S.Hanumantha Rao, while R.Balasaraswathi sang it)
.+.//0:-=Pc!c c c
What can I take for my Arthritic Knees?
Jovially: ³What is wrong with my knees? They wobble when I walk!´
³You need ginger.´
Try ginger extract. It significantly reduced pain in all 124-study subjects with Osteoarthritis of
the knee.
Times of India: c<*c
Being rich in potassium, jackfruitc been found to be helpful in lowering blood pressure. It is a
good source of vitamin C. The fruit contains isoflavones, antioxidants and phytonutrients; all of
which are credited for their cancer-fighting properties. Jackfruit also contains anti-ulcer
properties and is good for those suffering from indigestion. It serves as a good supply of proteins,
carbohydrates and vitamins.
$c!c,$c=5cc
What is the difference between men and women?
A woman wants one man to satisfy her every need. A man wants every woman to satisfy his one
need.
<*c)cc Cotton crops can be sprayed up to 40 times a year making it the most
chemical-intensive crop in the world.
!##c+ c9! A µdouble bind¶ is a special dilemma. It¶s a psychological impasse
created when contradictory demands are made of an individual, such as a child or an employee,
so that no matter which directive is followed, the response will be construed as incorrect. Also, a
situation in which a person must choose between equally unsatisfactory alternatives; a punishing
and inescapable dilemma. British anthropologist Gregory Bateson developed the double bind
theory in the 1950s as a way to explain schizophrenia. The theory was based on the idea that a
person receiving two contradictory messages or demands is unable to make a right decision.
Although originally scientific in nature, the phrase has expanded to mean any difficult situation
that cannot be resolved. Joseph Heller¶s brilliant novel *cCC is full of double binds.
c
(c!c".+cC??
c-cDE#D
cc-
H+!*c adjective: (ze-nuh-foh-bik): ³Fearing foreigners or strangers´ [Roxanne is so
xenophobic she hid in her room the entire time she vacationed in France.] p·
Sunday, August 02, 2009: 9:12 AM: P!c)c !c!c9 What does this Anagram
say? It is the mane of a classical Novel. ÑEXCITE TAÆT ON PAGES.´ (Answer: Great
Expectations.)
c<*c (A good recipe especially for women- - S.S.) Mint decoction along with lime and
ginger juice, and honey can ease morning sickness. Mint juice can also be applied externally on
ulcerated skin to heal it. It also frees skin blemishes. Mint leaves¶ infusion is also useful in
stimulating menstruationc
G ³Until you try, you don¶t know what you can¶t do.´
..//0$c ! c+!c)c*!
Shriya Saran refuses any offer to become a brand ambassador to any product if that product is
harmful to men and animals. Kudos.
What is ,* 0c The cyclotron developed by Lawrence and Livingston in 1932, is a
machine that accelerates charged particles like protons, so that they can be used in atom-
smashing experiments. Because the principles of this accelerator are involved in the cyclic
motion of charged atomic particles in a uniform magnetic field, the device is called cyclotron.
(Open Space: P' 1c&1c$c?C1cC??, Answer to a query by a reader provided by,
Prof.Oza, Morbi.)
8!=cP81c ??c$cC#
#C??1c&: Dindigul Leoni, for the sake of describing the
similarity of raga sang ³Enn Veettu Thottathil Poovellam Kettuppaar´ and the song´Nadha
Vindhu Kalathee Namo Nama.´ Both the songs pertain to the same raga, from the way he
demonstrated by singing them.
Friday, August 07, 2009:8:55 AM: Today is a beautiful day. Exactly when the clock shows 12: p
34: 56, this day gives all the numerals 1 to 9 in right order. Write 12 34 56 (time), 07 (date), 08
(month), 09 (year) and enjoy the beauty of this day. Many countries plan to celebrate this strange
occurrence, with gala lunches etc. We may have to wait for another 100 years to see such a
wonderful day. (Gathered from ! 1 of today¶s issue, page 19.)@c"Ac
Pc!1c!c cWhose last film role was a cameo as an angel in Steven Spielberg¶s
µAlways¶? [Answer: Audrey Hepburn.] (See my µRoman Holiday¶ collection in this computer. - -
S.S.)
c What is C-reactive protein?
CRP is a protein found in the bloodstream. High levels of CRP are linked to inflammation, which
can lead to heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer¶s disease. Just 30 minutes of walking, five days a
week, has been shown to lower CRP levels.
P!c)c !c c<* Vegetarians are at a high risk of developing vitamin B12
deficiency because this important micronutrient is not found in any plant food source. It¶s
therefore necessary for vegetarians to take vitamin B12 supplements.c
!cP*5 ³It takes time to save time.´
<*c)cc Even if you eat food standing on your head, the food will still end up in your
stomach.
!##c*c$*c' µTo dance attendance on¶ is to wait upon someone in an
overly assiduous or sycophantic manner. This refers to someone shuffling and tapping his/her
feet impatiently while waiting to be summoned
Saturday, August 08, 2009: 8:53 AM: The Hindu: &5c4c
The sage Kapila explains the Sankhya yoga to his mother Devahuti. He speaks of 25 Tattvas.
Kapila an incarnation of Lord Narayana says He created all the Tattvas and lists them.
There is the Prakriti, the Universe. There are the Pancha Bhutas- - Prithvi or earth, Apas or
water, Tejas or fire, Vayu or air and Akasha or ether, all of which can be understood through our
sense organs.
There are five Tanmatras- - Gandha (smell), Sparsa (touch), Rupa (color, form, light), Rasa
(taste), and Sabdha (sound).
The sense organs are five: sense of smell, taste, sight, touch and sound. They enable us to be
receptive to the Pancha Bhutas and the Tanmatras.
There are five organs that help us carry out various tasks: the hands that enable us to work, legs
that help in locomotion, the vocal organs that help us to talk, the excretory organs that remove
impurities from our body and the genital organs.
