Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in Feb. 2020

Last updated on 31st March 2020

Note that most of the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus 2019) related FB post contents of mine are put up here: My Feb. 2020 FB posts on new Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19),  https://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.com/2020/02/my-feb-2020-fb-posts-on-new-coronavirus.html.

When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer).

To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.
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Excellent dental service from Dr. Krishna Suman of Prasanthi Dental Clinic in Puttaparthi

Thought this may be useful to some Puttaparthi based readers and so am sharing it.

Please note that there is no commercial benefit for me from this post. Further, I am only reporting my positive experience. Others' experience could be similar to mine or be different.

I recently had a problem of infection of a canine tooth which resulted in rather excessive swelling of face above and around the canine root. Initially it seemed as if there had been an insect bite problem along with the canine tooth problem. Antibiotics (mainly Amoxicillin for tooth but also Droxyl for insect bite) course reduced the swelling issue.

But to address the canine tooth part of the problem (which may have been the whole problem without any insect bite issue), I visited Dr. Krishna Suman of Prasanthi Dental Clinic (in Puttaparthi, Tel: 9885020429). I have been going to him in the past too, but as I had got caught up in some stuff, I had not visited him for some time now.

Dr. Krishna Suman had a look and advised root canal treatment to save the tooth (as against extraction). Like my last root canal treatment for another tooth, Dr. Suman did a great job of root canal treatment. A little bit work is still left (as this canine tooth of mine is quite long!), which will be done in another sitting.

Dr. Suman is very efficient and comes across as knowledgeable and confident about his work. His clinic is well equipped including with X-Ray machine and computer(s). He seems to be into using tech, including mobile tech, in a big way.

Like in the previous posts on such services by Puttaparthi doctors/opticians, I am following the policy of not mentioning the charges.

I am very happy with this vital dental care provided by Dr. Krishna Suman. As mentioned earlier, I decided to publicly put up this post as I thought it may benefit some readers in Puttaparthi. I repeat I have no commercial interest at all in putting up this post.
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Enjoyed the warmth on display in these videos from both USA First Lady Melania Trump and the Delhi government (public) school hosts (children & teachers), during her visit to India a few days ago. Note that government (public) schools in India are either free or very low cost to parents (of students), and usually have children from poor and lower-middle class families who cannot afford to send their children to significantly more expensive private schools. So these children of Delhi seem to be from the poor and lower-middle class sections. I think it is great that USA First Lady interacted with them, and I think the children put on a very good show. Congratulations to the children, and to the teachers and administrators who would surely have worked hard to coach the students, ensure good organization and make this event a success.

Delhi Govt Schoolchildren Welcome US First Lady Melania Trump With Bouqet, Traditional Dance, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=girQllAFB4U, 5 min. 12 secs., published on 25th Feb. 2020.

This video has parts (or perhaps whole) of Melania Trump's very nice speech to the school children and teachers.
Watch: Melania Trump encourages students during her Delhi school visit, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qunFR1mQgLY, 6 min. 43 secs, published on 25th Feb. 2020.
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7 min. 34 secs. comedy clip from a movie made a century ago (1920)! https://www.facebook.com/Chaplinlaughingworld/videos/621918741875225/?t=0
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PM Modi and US President Donald Trump at Joint Press Meet in Hyderabad House, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BedMhM1wNhc, around 19 mins.
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Ceremonial welcome of President Donald Trump at Rashtrapati Bhavan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zonT7rvMJE8, 20 min. 45 secs.
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US Embassy India post with pics of US President Trump & First Lady with Indian President and others shared on: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2767866036763289?__tn__=-R
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Welcome to India to US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump and their team!

I am quite sure this visit will strengthen USA-India ties. As a resident and citizen of India I fully support strong USA-India ties with USA being the oldest republic (no monarch) type of democracy in the world and India being the largest, citizen numbers wise, republic (no monarch) type of democracy in the world.

Please note that I have a PUBLICLY (POLITICALLY) NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role about USA politics. I am a well-wisher of the people of the USA.

In these and future posts I will put up about President Trump's visit to India, my support is for the office of the democratically elected President of USA, irrespective of political party affiliation. Further, I request readers not to comment about domestic politics in USA, on these posts.

PM Modi welcomes US President Trump in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn1M26Lg2vc, 10 min. 42 secs.
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Life in our times is incredibly better materially than what it was in past centuries, for the vast majority of humanity (the Kings and Lords had a good time), across most countries of the world, if not the whole world.

India surely had terrible exploitation of the poor in past centuries when viewed from today's times.