The next three to be considered are Manas, Ahankara and Mahat. Manas means mind, Ahankara
is our ego and Mahat the intellect. Kapila says that having created these 24 Tattvas, he washed
his hands and created the $ This Atma constitutes the 25th Tattva. The qualities of Satva,
Rajas and Tamasare present in every one of us. The one with Rajasic qualities is prone to anger
and ha(s)te. The one with Tamasic qualities is slow-witted and lazy. The one with Satvic
qualities is free from anger, envy, haste, irreverence, and he has his mind under control.
The mind can be controlled through Ashtanga Yoga. The eight components of this yoga are
Yama (self control), Niyama (proper conduct), Asana (proper posture), Pranayama (breath
control), Pratyahara (not focusing on material objects), Dharana (focusing on the Lord), Dhyana
(meditating on the Lord¶s beautiful form) and Samadhi (realizing God.). If one practices this
yoga, he begins to see God in everything. på
And once one sees God everywhere and in everything, one¶s mind has no other thoughts, but
those of the -+ - - and that is the path to liberation.
[Excerpts from the discourse by Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma, appeared in Religion column of
today¶s issue.]
2))!!c )c.!cc)cc1ccc!cc+)0
c
c Why is sauerkraut healthy?
Jovially: Because it tastes so horrible!
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. Fermentation gives it probiotic qualities like in yogurt. But
heat process kills the healthy bacteria. So look for µraw cultured¶ sauerkraut at your health food
store. It is healthiest when warmed, not baked or boiled.
Times of India: !c4c Abraham Lincoln once said, ³It has long been recognized
that the problems with alcohol relate not to the use of a bad thing, but to the abuse of a good
thing.´
!c9cc" Find three common nine-letter words, which can be formed on an
upside-down calculator, assuming you have a calculator, which can show nine digits! What is the
longest word, which could be formed?
[Answer: Illegible; eggshells and bobsleigh. The longest word is bibliologies with 12 letters.]
[The numerals in a calculator will be keyed in, in the following manner, for each word
respectively: Illegible: 378193771; Eggshells: 577345993; Bobsleigh: 461375808; Bibliologies:
531607017818. I worked out all these with an electronic calculator- -S.S]
!cP*5cÑA sincere compliment is one of the most effective ways to motivate someone.´c
<*c)cc An ear of corn consists of 80% of water.
c<* Morning sickness normally starts during the first four to six weeks of the
pregnancy and ends by the sixteenth week. To ease the problem, avoid foods that are fatty,
greasy, rich or spicy. Also herbal tea, mint, peppermint and hop tea have been found to help calm
the stomach.c
!##c.! cP5cPc! This is a proverbial phrase that those who lag behind
will receive no aid. The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations lists ³Every man for himself and the
Devil take the hindmost´ as an early 16th century proverb.
Example: ³At first we tried to help each other study for the exam, but soon it was every man for
himself, and the dead take the hindmost.
Sunday, August 09, 2009: 9:39 AM: P!c)c !c c<* To relieve pain caused by
kidney stone, place a hot castor oil pack on the painful area. Alterbatively, mix water and vinegar
and heat. Soak a towel in the mixture to make a hot vinegar pack and place the pack over the
affected area to relax tense muscles. This will also make it easier for the stone to pass.
G ³Hatred is self punishment.´
P#&!cG (Jovially-S.S.) ³There is too much blood in my alcohol system.´c
!c9 Solve the anagram given below to get the name of a famous author: ³SMASHED
URINAL.´ [Answer: Salman Rushdie. - - How beautifully this suits his name! - -S.S.]
<*c)cPc Polar bears can eat as much as ten percent of their body weight in less than
one hour. p
Pc 1c Dope originally meant a thick liquid lubricant. As slang, it means
narcotic/illicit drug. In sport, the use of performance-enhancing drugs is commonly referred to as
doping.
Origin: One theory goes that µdope¶ is derived from µdop¶, an alcoholic drink used as a stimulant
in ceremonial dances in 18th century South Africa. According to another theory, µdope¶ is of
Dutch origin , from the word µdoop¶, which is a thick dipping sauce.
&!c&*5 They are stocks of companies, which manufacture or deal with cigarettes, alcohol,
weapons and sex-related products. They could be directly involved in the business or associated
with such activities. Such companies are also called µsin business¶.
c
c
$cc)c=!c)c.!cP8cc
,Æ, , ,4 , ,!/;-+) 0,:,.//0( The song
³Rathiryil Poothirukkum Thamaraiyo´ is composed in ,!c(While MSV and
Nithya Sri performed as judges for this show, Nithya revealed the name of the Raga to the
contestants who sang this very melodiously.
:cP8c:*5, conducted by Kushboo, 08:40 p.m:The audio animation for the mouse in
Mickey Mouse was provided by Walt Disney himself.
The Egyptians invented key for the door.
:cP8c)c? cccc!c .! with 8!: She has very beautiful and
melodious voice. She is conversant with Hindi and Sanskrit. Her pronunciation in both the
languages is excellent. She says she had cut more than 100 albums, including something like 50
Sanskrit devotionals. She says she is very fond of listening to M.S. Subbulakshmi and Bombay
Jayashri. She sang a beautiful Ghazal and µKurai Ondrum Illai Kanna¶ both very melodiously.
With all that, she is good to look at. She smiles heartily, laughs and giggles very beautifully,
without exhibiting any ugliness. She is born in a Brahmin family. She also sang a stanza from
µVaidyanathashtakam¶ in two different notes (styles) one palatable to our tradition and the other
for people settled abroad. She also sang the following film songs very beautifully: 1.Palakattu
pakkathile oru appavi Raja 2.Sorgame endralum adhu nam ooraipola varuma- -Ilaiyaraja fame
3.Pudhu vellai mazhai pozhikiradhu, from film µRoja¶ 4.Ninnai Charan Adainthane 5. Pani
vizhum malar vanam, un parvai oru varam 6.Malarkale malarkale 7. Meettatha oru veenai enai
mayakkum neram, both sung by Hariharan. Vinaya generally speaks good English, with neat
pronunciation; yet she makes one or two mistakes here and there.
Vinoth after seeing µMega T.V. interview¶ with her writes his review in Thuglak, (19-8-2009
issue, page33): ³She sang µMahishasuramardini Stotram¶ and µNeelakantaya¶ very melodiously.
Her nickname is ³Suppose Vinaya´ as her µsuppose¶ song in the film became a very popular hit´.
He finally writes about her (in English): ³Happiness is not something you find; it is something
you create.´[I missed to see this interview.]
Monday, August 10, 2009: 8:14 AM: P!c)c !c!cP*5 ³If liberty has any meaning,
it means freedom to improve´.
c<*cChickpeas are a good source of folic acid, fiber and manganese. They can help
lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. They also contain molybdenum, a trace
mineral that is needed for the body¶s mechanism to detoxify sulphites.
!##cc cPc This idiom is used for a spiteful and mean spirited person.
People often begrudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves. The phrase is proverbial, pp
referring to people who spitefully prevent others from having something that they themselves
have no use for. A typical example is the child who discards a toy- until a sibling tries to play
with it. Then the first child becomes possessive about something it no longer wanted.
c
Pc!c*!c- c9!c9cG!;cC
1.What type of oil is generally used in oil paintings? [Answer: Linseed.]
2.Which train, made famous by an Agatha Christie novel, was called µKing of Trains and Train
of Kings¶? [Answer: Orient Express.]
3.What five-lettered word is commonly used for groups like yeasts, molds, and mushrooms?
[Answer: Fungus (Fungi).]
4.What is the term used to signify the Sahitya of the Carnatic composition? [Answer: Maatu.]
5.Name the goalkeeper done in by the infamous µHand of God¶ goal by Maradona? [Answer:
Peter Shilton.]
Tuesday, August 11, 2009: 8:11 AM: Times of India:5 '!c2 cLove is
about open arms. If you close your arms around love, you will be left holding only yourself.
P#&!cG µAlways remember, you are unique- - - just like everyone else.¶ [My comments:
This is a positive way of thinking, that everyone is unique in his/her own way. This can be safely
spread when you greet others on occasions or even meeting casually.
c<*cButterbeans are a good source of cholesterol lowering fiber. They also provide
virtually fat-free high quality protein. It is a good choice for diabetics suffering from insulin
resistance. They are also a good source of iron and are highly recommended for menstruating
women.
!## Pc+c+cc,.! ccPcc9 c& is to be in difficulty faced with
two dangerous alternatives. The explanation is from the usual meaning of Devil, i.e. the supreme
spirit of evil. The Devil is bad and falling in the deep sea is bad, so when caught between the two
would be in difficulty.
In Greek mythology, Homer¶s Odyssey refers to Odysseus being caught between Scylla (a six-
headed monster) and Charybdis (a whirlpool)
The Hindu: 4c cG!;
1.Allium Cepa is the biological name for which common vegetable? [Answer: Onion.]
2.What is the speciality of an *!*c?c[Answer: The first letter of each of the lines when
read together spell out a word.]
3.Wat spectacular water feature can one see at the Canaima national park in 8; 0
[Answer: Angel Falls.]
4.According to the Shakespearean play, in which city did Æomeo fall in love with Juliet?
[Answer: Verona.]
5.What does one test using a & c*?c[Answer: Eyesight.]
6.With regard to guns, what is the Ñcaliber´[Answer: The measurement of the length of a gun to
its diameter.]
What is !0c It is the grammatically incorrect version of English spoken in countries like
Japan and China, where µL¶ is pronounced as µR¶. McDonald for example, is µMakudonarudo¶ in
Engrish.
c What is pasteurized milk?
Pasteurization involves heating the milk to 150 degrees and keeping it there for at least a half p
hour. Pasteurized cow¶s milk is the number one allergen in the U.S. Raw milk, however, does
not have the allergy-inducing qualities of pasteurized milk.
c4c !
1.What is the meaning of µrain check¶?
If someone invites you to dinner, and you are unable to go, you can always ask for a µrain check¶.
What you mean by this is that circumstances do not permit you to accept the invitation; you are,
however, willing to go out with the person some other time.
³I can¶t go to the beach with you this weekend. How about a rain check?´
2.Trees and hedges are sometimes cut in the shape of animals. Is there a word for it?
Yes, there is. The word is called ,! The word is pronounced µTOPE-ye-ri¶ with the stress
on the first syllable. Topiary comes from the Latin µtopiarius¶ meaning µornamental gardener¶.
3.What is the meaning of the expression ,c0
The expression is pronounced µadd NAU-zi-am¶ with the main stress on the first syllable of
µnauseam¶. When someone talks about something µad nauseam¶, he talks about it so much that it
becomes extremely boring for the listeners.
³The Minister talked ad nauseam about his achievements.´
4.What is the meaning of µget to the bottom of something¶?
When you try to get to the bottom of something, you do everything you can to find the truth
about it.
³The investigators need to get to the bottom of this fraud.´
5.What is the difference between µavoiding taxes¶ and µevading taxes.
Most people try to avoid taxes, not evade them. When you evade paying taxes, you are doing
something illegal. Evasion suggests dishonesty. When you avoid paying taxes, you make use of
the rules and regulations and you find ways of paying less taxes or not paying anything at all. In
this case, you are not doing anything illegal.c
P! c-!* ³An intelligent test sometimes shows a man how smart he would have been not to
have taken it.´
Wednesday, August 12, 2009: 7:56 AM: The Hindu: c
Can I lose weight by eating slower?
Jovially! ³I just finished breakfast- - now it is time for lunch!
Seriously: Studies have shown that you can lose up to 20 pounds in a year just by eating slower.