Here's what seems to be a well researched and frank account of how it was to be a slave under George Washington, one of the founding fathers of the USA, and its first president. I am not sharing it to be critical of George Washington as he, like others, would have been a product of their times. I am sharing it as knowing these truths gives us a better perspective of life, and helps us realize, and be thankful for, how life is far better materially nowadays, for most of humanity.

How Did George Washington Treat His Slaves?, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvg2tnJ3YFY, 4 min. 23 secs, published by George Washington's Mount Vernon on 21st Sept. 2018.
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The duality of Thomas Jefferson, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzZnqXvRSLE, 9 min. 30 secs, published by CBS News on 2nd Dec. 2012.
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"Recalling the fond memories of his father (Major Dhyan Chand), the former India captain said how Adolf Hitler, left the stadium when India scored the sixth goal against Germany in the 1936 Olympics final." - Interesting! At that time, India beat Germany 8-1 to win the Olympics Hockey Gold. But Hitler came back to award the gold medal to India as per this utterly fascinating article: When sports legend Dhyan Chand was offered a job by Adolf Hitler, https://indianexpress.com/article/research/national-sports-day-2017-when-sports-legend-dhyan-chand-was-offered-a-job-by-adolf-hitler/, 29th Aug. 2017.

The article says that on the following day, Hitler called Dhyan Chand to meet him. Dhyan Chand was worried as he had heard some scary stories about Hitler shooting people on the spot! But Hitler spoke nicely to him, asked him about his job (Dhyan Chand was a soldier in the Indian army), and reportedly offered Dhyan Chand a job with the Nazi German army!

As per the article, Dhyan Chand politely refused on family grounds, and Hitler was understanding of his position!

The article has a 2 min. 45 secs youtube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R3KHOrEn7A, which one comment said seems to have been adapted from the video shot by Leni Riefenstahl (the famous propaganda film director lady for Nazi Germany) - don't know how true that comment is.

BTW I think Nazis were horrible people and have publicly condemned them in my posts. Here's one of them: The terrifying extreme nationalism and fanaticism of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, http://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-terrifying-extreme-nationalism-and.html.

But 1936 Olympics host was Germany and Hitler ruled Germany then. So India under Dhyan Chand beating Germany in the Olympics Hockey final match and the Indian team, in all probability, receiving the medal(s) from Hitler or other Nazi German leaders is part of history. Note the article says that the audience had "top Nazi officials like Hermann Goering, Joseph Goebbels, Joachim Ribbentrop and the Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler".
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The author of the account below is the father of an old friend and software industry colleague of mine.

I found the account to be wonderful and touching.

https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2765339323682627?__tn__=-R
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Just read the title & description of the article but not the article (so far; will do later). But that's enough for me to be fully supportive of it. .... How the kids will enjoy going to school one day a week without the weight of books on their backs!

I hope the media will share some gleeful looks of these kids on 'no bag day' Saturdays at school.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2764044937145399?__tn__=-R
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In a limited access Facebook post related to motherhood, I wrote (slightly edited):

Great pic --name-snipped--!

I would like to add that I think responsible motherhood is one of the greatest services rendered to humanity as a whole. As an unmarried man in his late fifties now, I am very reverential towards responsible mothers for the service they render to humanity by nurturing and raising children to adulthood, and teaching them good ethical and social values.

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Geet Gata Hoon Main, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ays7xJK8UF8, 3 min. 30 secs. from 1971 Hindi movie Lal Patthar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lal_Patthar. Sung by Kishore Kumar, on screen star Vinod Mehra, lyricist Dev Kohli and music director(s) Shankar Jaikishan

The initial lyrics of the song, http://www.lyricsoff.com/songs/geet-gata-hoon-main.html, are:
Geet Gata Hoon Main
Gungunata Hoon Main
[English (my rough translation): I sing songs, I hum (songs)]
Maine Hasne ka vaada kiya tha kabhi
Isliye ab sada muskurata hoon main
[English: I had made a promise sometime to smile (laugh)
Therefore I always keep smiling (implicit: even if I am in sorrow)]

[I haven't seen the movie but the wiki page says that the childhood sweetheart of the character singing the song (played by Vinod Mehra) is married to another man (played by Raj Kumar and is the cigar smoking seemingly rich landlord character in the song) who comes to know of it, and then plots the downfall of the pair. So the character singing the song seems to be in sorrow while singing the song as he could not marry his childhood sweetheart.]

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FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2755807934635766
Don't know if it applies to all but I think it does apply to some toxic persons. They are never wrong - the whole world can be wrong but not them - that's their world view!