It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you¶re full. If you eat fast, you can eat past the
point where you¶re actually full. So slow down.
Times of India:c!cP*5 ³Ignorance of ignorance is the death of knowledge´.
c<* Honey is an excellent purifier. It can soothe and encourage the healing of sores in
the mouth or vagina. Mix one glass of warm water with two teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon
of lemon juice. Take this preparation every day. It will purify the blood, reduce fat and clean
your bowels.
<*c)cPc The only flying saucer launchpad in the world is located in St.Paul, Alberta,
Canada.
;!0 ³ROOSTER TAURUS TALE´: (Answer: Cock-and- bull story.)
!## cc means a certainty. This is an American phrase and hence the
US spelling µdonut¶ is used. (We spell it as µdoughnut¶.) This is a pseudo betting term, pseudo in
that it didn¶t it didn¶t originate with actual betting involving donuts, but just as a pleasant- p
sounding alliterative phrase, which indicated short odds- - dollars are valuable but donuts are not.
³The ceremony associated with the learning of alphabets was performed by the Mohammadans
also. Humayun, the Moghul emperor, was admitted into a Maktab when he was four years, four
months and four days old, and the occasion was solemnized with due ceremonies. (Tazkiratul
Sacatin, Shah-I-Jahan Namah.)
From, R!c&51 by Rajbali Pandey, ChapterVII, ³The Educational Samskaras´,
1.The Vidyarambha (learning of Alphabets), Page 110. Book published by Motilal Banarsidas
Publishers Private Limited: 120, Royapettah High Road, Mylapore, Chenai 600 004. (Chennai
address only entered here.)
Thursday, August 13, 2009: 10:34 AM:cP 51c #
#C??c8!c page 38:
ÑJudges ought to be more learned than witty´, says Bacon. Vinoth gives this comment on the
judge who delivered the verdict in the Supreme Court of India, that it is not a criminal offence
when the mother-in-law kicks her daughter-in-law or the husband threatens the wife that he
would divorce her.
Times of India: c<*cAlmonds have an extremely high nutritive value (they contain
copper, iron and vitamins) and are used as a remedy for anemia. They provide nutrients that help
in increasing the bone mineral density, which in turn, help in strengthening he skeletal system.
They can also be considered as a remedy to cope with osteoporosis.
!c9 What is represented by this Brain Bat?
WEAR
L O N G.
(Answer: µLong¶ under µWear.¶)
Monday, August 17, 2009: 8:30 AM: Pc!c2))!! ³Think you¶ve got somebody eating
out of your hand? Count your fingers.´
c Is alcohol the main cause of liver damage?
No. The number-One cause of liver failure is acetaminophen, the key ingredient in Tylenol,
Excedrin and many other pain medications. Do not exceed the dosing instructions when taking
Acetaminophen products. It could cost you your liver.
9!c9#c#G!;cC?
1.Demerara sugar gets its name from which country¶s river? [Answer: Guyana]
2.Who is the protagonist in the dystopian novel µ1984¶? [Answer: Winston Smith, a phlegmatic
everyman]
3. ow many square metres in 10 hectares? [Answer: 100,000]
4.What are µpacemaker¶ cells in the human body? [Answer: The cells that create rhythmical
impulses, which control the contractions of the heart.] p
5.Which is the only non-U. S team in Major League Baseball? [Answer: Toronto blue jays]
Times of India: (Page 12.) !c2 c Sujata Bajaj, a Paris-based painter of Indian
origin, is known for her use of scriptures in her abstract paintings.
She says: ³I very much see red as a positive color; color of Indian marriage, faith and so on.´
c<* The presence of vitamin A in passion fruit helps in the removal of free radicals
from the body thereby preventing various cancers as well as skin disorders. In addition, presence
of vitamin A in passion fruits also aids in the enhancement of vision.
!##³Doom and Gloom´: This phrase indicates a feeling of pessimism and
despondency, often with regard to business or political projects.
³I told you that gold could only bring you doom and gloom, gloom and doom.´
2c2 Could you imagine the longest sentence in English? You simply can¶t, because
a sentence could extend up to infinity with the help of conjunctions.
Let¶s imagine you are narrating the story of a recent Tamil film. You could say it in one long
sentence: the hero met the heroine and fell in love with her and then the villain came and fought
with the hero but the hero killed the villain and saved the heroine and married her and they lived
happily ever after.
What are conjunctions? They are words that join two sentences or two clauses.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And I chose the one less traveled by
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep.
To be, or not to be,
That is the question.
In the above famous quotations, you find the conjunctions 1c+andcThey are called co-
ordinating conjunctions as they join two main or co-ordinate clauses.
$suggests addition.
³Is that police?´ asked a frantic voice at the other end of the line.
³Yes, sir,´ this is the police station,´ replied the inspector on duty.
³Oh! Thank God! I want to report a robbery in the neighborhood and the thief is trapped in an
old lady¶s bedroom. Please come quickly,´ said the voice.
³And who is calling, please?´ the inspector asked. There was a momentary silence at the other
end. Then the voice whispered, ³The Thief!´
In informal American English, and is sometimes dropped after the base form.
³Let¶s go see if Anne¶s here.´
³Go jump in the river!´
³Come sit beside me.´
9 is used to indicate contrast as seen in the text below:
Management Notice To Employees:c
This will be accepted as an excuse, but we would like two weeks notice as we feel it is your duty
to teach someone your job prior to or after death.
When you would like to suggest an alternative, you use or.
Teacher: Is America farther away from us or is the moon at a greater distance?
Student: America.
Teacher: America? Whatever gave you this idea? p·
Student: Simple! We can always see the moon, from India, but not America!
When expressions are joined by 1c+1c, we often leave out repeated words or phrases of
various kinds.
Antique or modern furniture
In France, Germany or Spain
She can read, but can¶t write.
The food and drinks are ready.