Shared FB post shows text: "A toxic person will never change [sad & wry icon] They just change victims & blame everything on everybody else!"

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Today (15th Feb. 2020) the Puttaparthi Ward Volunteer lady assigned to my ward, visited my flat (in outside-ashram Puttaparthi town) to get some additional info. about me and to take my thumb impression. She had got a fingerprint device which was connected to her rather large smartphone device. She asked for my Aadhaar card number, fed it into her smartphone - an app. I guess. Then she requested me to press my thumb on her fingerprint device. That got read OK. She showed me her smartphone (app I presume) showing my details - name and some other info - which seemed OK, and that was it. Perhaps it took totally around 5 to 10 minutes.

I am mighty impressed with Puttaparthi municipal corporation I.T. use. I mean, earlier I would have to go to the municipal corporation office when they needed stuff like fingerprint. Now the ward volunteer comes to my home/flat and gets it! That is superb service and superb deployment of mobile apps. and devices. I presume this is not limited to Puttaparthi municipal corporation and is happening in most towns & cities across Andhra Pradesh. If so, that is really good usage of I.T., especially mobile devices and apps, by Andhra Pradesh government to deliver service to citizens at their homes!

Tech. is so powerful and so revolutionary! In my own adult life, I have seen how tech. has revolutionized life. In 1984 I would type in a computer program on a (dumb) computer terminal that would be connected to a big mini computer housed in an air conditioned computer room. I think the mobile device including its software that the government town level ward volunteer lady used today (along with the fingerprint device) in 2020, must be more powerful than the mini-computer I used in 1984 (as an employee in my first software company, Datamatics in Mumbai when I was 21 to 22 years old), and surely far more powerful than the dumb terminal I used then. Here's a pic of a Wang dumb terminal similar or same as the one I would typically use in 1984, https://ingeniumcanada.org/ingenium/collection-research/collection-item.php?id=2002.0358.002.

What absolutely mind-blowing change in 36 years from 1984 to 2020!
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Some gun-fighting time pass from Clint Eastwood, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaJwgHYOaQk, around 10 mins.
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Some Charlie Chaplin fighting time-pass
Shared FB video: https://www.facebook.com/Chaplinlaughingworld/videos/880612702392963/?t=0
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Good to know this. Look forward to visit of Hon'ble President and First Lady of USA.

Please note that I have a PUBLICLY (POLITICALLY) NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about USA political leaders. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen living in India, there is no question of me having voted in USA elections. I am a well-wisher of the people of the USA.

I am a strong supporter of ties between India and USA. Mr. Trump is the duly elected President of USA, the oldest republic type of democracy (no monarchs) in the world with the largest economy in the world today. I look forward to his visit to India, the number-of-citizens-wise largest republic type of democracy (no monarchs) in the world, in his very important capacity/position of President of USA.

I request readers not to comment on domestic politics related matters in USA, in the context of Mr. Trump.
[Shared FB post of U.S. Embassy India:  https://www.facebook.com/India.usembassy/photos/a.190766654372705/2931338540315489/ ]
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Sharing a reality-bite that some human beings are evil. Period.

This is a case about USA but such evil exists in many countries (surely exists in India), and perhaps exists all over the world.

"Run away from bad company" is what Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba would teach. I think that is wonderful and wise advice to follow. But one should base one's judgement about whether a person is bad only after being convinced about it, and not on just some seemingly suspicious behaviour (which could have a very genuine and good explanation).

Father, 60, who murdered his son for a $700k insurance policy is found guilty of killing his wife to pocket a $200K insurance payout - and he was only caught when his second wife grew suspicious after he took out $1.2 million policy, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7967381/Man-killed-son-insurance-scam-convicted-killing-wife.html, 5th Feb. 2020.
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When a drug turned killer (in 1973 in Chennai, India), https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/when-a-drug-turned-killer/article30770710.ece, 9th Feb. 2020

Very interesting though tragic account of how, in 1973, the pediatric surgeon of a Child Health hospital in Chennai figured out that the spate of child deaths due to renal failure that he encountered was due to a medicine with a toxin in it. The account is by the doctor, V.R. Ravikumar, himself. I came across the article in the print version of The Hindu.

The doctor explains that similar cases began to mount (one or two children were brought to the (children specialty) hospital every week), and in a month 15 children died of kidney failure. The cause of this spate of cases was still not known.

Then, the doctor writes, "Next week, a child from my neighbourhood, who had seen me a week earlier, was admitted with acute renal failure. A sense of fear gripped me since I had a one-year-old son and a daughter of three years."

As the doctor went through the history of this child's case it struck him that the only new drug administered to the child was "Pipmol C". Now the doctor was aware of this new drug as he had been given a sample of it some time back. It was a paracetamol solution with vitamin C.

He suspected that this new drug may be the cause of the spate of these cases they were facing. As he dug into history of other cases (for past cases where children had died he had to get their addresses and then visit their homes then), it became clear that all the children who died had taken "Pipmol C"!

The key problem had been identified. Eventually, with help of higher medical and government authorities, it was found that, by mistake, a toxin had been used in preparing the Pipmol C medicine (that batch, I guess). The top doctors spoke to the media about the issue, and the media printed and broadcasted warnings about not consuming Pipmol C medicine. The article has some newspaper clipping pics with those warnings.

Ravi: Hmm. Fascinating account of investigation of cause of public health crisis in 1973 in Chennai. Public health medical practitioners (doctors and support staff including administrative staff like the record keepers who gave this doctor the addresses of past children patients who had died) do a great service serving the public at large, which includes their own family (like this doctor's two children), by responding to, and solving such public health crisis.
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What happened to Pakistani young cricketers, has happened to Indian young cricketers now :-). I had posted the earlier video involving the Pakistani cricketers in U-19 match against India. Felt it appropriate to post this too.
[Shared FB video: https://www.facebook.com/cricketworldcup/videos/2575313326128953/ ]
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"We firmly believe that India’s growth is linked to peace and prosperity in its neighbourhood.  A stable and prosperous Sri Lanka is in the best interest of India: President Kovind", https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1226118863206567937

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Superb rendition in 2017 of 1969 rural ambience slow melody romantic Hindi film song: Je Hum Tum Chori Se - Mukhtar Shah & Sampada Goswami - JHILMIL SITARON KA AANGAN, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvzfbu46tpk, 3 min. 49 secs.
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The original song with the video part having some playing to the gallery stuff (that's what brought the film makers money): Je Hum Tum Chori Se (HD) (from) Dharti Kahe Pukar ke (1969). On-screen stars are: Jeetendra and Nanda. Singers are Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh. Music director(s) is(are) Laxmikant Pyarelal. The lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqXo7be-meI, 5 min. 31 secs.
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These are state level elections in Delhi.

The President of India is formally the head of Indian state and republic. A citizen gets raised to that topmost position of President via nomination and election by members of Parliament and political parties. This topmost person also plays the role of a citizen by casting his vote in the state election!

What a wonderful thing democracy in a republic is! Indians today are very fortunate to enjoy this democracy in a republic (from 1947 onwards informally, and formally from 1950 when Indian constitution was formally adopted, if I am not mistaken).
[FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2750245991858627 shares pics and text of related President of India post.]
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1980s English pop hit song - Money for Nothing, Dire Straits / Sting - Money For Nothing (Live Aid 1985), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcqhvPNiJzo, 7 min. 33 secs.

In response to a comment (on FB post:  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2749483975268162) I wrote: Oh! Nowadays, once in a while I like to hear high energy Western pop music which I have heard often in the past. Note that in the 2nd half of the1980s and early 1990s, Dire Straits was a very popular band and I and friends used to play it often especially while partying (in USA, Europe & India). The Money For Nothing song perhaps was the most popular song of this band. I also recall seeing it on MTV (in USA) very often in the second half of the 1980s.

BTW I mentioned USA, Europe and India just to convey that Dire Straits, and this song of theirs, was really popular among some of us Indian software techies then who would be on assignments in USA and Europe (and elsewhere too like Persian Gulf countries but I have not been there), or be in India offices of our companies. When we would group together to have some food and fun, and some alcohol too (for those who took it), having a music player blaring out our favourite English pop songs (and Hindi songs too), was the norm. At such times, the Money for Nothing song was in great demand to be played, if I recall correctly.
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The cult classic song live (in 1977): Eagles Hotel California (Best Version), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3TH3BOx2g4, 6 min. 40 secs.
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O Mere Dil Ke Chain (Eng Sub) [Full Video Song] (HD) With Lyrics - Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jHPhM6hVmg, 4 min. 20 secs. The English subtitles could be improved upon but the non-Hindi speaking viewer gets the drift of the meaning of the lyrics.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this singing while walking and interacting with audience, performance by an orchestra singer (I think his name is Alok Katdare). This is while he is superbly singing (parts of) Rajesh Khanna (actor) superhit songs (mostly sung by Kishore Kumar I think) along with one or two dialogues (of Rajesh Khanna). The orchestra music performance is just superb flooding back memories of the tunes of those superhit songs.