Phil and Sally washed the dishes.
Friday, August 21, 2009: 9:38 AMcP!c)c !c!cP*5: ³There are no facts; only
interpretations of facts.´c
c
c
!c2 c:5
Question: Why are men with pierced ears better prepared for marriage? Answer:
They have experienced pain and also bought jewellery.
Friday, August 28, 2009: 8:26 AM: Pc!c2))!! ³When the joke teller starts to blush,
it¶s because he forgot the punch line.´c
c What¶s a good herbal remedy for dry skin?
Lotions containing aloe are helpful in restoring skin moisture. Evening primrose oil, black
currant and borage oils are also known to promote healthy growth of skin and nails.
P!c)c !c!cP*5 ³The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.´
$c:5 ³Hey friend remember that without stupidity there can be no wisdom and without
ugliness there can be no beauty.´
Friend quickly retorts: ³So the world needs YOU very much after all.
c<* Pumpkins contain an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins A and C, as well as zinc
and alpha-hydroxy acids, which help in reducing the signs of ageing. Unlike the widely used
anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin, pumpkin seeds do not contribute to the progression of
arthritis.
!##: $cc)c A µhouse of cards¶ refers to any insecure arrangement. The
term is an allusion to a children¶s game of constructing a toy house with playing cards. It is
rather difficult to imagine anything more fragile and insecure than a house of cards. It will all
come tumbling down even if you breathe on it.
c
c
:cP8 11:30 hours: -#c#c(c !5: Judges: Uma Ramanan and Anuradha
Sriram: & ³Katril Varum Geethame; En Kankalai Nee Arivayaa? This song was composed
by Ilaiyaraja, and is in ,4c !c
Saturday, August 29, 2009:8:11 AMcP!c)c !c<*c)ccc
The Mongol emperor Genghis Khan¶s real name was Temujin.
!#cc<#Rc ³Fuddy-Duddy´ is a person who is very old-fashioned or highly
conservative. A fuddy-duddy is a person with fussy, hyper-critical ways.
Pc!cc- cPc5cc
2))!! ³Bikes can¶t stand alone because they¶re Two-Tired.´
c What¶s an herbal remedy for eczema?
Creams or ointments containing stinging nettle are said to alleviate the itchiness and oozing
lesions of eczema. Some herbalists recommend systemic treatments with chamomile tea or påù
tincture.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009: 7:44 AM:cP!c)c !c!cP*5: ³Success is the ability
to get along with people and ahead of others´c
c<* To lose weight, powder and grind horsegram and add nicely heated sour
buttermilk. Make a paste of them and apply it onto the fat deposits on the body. Massage
vigorously in upward strokes. Horsegram is known to reduce body fat very effectively. Take hot
water bath after an hour.
<*c)cc: In one year, an elephant can drink 15,000 gallons (57,000 litres) of water.
!## 2!.c c$c! To give something a whirl is to try the thing out, especially
attempt to do something, often for the first time.c på·
G: How much sin can I get away with and still go to heaven?
c;!c@c"A Find the familiar phrase, saying or name in this arrangement of
letters:
³5Æ ! a![Answer: Put it in writing]
Pc!c$cG!: ³I now a lot about cars, man. I can look at any car¶s headlights and tell
you exactly which way it¶s coming.´- -
*1 )
2))!!c@!c2 A ³In the war between the sexes, there¶s too much collusion with the
enemy.´
c : How much soda do Americans drink?
Americans drink an average of 18 ounces or two full glasses of soda per day. Soda is actually
µliquid candy¶, and has replaced white bread as the number-one source of calories in the
American diet.
Friday, September 04, 2009: 7:56 AM: P!c)c !c!cP*5ÑThe young man knows the
rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.´c
c<* The health benefits of anise essential oil can be attributed to its anti-epileptic, anti-
hysteric, anti-rheumatic, anti-septic, anti-spasmodic, aperient, carminative, cordial, decongestant,
digestive, expectorant, insecticide, sedative, stimulant and vermifuge properties.
<*c)cPc: ³People drank gold powder mixed in water in medieval Europe to relieve på
pain from sore limbs.
!##cPc!c cc:When the µdie is cast¶, the decision is made and a course of
action is revocably taken. The metaphor is widely believed to have come from games of chance.
µDie¶ is the singular of µdice¶, but is not often used except in this phrase.
The die is cast, the step is taken and there is no drawing back. So said Julius Caesar when he
crossed the Rubicon- -Jacta alea est! Die here is ultimately from Latin, datum, given.
Slave! I have sent my life upon a card,
And I will stand the hazard of the die. (Æichard III, V, iv, 10).
Pc!c- ccP!*c*!cc !)!*! (The following information is
found-S.S.) -*.1 famous in Kerala, consists of Thimila, Maddhalam, Ilathalam,
Kombu and Edaikka.
c
c
c
!c- :
1.Expand the initials of K.V. in the famed music composer K.V.Mahadevan¶s name. [Answer:
Krishnankoil (Nagercoil) Venkatachalam.
I attended his Sathabishekam,held in Vijay Sesh Mahal. There I met S.P. Balasubramaniam; had
chat with him for about 20 minutes and took photographs with him. I met K.R. Vijaya also there
and had one or two minutes exchange of greetings..
2.Who was nicknamed µPancham Da¶? [Answer: Rahul Dev Burman]
3.Which Smita Patil film has the title of a famous Shaivaite temple town? [Answer:
Chidambaram].
P! 51c
Star Cast: M.K.Thyagaraja Bagavathar, Serukalathur Sama as Shiva,
Thirunelveli Papa as heroine, N.S. Krishnan, T.A.Mathuram, T.S Durairaj, R.Balasaraswati and
S.S.Rajamani.This movie was MKT¶s own production, directed by Raja Sandow.The following
songs are evergreen in one¶s memory:
µDheena Karunakarane Nataraja! Neelakantane!¶ (Composed by Papanasam Sivan).
µCharacharangal Varum Chuzhandrae¶
µMaraivai Puthaitha thiru odu ( In Srivaikuntam, my friend Gopala Thatham used to sing this
very well-S.S)
µUn Azhagai Kaana Iru Kankal Pothathe¶ (A breezy duet featuring MKT and the heroine
Tirunelveli Papa) and
µOru naal oru Pozhuthakilum¶
Actor Sarath Babu¶s (Mullum Malarum fame) only son Deepak is doing MBA in Boston.
c c@-c AcCan Folic Acid reduce cancer risk?
Folic acid is very effective at reducing cancer risk. A fifteen-year study revealed that those who
took folic acid in the form of a multivitamin, cut their colon cancer risk by a whopping 75%. To
lower risk, take 400 micro grams per day.
The expression 'make a clean sweep' comes from the idea of sweeping something so that is
totally clean.
The expression is also used when a company or organization replaces a group of key employees,
usually managers with a new team.
2c2cHow many times have you been forced to eat your words and say, ³Sorry, I
didn't mean that!´. Quite often when we want to mean something, we say something else. The
issue is further complicated when our listeners don't get our exact meaning. Look at this famous
example from Linguistics:
Here John has not understood that Joe's question is a polite request for directions to the post
office. Communication often breaks down because we are not aware of the hidden implications
of an utterance.
People have certain presuppositions when they talk. If you are not aware of these
presuppositions, you just don't get their meaning. For example, in the Indian social context, if
you ask someone, ³how many children do you have?´ the presupposition is that the person
addressed is married.
There are rules of use, just as there are rules of grammar. We could call them the grammar of
use. When we violate these rules there is communication break down, often resulting in hilarious
humor. p
When someone says, ³I'm a dental surgeon´, you interpret it as someone who performs surgery
for teeth. Here Maya jumps to the conclusion that Mary is a criminal as well as a lawyer.
In the following instances, the speaker means something, but the listener understands something
else because they have different presuppositions.
*Another Patient: Doctor, Doctor, How can I stop myself from dying?
Pc!c9!c9cG!;cSCC
1.Under what title was the Agatha Christie classic 'Murder on the Orient Express' first published
in the U.S?[Answer: Murder in the Calais Coach].
2. Which unit of English currency was deemed to be, back in the Anglo-Saxon times, to be the
value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere? [Answer: Shilling].
3The phrase 'saved by the bell' comes from which sport? [Answer: Boxing].
4Which country is named after a landmark considered the second among the highest mountain
peaks of Africa? [Answer: Keya].
5What is the name given to the current geological epoch? [Answer: Holocene].
c Will drinking fruit juice raise my risk of diabetes?
Fruit juice is high in natural sugar(Fructose). Yet one study revealed that fruit juice does not
raise diabetes risk. Researchers speculate that natural sugars have different metabolic effects than
added sugars. Drink fruit juice in moderation.
9!cRukku and Ramani inform at about 21:15 hours that 2Tcwife -c-! was
delivered of a girl baby at 08:21 hours today at !1c!*!c7&$cThe baby's name is
$c&+!) Both the child and mother are safe, while the baby was delivered
through Cesarean Section. After checking with chart, the birth lagna is found to becc11 deg
54 min and c(.!c!c1 incc(! ( Revathi 40.05% left).c!cP!!!c
20.04% left. Sunrise 6h 33m 22s and Sunset19h 16m 53s. Janma Ghati 4.4847 after Sunrise.c
!1c!*!c
1CD1?D1c !ccD
1c?D1cC
1c !cAt her birth Mercury
Dasa is ruling, (till 27-06-2016).
On a brief analysis, Shankar says that this is a good 'Jatakam'. As Mercury is exalted in his own
house, and lagnam is [with Mercury] there, the baby will be very clever generally and will be
very good at studies. The baby will grow as a charming and fair girl , as Venus is posited in
eleventh. As Mars is in tenth, she will grow to be a bold girl, capable of tackling any situation.
Also she will be good in mathematics and related subjects. She can be trained in music, even at
the very young stage of babyhood, and she will become very well versed in music, as she
grows,because of the position of Venus. Encourage the child at the very infant stage itself in
music.
³You live in time, we live in space. You're always on the move; we're always at rest. Religion is
our first love; we revel in metaphysics. Science is your passion; you delight in physics. You
believe in freedom of speech; you strive for articulation. We believe in freedom of silence; we
lapse into meditation´. <* 44
>
G@:.! c4c!cc)*
, ) > ³The more people I meet- - the better I like my dog!´
c<* Like other nuts, * too has obesity and gallstone-fighting properties.
Presence of high amounts of magnesium ensures healthy bones and teeth structure, while the
copper produces energy and increases capability of antioxidant defenses. It also greatly reduces
heart-related diseases, diabetes and obesity. The iron content helps to control red-blood cell
function and enzyme activity.
Soda works like a corrosive acid on your teeth. It dissolves, the mineral content of tooth enamel,
making the teeth weaker, more sensitive and more susceptible to decay. Soda's acidity is even
worse for teeth than the sugar in candy.
4c cG!; 1) What is the common name for the >cin the human body? [Answer:
Big toe]
2A$+! is the fear of which everyday thing around us? [Answer: Air]
4)How many letters are there in the 25c +0c[Answer:Twenty four letters.]
c4c !
I have been working for a a dragon lady for twenty years. (Indeed it happened to me. I had
worked for a dragon lady, Ms. Mary Matthew, when I was EE/Hydro, and she was my Chief
Engineer).
The term can also be used to refer to ac ccwho has a seductive quality about her:
a female fatale. (All promises, Ms. Mary Mathew does not respond to this sense at all; she was
quite uncouth; perhaps that made her remain to be a miss; perhaps no one came forward to
propose to her, in spite of her qualification, in those days and her Governmental position)
We very often hear people using the word 'back' with both 'revert' and 'return'.