MASH UP - RAJESH KHANNA SHIPER HIT SONGS I ALOK KATDARE I PUNEET SHARMA MUSIC, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XekC3D3202M, 10 min. 49 secs, published on 27th Dec. 2019.
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Sports sometimes brutally shows up character aspects that otherwise would stay hidden

The video in the tweet given below is of an Under 19 international cricket match. Still the non-striking batsman (from Pakistan) who initially agrees to the run but then turns back almost half way down the pitch perhaps to avoid getting himself run out, and reaches back to safety at the non-striking end, seems to show unsporting selfishness and willingness to put the teammate (striking batsman) in trouble. But it is not clear from the video (at least to me) who hesitated first. Maybe the striking batsman hesitated first and so the non-striker decided to run back which, in those circumstances, would be a fair decision to take and not a selfish one.

The striking batsman is run out as he continues his initial run towards the same non-striking end.

What is quite comical is that both of the batsmen seem to try to beat each other to get to safety on the non-striker end. I guess the rules of the game would save the first guy who crossed the crease on the non-striker end (which happens to be the non-striker).

To make things more harsh for the Pakistanis, the team they are playing against is arch-rival India!

https://twitter.com/CricketVideos16/status/1224655525641506816 (video is 30 seconds), 4th Feb. 2020.
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The awesome technological miracle of the Internet and youtube, and the diligent video record keeping by some USA media network(s), allows us to see the first 1960, yes 1960, USA presidential debate between the top two candidates: then Senator John F. Kennedy and then Vice-President Richard Nixon.

TNC:172 Kennedy-Nixon First Presidential Debate, 1960, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbrcRKqLSRw, around an hour.

I saw the first 20 to 25 minutes of the video, so far.

USA and India share an important feature in their democracies in that both are republics without any king or queen or monarch of any other sort. Citizens of the country gets elevated to most powerful position(s) in the country - President  and Vice-President in USA, Prime Minister and President in India. Note that the above positions are each held by one person only. That reduces the possibility of power mongering by an individual by grabbing all positions of power for himself/herself.

India has a parliamentary form of democracy with elected members of lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha) and usually political parties that they are from, choosing a Prime Minister. The President of India is also chosen by Parliament and political parties but I think it is by both houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) with Rajya Sabha composed of members nominated by political parties.

As a lover and beneficiary of democracy of republic form, I find the fact that USA had a TV debate between the top two presidential candidates in 1960 itself, to be a great indicator of how much of a leader USA has been in the post World War II world (our age) for democracy of republic form. I have to say that despite some issues that USA democracy has today that makes it difficult for those with limited money backing to rise to the top, it still is the "shining city on the hill", for democracy lovers like me in India.

Please note that I have a PUBLICLY (POLITICALLY) NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about USA politics. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen living in India, there is no question of me having voted in USA elections. I am a well-wisher of the people of the USA.
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We have to know the reality of the day. Living in denial in some imaginary paradise where nobody is evil and nobody wants to harm other human beings, is being unrealistic. That may be appropriate for individual reclusive spiritual aspirants who are willing to even die for their beliefs, and may do wonders for their spiritual uplift (as even if they die in an attack by a terrorist, it is only their body that dies but not their spirit) but I think living in such denial of harsh realities of our times is not good for society as a whole.

So I am sharing this article about a recent horrific incident in London, UK, as a reality-bite of the times that we live in: London stabbing: 20-year-old attacker wanted girlfriend to behead her parents, https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/london-stabbing-20-year-old-attacker-wanted-girlfriend-to-behead-her-parents-1642675-2020-02-03, 3rd Feb. 2020.

We must be grateful to the London police armed officers who killed the attacker before he could do further grievous harm to others.
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New beginnings for the UK after Brexit?, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww9C2XlnEhk, 4 min. 16 secs, published on 1st Feb. 2020.
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When fonts fight, Times New Roman conquers, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/29/when-fonts-fight-times-new-roman-conquers, 29th Jan. 2020.

Very interesting and entertaining article :-) (passed on to me by a correspondent over email).

Not surprised about Times New Roman 12 being a favourite.

Interesting to read about other choices of authors.

Besides Times New Roman, over my software industry career (1984 to 2002), I have used Courier and Arial. Nowadays I use Calibri for some fonts on cover pages of books as that was the default in some graphics applications for Text inserts and I found it to be good.
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