³The software company has asked us to revert back to the older version.´
In both these sentences, the word 'back' is unnecessary. When you revert to something, you are
'returning' or 'going back' to it. There is no need to use the word 'back' with 'revert'.
In legal contexts, the word 'revert' can be used to mean 'to become the property of a person again.
.When you say, 'All in all, it's been a really bad week', what you earn is that everything
considered, it's been a terrible week. The expression can also be used to mean 'everything'.
P! #-!*c³The only imaginative fiction being written today is income tax returns.´- - Herman
Wouk.
09/09/09:07:44:03 AM: P!c)c !c!cP*5 ³All the things one has forgotten scream
for help in dreams.´
!##c c!c!! If something is 'in mint condition. It is perfect, as if new.
Something which is undamaged as if freshly minted. Anything which is in an unused state can be
called to be in mint condition.
To mint money is to earn lots of money as if one owns the Government mint.
In one study, those taking a daily 200 micro gram selenium supplement had a 46% lower risk of
lung cancer, 63% lower risk of prostate cancer and a 58% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
!c c<c Today is a beautiful and a 'fortune' day. Many marriages are to be
celebrated today in the USA.
In the morning of today and at night, exactly at 09 hours, 09 minutes, 09 seconds, the wondrous
instant happens. Just write: 09: 09:09:09: 09:09 for the year, month , date, hour, minute, and
second, and enjoy this day and this night.
(:cP8
?c ³The old beautiful cinema song, 'Ennai yaar enru, enni enni nee
parkirai, idhu yaar padum padal enru nee ketkiraai', is composed in &!c9!.!cragam.´
">c6cP!;c 16:45 hours:´The old beautiful ever green song 'Thesulavudhe
Thane Mazhaiyale' is in :! ragam.
09/10/09: 08:21:11 AM: Pc!c c cHow much vitamin D should I take?
Experts say that current vitamin D recommendations need to be updated. The optimum level is at
least 1,000 I.U, may be as high as 2,000 I.U. Studies show these amounts are safe to take. Take a
vitamin D3 supplement. This is the kind your body receives from sunlight.
&*c&* ³Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.´- - 2
½
2
³Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life´.- - ½
1 )
³Knowledge is ruin to my young men´, said Hitler and Germany became ruined. [Did not in
those days Periyar E.V.. Ramaswmi Naicker, say ? ³I want fools and idiots only to my party!´- -
S.S]
³An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday did
not happen today´.- - (Who said this? Vinod does not mention this in his page.)
Ambrose Philips, a little-known 18th -century poet whose verse was strongly criticized by his
contemporaries Alexander Pope and Henry Carey. In making fun of some children's verse
written by Philips, Carey used the nickname Namby Pamby. The first part of Carey's phrase
'Namby' came from Amby or Ambrose. 'Pamby' repeated the sound and form but added the
initial of Philip's name.
Namby-Pamby went on to be used generally to describe people or things that are insipid (fad,
ohne Geschmack), sentimental or weak.
The humble raisin can work wonders at speeding up time it takes food to pass through your
body. In one study, those who ate 1 ½ small boxes of raisins, three times a day, increased their
transmission time from 2 days to 1 day.
$c!c!*cc(c+c* c D
Starring: P.U.Chinnappa, Papanasam
Sivan (as Kuchela), P.S.Govindan (as Lord Krishna), T.R.Rajakumari(created by Lord Krishna
from a flower), S.R.Janaki, R.Balasubramaniam, D.Balasubramaniam, N.S.Krishnan, T.A.
Mathuram, M.K.Meenalochani, 'Pulimoottai' Ramaswami, L.Narayana Rao, T.S Durairaj,
P.G.('Alwar') Kuppuswami, T.V Annapoorani,and E.Krishnan.
The film had excellent music by Carnatic musician Kunnakkudi Venkatarama Iyer, with lyrics
by Papanasam Sivan and Udumalai Narayana Kavi. The movie had 17 songs, including comic
ones.
Kubera Kuchela had excellent cinematography²Marcus Bartley-- and was shot at Newtone
Studios, Kilpauk, Madeas, now Rajaji Vidhyashramam.
The film was released during the height of the Second World War when soldiers were milling
around the city on motorbikes, heavy army trucks and cars. To attract them, the producers came
up with an innovative poster, a horizontal strip which contained the lines only in English- -
³Who is rich? Kubera or Kuchela? Watch the Movie!´
09/12/09: 08:15:44 AM: Pc!c c cHow much nutrients are lost in juicing?
³It's better to drink the whole fruit.´
When nutrients in juiced vegetables were measured, it was discovered that phytonutrient levels
in the juice dropped by 30-60%. The lost vitamins were found in the pulp. It's best to use a juicer
that pulverizes the pulp into the juice, like a vita-milk.
P!c)c !c<*c)cccContrary to the popular belief, chocolate does not cause
acne.
!##c") 'Newfangled' describes something which is recently made for the
first time, but not necessarily an improvement on what existed before. A car can be termed as
'newfangled' because it is just without all doors.
Circa 1470: Newfangled was formed from the Old English adjective 'neufangel'(from around
1250), which literally meant to capture (fang) something new (neu).
Fang is a derivative of the Old English 'fon', meaning 'to capture'. The context of something
recently-coming into fashion was first recorded around 1533.
Sample Text: U.S. Congresswoman Jean Schmidt of Ohio had trouble operating her 'newfangled'
electronic voting machine.
'Newfangled' software may revolutionize procurement, but not without some old fashioned re
engineering.
c<*c&Tc! 5cis rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and sodium.
It is also rich in vitamins A,C and folate. It has small amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and
vitamins B6, B12 and pantothenic acid. Sheep's milk also reduces cholesterol and is more than
cow's milk or goat's ilk.
-!!cP8c$*!c& c& c c+cc CDcc
Some viewer from Kulasekaranpattinam mentioned about 'Kulasai Vattal Kuzhambu and
Tirunelveli special Payasam, made with 'Karuppatti.' Next time when I go there I should ask
Krishnan about this and taste them and find what is special about them and know the preparation.
cP8c3ED?cc&c-cc8!c*
( ÑMullai Malar Mele Moikkum Vandu Polei Ullam Uravaaduthu Ungal Anbhale´:
c(cSung by TMS and P.Susheela: Acting: Padmini and Sivaji.
G ³Contempt is the weapon of the weak and a defense against one's own despised and
unwanted feelings.´ å
!c9 Solve the anagram below to get the name of old time Hollywood star: ³Has
Nobler Scorn.´ [Answer: Charles Bronson].
Possibility is that it relates to the simple animal trap, which is a cage or box propped up by a
stick with a string tied to it. The animal is lured by placing food under the cage/box. When it
tries to get the food, the string is pulled to remove the stick and the trap falls onto the surprised
animal.
9 !.c!cc" In the United States, 'PAPER' money is made of fabric, not wood pulp. It is
25% linen and 75% cotton.
c<*T&! !Tcis extremely rich in potassium and sodium. It has good amounts of
magnesium, phosphorous, iron and calcium. It is also rich in choline with good amounts of
vitamin A, C, E and niacin. Spirulina fights fatigue, cancer, reverses signs of ageing and helps
build resistance. Chlorophyll in spirulina soothes the body tissues and heals them. It also stops
the growth of harmful bacteria in the body.
Monday, September 14, 2009: 8:15 AM:cPc!c9!c9cG!;cC
1Which bestseller begins ³The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by
short sweeps of its crescent tail´?
5. When were the Winter and Summer Olympics last held in the same year?
!cP*5cHumor brings insight and tolerance .Irony brings a deeper and less friendly
understandingc p
In his 1989 book µWicked Words¶, ugh Æawson suggests that nosy Parkers were actually people
who lurked around Hyde Park (London-S.S) spying on µamorous¶ couples. Supporting this
theory is the fact that park keepers in England were once called ³parkers´.
Grammar Guru: The famous dramatist, Bernard Shaw, is noted for his brilliant wit. But many
don¶t know that he was a not too handsome bachelor. A beautiful lady once approached him and
said, ³Mr. Shaw, would you like to marry me? Then our children would be as intelligent as you
are and as charming as I am. Won¶t that be wonderful?´
Saw thought for a moment and said, ³I would rather not, madam. I¶m afraid they might turn out
to be as intelligent as you are and as handsome as I am!´ Wel Shaw¶s presuppositions were quite
different from those of the lady.
There are instances where we make statements with certain presuppositions. However, in the
very act of translating our thoughts into words, we miss the bus somewhere on the way, and our
listeners get a message quite different from what we intended.
Let us look at some notices collected from hotels and restaurants (Courtesy:c%!cc
+c-cAcccc³If you consider our help impolite, you should see the manager.´ [What
the notice wants to convey is that impolite behavior on the part of the hotel staff should be
reported to the manager. But the unintended message, which the reader actually gets, is that the
manager is even less polite than the staff.]
2.´Guests are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 am and 11 am´. [It looks
as though every guestcccomplain during this period. The more appropriate way of saying this
would be: µGuests may complain at the office, if they need to, between 9am and 11am daily. In
the above instances, the structure of the sentence played the mischief. Often the choice if a
wrong word might lead to confusion.]
3.´In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.´ [What the writer intended was to
µalert¶ the hotel porter. The word alarm conveys the meaning µfrighten¶.]
4. ³You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.´ [To take advantage, here, have
sexual connotations. But the innocent meaning is: You can take the help of the chambermaid.]
c ³It is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not person to do such thing, is
pleased not to read notis.´
c If your order is not satisfactory, please return the product to the counter and we will
pp
replace it with a smile.
Pc!cc c c&!c!c2 ³Keep your eyes wide open before
marriage, and half-shut afterwards.<½% ( '
>)c
a
Why are humans, the only creature that must drink milk from another mammal to
get enough calcium? µGood question!¶
By having yogurt and orange juice for breakfast, a cheese dish for dinner, and cocoa for a night
cap, you can obtain 1,000 milligram of calcium necessary for bone health.c
c
4cG!; 1.If one had hypoglycaemia, he or she would have abnormally low concentration of
what in the blood? [Answer: Sugar].
c4cc ! 1.What is the meaning of the expression ,c c)*0 p
When you say that someone has µlost face¶, you mean that the individual has lost some of the
respect that others had for him. When you lose face, you are usually publicly humiliated.
The idiom µlose face¶ is actually a translation of the Chinese expression µtiu lien¶ meaning µlose
face¶.
Either like µFEE-kend or like FE-kend. The stress is on the first syllable. The word µfecund¶
comes from the Latin µfecundus¶ meaning µfertile¶ or µfruitful¶.
³When I met Shriya for the first time, I was so nervous that I sweated like a pig.´
Pigs do not have sweat glands, and therefore do not perspire like humans do. However when a
pig is roasted, fat oozes out, and it is this fat that is referred to in the idiom.c
Both are correct. The former is mostly used in American English while the British prefer
µMonday to Friday¶.
P! c-!*c³Here¶s to our wives and girlfriends: may they never meet.´<a
>)
!* It¶s the cymbal (musical instrument) and not the symbol as given in
the seventh paragraph of a report ³Fascination for instruments draws them to the profession´
(Early editions, Tamilnadu, September 1, 2009).
The Maraca, referred to in the report, is a hollow gourd or gourd-shaped container filled with
beans, pebbles, or similar objects, forming one of a pair and shaken as a percussion instrument in
Latin-American music.
He composes some good songs; and he played one such song composed in two ragas, P!
and 5!
On hearing Shailendra¶s maiden concert performance, Rajkumar Bharathi voluntarily took him
as his disciple.
pù